Dragon of the Red Dawn: A Merlin Mission

horse. He read the caption to himself:
In the 1600s, the military ruler known as the shogun (say SHOW-gun) lived in the center of the Imperial Garden in a palace that had hundreds of rooms.

“That last guy is a shogun,” Jack whispered to Annie. “He lives in a big palace in the garden.” He kept reading:
Often the shogun’s warriors traveled with him. They were called samurai (say SAM-uh-rye).
“Oh, man,” whispered Jack. “Those other guys are samurai!” He and Annie had barely escaped an armored samurai on their earlier trip to Japan.
Samurai were excellent horsemen well trained in the arts of fighting. The code of the samurai was strict. Samurai did not show their feelings. They had great powers of concentration.
“They’re gone,” said Annie.
Jack looked out the window. The shogun and his samurai warriors had disappeared down a tree-shaded dirt road.
“We should get out of the Imperial Gardenfast,” said Jack. “If we stay here, we’re just asking to be caught.”
“How do we get out?” asked Annie.
Jack looked in the Japan book. He found a map of Edo. “Look,” he said, pointing at the map. “We have to get over this bridge that leads away from the Imperial Garden into the city. The bridge is on the east side of the garden.”
“The morning sun is over there,” said Annie, squinting into the sunlight. “So that must be east. Let’s climb down and head that way.”
“Good plan. Then we’ll be walking in the opposite direction of those samurai,” said Jack.
“Right,” said Annie. She started down the rope ladder.
“Be careful,” said Jack. “We don’t want anyone to see us sneaking around the Imperial Garden.”
Jack put the Japan book into his burlap bag and slung the bag over his shoulder. As he stepped onto the ladder, he nearly tripped on hiskimono. “Oh, brother,” he said. He held up the cloth and carefully climbed down.
Jack joined Annie on a wide path. A gust of dry wind carried petals from cherry trees through the air. The long branches of the willows swayed over the grass.
Jack and Annie began heading east, keeping their eyes and ears open for more people. They walked past flower beds and big rocks. They walked around a pond with swans. They started down a narrow lane between blossoming cherry trees.
Just as they came out from under the trees, Jack and Annie saw four men strolling toward them. One man was shorter and older than the others. He wore a straw hat and a tattered brown coat and used a walking stick. The other three had shaved heads with topknots, and two swords hung from each of their belts.
“Samurai!” whispered Jack.
“Yikes,” said Annie.
“Run!” said Jack.
Jack and Annie turned around and started running back down the narrow lane.
Jack heard the men running after them. “Halt!” cried a samurai.
Jack grabbed Annie’s hand and they stumbled to a halt. Out of breath, they turned to face the three samurai who were rushing toward them.
“Who are you?” one of the samurai barked. He was holding up his sword. “Why do you run from us? Are you spies?”
Just as Jack was about to answer, he heard a voice shout, “Baku! Koto!”
The man with the walking stick and straw hat was hurrying toward them. “Baku, Koto, what are you doing here?” he called out to Jack and Annie. “Why did you not wait for me at the bridge?”

The three samurai turned to the man with the walking stick. “You know them, Master?” one asked.
“Yes, of course,” the man said. “This boy and girl are Baku and Koto, my best students.”
“Hi, Master!” said Annie, pretending she knew who the man was. “We couldn’t find the bridge, so we—uh—we—”
“We came here to look for you,” said Jack.
“And now you have found me,” said the man. “I am sorry you were frightened by my friends.”
The samurai put away his sword. “Forgive me,” he said, bowing before Jack and Annie.

“Sure, no problem,” said Annie.
The samurai turned to the small man. “We will leave you with your students now,” he said. “Thank you, Most Honored Master, for your visit with us today.” All three warriors bowed deeply before the man. Then they walked away.
Why did the samurai call the small man “Most Honored Master”? Jack wondered.
When the samurai were gone, the man turned to Jack and Annie. His eyes twinkled. “I believe you are safe now,” he said.
“Thanks,” said Annie. “But I’m afraid we’re not Baku and Koto.”
“No, you are not,” said the man.