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Mist rose from the water, and birds began to sing.
When they passed the teahouses, Jack and Annie saw firefighters cleaning up after the fire, sweeping up broken tiles and scrubbing the walkways. Waiters were bringing them tea.
The sun was shining by the time they passed the puppet stage and the charred lumberyard. Wisps of smoke still rose from the black piles of burned logs.
The ferryboat floated on through the bright morning. It glided under the Great Bridge and past the crowded fish market. Fishermen were hauling in their catch from the night before.
By the time they moved past the samurai castles and came near the moat of the ImperialGarden, the sun had completely dried out Jack’s and Annie’s kimonos.
The boat pulled up to the landing. Basho helped Jack and Annie onto the dock. He waved good-bye to the boat passengers.

Jack, Annie, and Basho walked over the stone bridge that crossed the moat. They walked through the massive gate in the high wall. Then they followed the paths of the Imperial Garden, around the big rocks and the pond with the swans.
Jack kept an eye out for horses and samurai warriors. But the garden was as peaceful as when they had first landed. It was filled with birdsong. The willows swayed. Water from the waterfall tumbled into the green pool. Jack caught sight of the sun shining on the tree house high in the cherry tree.
Jack stopped walking. “We know our way home from here,” he said to Basho.
“Are you certain?” asked Basho. He did not seem to notice the tree house in the cherry tree.
“We’re sure,” said Annie. “Once we start on our way, the trip will be easy.”
Basho nodded. “You remind me of the famous saying of the samurai Musashi,” he said. “‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.’”
“I’ve heard that saying before,” said Jack.
“Words can outlive their creators,” said Basho. “Though I will never be so lucky as to have mine outlive me.”
“Don’t be too sure of that,” said Annie.
Basho gave them a little smile. “I hope you both will return to Edo someday,” he said. “Look for me when you come back. I should have a lovely new castle on the river by then.”
“Thanks,” said Jack.
“Good-bye,” said Annie.
They both bowed to Basho.
Basho bowed to them. Then the great poet turned and left them. Falling cherry blossoms floated on the wind as he walked away.
Jack and Annie watched Basho until they could no longer see him. Then they turned to go. Just as they started walking, a man stepped out from the shadows of the garden. The man wore a blue coat and two swords hung from his belt.
“Excuse me,” said the samurai. “May I see your passports, please?”

J ack couldn’t speak.
“Our passports?” said Annie. “They—um— they got destroyed in a fire—on the other side of the Great Bridge.”
The samurai narrowed his eyes. “Your passports burned?.” he said. “Why were you on the other side of the Great Bridge?”
“We were with Master Basho,” said Jack.
“Master Basho?” said the samurai.
“Yes,” said Annie. “We are students of his.”
“Ah!” The samurai’s expression brightened.“So you study poetry with Master Basho?”
“Yes,” said Annie. “Would you like to hear some poems?”
Oh, no! thought Jack. Not again!
“Yes, please,” said the samurai.
“No problem.” Annie thought for a moment and then said: “Here’s a simple little poem.” She recited:
Rain falls outside ,
But the tiny cricket on the hearth
Is dry tonight.
The samurai nodded. “Hmm,” he said. “Yes. Very simple, but very lovely.”
“Thank you,” said Annie.
The man turned to Jack. Jack could hardly breathe. His mind was blank. He looked to Annie for help. But Annie just smiled, waiting to hear his poem.
Jack cleared his throat. He tried to stay calm. He closed his eyes and let his mind roamover their visit to Japan. He opened his eyes. He looked up at the cloudless sky and said:
The sun is shining ,
The day is hot.
But