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diff --git a/23118.txt b/23118.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7d43696 --- /dev/null +++ b/23118.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10528 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Chinese Command, by Harry Collingwood + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Chinese Command + A Story of Adventure in Eastern Seas + +Author: Harry Collingwood + +Illustrator: Arch. Webb + +Release Date: October 20, 2007 [EBook #23118] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CHINESE COMMAND *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +A Chinese Command, A Story of Adventure in Eastern Seas, by Harry +Collingwood. + +________________________________________________________________________ +We have two confessions to make before we tell you about the story. The +first is to say that there are two missing pages from the copy of the +book we used, 223 and 224, the last two pages of chapter 14, rather an +exciting moment in the story. We shall try to get photocopies of these +pages, but it will take time. + +The second one will make you laugh: The Chinese Admiral Wong-Li, who +plays a big part in the book, was always being read by the audiobook +program as "wong fifty one". No doubt you can see why. So I changed +his name, with apologies, to Wong-lih, thus restoring the correct +pronunciation, and not making a huge difference to the story. + +Frobisher is a cashiered Royal Navy ex-officer. He is approached to +run some arms to the rebels in Korea, and thus make his fortune. This +fails, and the arms get into the hands of the legitimate government. +After some vicissitudes he finds himself in China, and talking to the +above admiral, who offers him the command of a battleship, with the +prospect of taking part in a war against Japan. He does this but loses +his ship in a storm towards the end of the book. Meanwhile he has +found the lost millions hidden away by Genghiz Khan many centuries +beforehand. He has no hesitation in purloining these, and eventually +on getting back to England, buying his way back into grace by presenting +the nation with a number of brand-new battleships, for which bit of +sleaze he is given a baronetcy, and restored to the Navy List. + +It makes a good audiobook. NH. + +________________________________________________________________________ +A CHINESE COMMAND, A STORY OF ADVENTURE IN EASTERN SEAS, BY HARRY +COLLINGWOOD. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +THE OUTCAST. + +A furious gust of wind tore down the chimney, blowing the smoke out into +the small but cosily-furnished sitting-room of the little cottage at +Kingston-on-Thames, and sending a shower of sparks hissing and +spluttering on to the hearth-rug, where they were promptly trodden out +by a tall, fair-haired young giant, who lazily removed his feet from a +chair on which they reposed, for the purpose. + +This operation concluded, he replaced his feet on the chair with +deliberation, re-arranged a cushion behind his head, leaned back +luxuriously, and started hunting in his pocket for matches wherewith to +light his pipe, which had gone out. + +"Beastly night for a dog to be out, much more a human being," he +soliloquised. "Poor old Murray's sure to be drenched when he gets back, +as well as frozen to the bone. Let's see--is everything ready for him? +Yes, there are his slippers warming before the fire--hope none of those +sparks burnt a hole in 'em--likewise dry coat, shirt, and trousers; that +ought to do him all right. I hope to goodness the poor old chap's got +some encouragement to-day, if nothing else, for he's fearfully down on +his luck, and no mistake. And, between me and those fire-irons there, +I'm getting almost afraid to let him out of my sight, for fear he'll go +and do something foolish--though, to be sure, he's hardly that kind of +fellow, when one comes to think of it. However, he should be in very +soon now, and then I, shall learn the news." + +Having delivered himself of this monologue, Dick Penryn lit his pipe, +took up the book he had been reading, and was soon deep in the pages of +Theophile Gautier's _Voyage en l'Orient_. + +Dick Penryn and Murray Frobisher, the friend to whom he had been +alluding, were chums of many years' standing. They had been born within +a few months of one another--Frobisher being slightly the elder--in the +same Devon village; had attended the same school in Plymouth--Mannamead +House, to be exact; had gone to the same college together, and had +passed into the British Navy within a year of one another--Frobisher +being again first in the race. + +Then, for some years, fortune smiled upon both. Each won golden +opinions from his superiors; and by the time that the lads were +twenty-three years of age they had attained the rank of lieutenant, and +showed signs of rising rapidly in the service. + +Everything was going splendidly, and both Dick and Murray were enjoying +temporary rank as commanders of torpedo-boats during the winter +manoeuvres of 1891-92, when suddenly, without any warning, Fate turned +her face away from one of the chums and plunged him from the pinnacle of +light-hearted happiness to the depths of misery and despair. + +One evening, while a portion of the defending fleet was lying in +Portland Roads waiting to be joined by the other division, news was +brought in by one of the scouting destroyers that the attacking fleet +had been seen at the entrance to the Channel, steering a course which +undoubtedly had Portland as its objective. If that naval base was to be +"saved", it was urgently necessary to send eastward in haste to +Portsmouth, to bring up the other half of the defending squadron; +otherwise the attackers would have things all their own way, and the +south-west coast of England would lie at the mercy of the "enemy." + +The destroyer _Spitfire_, which had just brought the news, would +naturally have been selected to carry the message under ordinary +circumstances--one of the rules of the game being that the telegraph +might not be used by either side; but unfortunately, while still a +considerable distance from Portland, she had commenced to run short of +coal, being obliged to steam at half-speed for a number of hours, and +finally arrived in the harbour on the sweepings of her bunkers. Hence +there was greater need for haste than ever; and, as it would have taken +longer to re-bunker the _Spitfire_ than for T.B. 42, Murray's ship, to +raise steam, the young commander was sent for in hot haste by his +admiral, hurriedly given his instructions, and told to raise steam and +make for Portsmouth with the news in "something less than a pig's +whisper." + +Delighted at receiving this important commission, Murray Frobisher had +hurried back to his little ship, helped the astonished stokers with his +own hands to raise steam, and at midnight on a dark, blustering night, +with half a gale blowing from the south-east, the sea running steeply, +and a heavy driving rain lashing right in their faces, he and his little +crew cleared from Portland Roads, dashed across Weymouth Bay at a +reckless speed--considering the height of the sea--and doubled Saint +Alban's Head. + +Murray found that the storm in the bay was a mere trifle compared with +that which he was now facing; so, for safety's sake, and to avoid being +blown ashore, he was compelled to stand off the coast a good deal +farther than he had originally intended. He knew that he was in a +position of some danger, and, besides being himself additionally on the +alert, he posted an extra look-out, with orders to keep his eyes wide +open for the first signs of light or loom of moving ship upon that +black, rushing waste of water. + +T.B. 42 was behaving splendidly, and Murray was just congratulating +himself that, in spite of the violence of the wind, his little craft was +fighting her way to her destination at a good honest twelve knots an +hour, when, with a shriek like that of a thousand warlocks, the wind and +sleet whirled down in a burst of vicious fury that struck the boat like +a solid wall, rendering it a matter of physical impossibility for any +human being to face it until after its first violence was exhausted. + +It was during those few fateful moments that the catastrophe occurred. +As the gust veered away astern, and the breathless, half-frozen seamen +on deck were again able to direct their eyes ahead, there came a wild +cry from the look-out forward of: "Port your helm, sir; port your helm!" +followed, before Murray could spring to the assistance of the +quartermaster at the wheel, by a splintering crash, the rending sound of +steel rasping through steel. Then the little craft heeled over to +starboard, until Murray felt himself sliding bodily down the steeply +inclined deck towards the sea; while above, right over his head, as it +seemed, he could dimly perceive the outline of a great, towering metal +stem that still surged and sawed onward and over Number 42, relentless +as fate itself. + +A second later, and the catastrophe was complete. The colliding steamer +lifted with the 'scend of the waves and crashed down yet again upon the +hapless torpedo-boat, and young Frobisher found himself in the raging +sea, clinging instinctively to something--he knew not what--that had +come away in his hands as he flung them out wildly to prevent himself +from sliding off the deck. As his head appeared above the brine after +the plunge, he heard certain dreadful cries which he never forgot as +long as he lived. They were the death shrieks of his unhappy crew, +imprisoned below among the bursting steam-pipes and boilers, the cascade +of white-hot coals from the furnaces, and the crumpling wreckage of +machinery and torn plates; and he knew that his trim little ship and his +gallant comrades were gone from him for ever. + +As it happened, those on the look-out on board the liner, with the storm +behind them and their eyes consequently clear, had seen the boat at the +instant when the collision had become inevitable; and the captain had +promptly rung his engines astern, brought his ship to a standstill, and +lowered his boats in an endeavour to rescue the survivors. But the only +person rescued was the unfortunate Murray himself, and even he was +hauled on board more dead than alive, grieving that it had not been his +lot to share the fate of his crew. + +Upon his recovery he was called upon to face a court martial for the +loss of his ship; and--strange were the ways of the Judge-Advocate--was +dismissed that Service which, confronted by a less-harsh officer, he +might have remained to honour. And since that miserable moment the +unhappy man had been living upon his slender savings, endeavouring +meanwhile to obtain employment of any sort that would keep the wolf from +the door. + +At the moment when this story opens, Murray Frobisher was down to his +last few sovereigns, and had therefore been unfeignedly glad to accept +the invitation of kind-hearted Dick Penryn, his former comrade-in-arms, +to share the cottage at Kingston where, having no ties of any kind, that +young gentleman was staying during his spell of shore leave. And it was +Murray whom Penryn was momentarily expecting on this stormy, cold, and +dismal evening in March, 1893, just a year after the catastrophe in the +Channel which had ruined his career in the British Navy, and all but +broken his heart. + +Dick Penryn had scarcely finished another page of his very fascinating +book when he heard the front door of the cottage open. A furious gust +of wind tore through the little house for a moment, causing even the +occupant of the easy chair to shiver in sympathy with his friend; and +then the door was shut with a slam, and he heard Murray Frobisher's +well-known footsteps ascending the stairs. But there was not the former +light-hearted spring in them. Murray was coming upstairs slowly and +heavily, like a man carrying a ponderous burden, and Dick heaved a sharp +sigh as he murmured to himself, "No luck again to-day, evidently; else +_we_ should have had Murray coming up here full steam ahead. Poor old +boy! I wonder what on earth will happen to him if he doesn't get a +berth soon? A man can't go on like this for ever without losing heart; +and there are already signs that the boy is beginning to lose hope. I +wish to Heaven there was something I could do for him; but unfortunately +I have not a particle of influence; I am absolutely powerless." + +At this moment the door of the little room opened, and Murray stood +framed in the opening, looking at his friend with an expression in which +weariness, disappointment, and a certain suggestion of relief were +curiously blended. If Dick Penryn was what some people were in the +habit of calling a giant, then Murray Frobisher could only be considered +gigantic. Standing fully six feet four inches in his boots, broad in +proportion, weighing fully sixteen stone, with dark, olive complexion +bronzed almost to the shade of an Arab's by exposure to the weather, and +with clean-shaven cheeks and lips, and close-cropped, wavy black hair, +the man was a truly magnificent specimen of humanity, compelling the +attention of all with whom he came in contact. + +"So you're back at last, Murray," shouted Penryn, leaping out of his +chair, and speaking more cheerfully than he felt that the occasion +warranted. "Come inside, man; come inside! Don't stand there in the +doorway letting in all the draught; goodness knows it's cold enough +without that!" And as Murray closed the door behind him, and slowly +pulled forward a chair to the fire, he proceeded: "And what's the news +to-day, old man? Any luck of any sort; or has it been the usual style +of things--offer your services and have them declined with, or without, +thanks?" + +"Well," answered Murray in his deep bass tones, stretching out his +half-frozen hands to the blaze, "I hardly know what to think about +to-day. It certainly has been a little different from the usual run of +things, but not very much. During the whole of the morning, and for the +better part of the afternoon, luck was dead against me, as usual. Then, +about four o'clock, there came just one little ray of light to brighten +the darkness." + +"Capital!" broke in Dick, cheerfully. "Every little helps, you know. +Straws show which way the wind blows, and all the rest of it. Tell us +about this ray of light of yours." + +"Well," answered Frobisher, with a wry smile, "I don't know that it was +very much of a ray, after all; but I'll tell you what happened. I had +been running up and down office stairs from before nine o'clock until +about three in the afternoon, without result, and I became heartily sick +of it; and just by way of a change, I made up my mind to take a run down +to the docks and see whether there was anything doing there. + +"I got down at about three-thirty, and, feeling pretty hungry--for I had +had nothing to eat since breakfast--I went into a small place within +hail of the dock gates, and asked for some bread and cheese and beer. +The landlady, a kindly old soul, seeing, I suppose, that I looked cold, +and as though I could do with a rest, showed me into a little sanctum +labelled _Captains' Room_, where, I was glad to see, there blazed a fine +big fire, before which stood two or three very cosy-looking arm-chairs. + +"Throwing myself into one, I began to discuss my frugal luncheon with +considerable appetite, and had nearly finished when the door opened, and +in came the most curious-looking little man I have ever set eyes on. +That he was a seaman was perfectly apparent to the meanest intelligence, +and I at once set him down as the first officer--as they call themselves +nowadays--or perhaps even the skipper, of a tramp steamer. He was +certainly not more than five feet in height, but his breadth of shoulder +and depth of chest were so enormous as to amount, literally, to a +deformity; and I should judge that his strength must be herculean, as +the novelists say. He was bronzed to the colour of deep mahogany, and +had a heavy black moustache and a beard which grew right up to his +eyes--deep-set, black, and as brilliant as diamonds. Added to this he +wore gold ear-rings, and, altogether, was as like my conception of one +of the pirates of old, about whom we used to read in our young days, as +any man possibly could be. + +"From the moment the man entered the room I began to feel deeply +interested in him, and could scarcely refrain from staring at him +openly. `Here,' I said to myself, `is a personality; a man who has +knocked about the world during most of his life; a man who has seen +things and done things, some of which, probably, would not bear too +close scrutiny.' For he gave me the impression of being a person who +would make a good, stanch friend, but who would prove to be a thoroughly +bad and dangerous enemy. + +"Apparently he was a bit surprised to find anybody else in the captains' +sanctum at that time of day; and, after the first hasty glance, it +seemed as though he, too, was taking more than usual interest in your +humble servant; for every time I raised my eyes to take a quiet look at +him, I found his black, glittering orbs fixed on me, with that curious, +unblinking stare that you may have noticed among certain species of +birds. Seriously, Dick, I can tell you that he kept this staring +business up so long that I was beginning to feel quite uncomfortable, +and had made up my mind to finish my meal as soon as possible and +continue my journey down to the docks, when I heard him give vent to a +kind of grunt, which might have expressed satisfaction, dissatisfaction, +disgust, or any other feeling for aught I could judge. + +"Then, taking his eyes off me, this curious customer tugged the bell and +ordered the servant to bring him a glass of `rum hot', and a bit of cold +meat and bread; from which, when it arrived, he began to make a meal, +eating as though it were the first time he had touched food for several +days. Indeed, he ate so fast and so wolfishly, that by the time I had +finished my own meal, and had rung the bell for the bill, my piratical +friend was also pushing away his plate with a sigh of satisfaction, and +asking for his bill. Both reckonings having been paid, I was on the +point of leaving the room when the stranger, whose name I afterwards +learned was Drake--a quite appropriate name, I thought, for such a +freebooter-looking character--put out a great, hairy paw as though to +prevent me, and remarked, in a deep, rumbling voice:-- + +"`One moment, young gentleman. Unless you are in a great hurry I'd like +to have a word or two with you.' + +"Naturally, Dick, I was a little astonished," proceeded Murray, "but I +must confess that I had become vastly interested in the little man, and, +as offers of employment sometimes come from the most unlikely sources, +like a drowning man clutching at a straw I determined to hear what he +had to say. Possibly it might lead to something; and in any case I felt +that I should do no harm by listening to him. + +"`I think I can spare you a few minutes,' I remarked. `What is it you +wish to see me about?' + +"`You're a seaman, aren't you?' he said, answering my question with +another. + +"`Yes,' I replied, `I am.' + +"`Navy man, too, unless I'm much mistaken,' was his next remark. + +"`Well,' I said, rather hesitatingly, `I was a Navy man--a lieutenant-- +not so very long ago, but I had the misfortune to lose my ship under +circumstances for which, I must say, in justice to myself, I think I was +hardly to blame. However, the members of the court martial took a +different view of the case, and I was, to put it bluntly, dismissed the +Service. Since then I have been looking out for other employment-- +something in my own line, if possible; but if not, then anything that I +can lay my hands on. But so far, I am sorry to say, I have met with +nothing but rebuffs. Nobody on the face of this earth appears to need a +man with my qualifications just now.' + +"`Ha, ha!' chuckled the little man, rubbing his hands gleefully. `Just +as I thought when I first set eyes on you. Here, says I to myself, is a +seaman, sure enough--I could tell that at the first glance--a Navy man, +too, by the way he carries himself, and no longer in the Service by the +general--er--um--not on active duty at the moment, I mean to say,' he +ended, rather lamely, with an apologetic cough. + +"I felt myself going red round the ears, Dick, and might have been +inclined to be angry had anyone else spoken thus. But there was +something about my little pirate that assured me he did not in the least +intend to be offensive, so I only laughed, rather ruefully. If my +`out-of-work' condition was so apparent as to be noted by even a common +seaman, it was no wonder, I told myself, that I so often came out of +private offices with the words, `Nothing to suit you, I'm afraid, Mr +Frobisher', ringing in my ears. + +"`Well,' I said, `granted that I am an ex-naval officer looking for a +job, what bearing has that upon your business with me? For I suppose +you must have some idea that you and I can do business together, since +you started the conversation.' + +"`What bearing?' he repeated. `Well, I'll just tell you. As it +happens, I'm looking at this moment for exactly such a man as you appear +to be. My name's Drake--Captain John Drake, of the tramp steamer +_Quernmore_, two thousand five hundred and sixty tons register, to be +exact--and, from what you've just said, I think I could make a pretty +good shot at your tally. Should I be very far wrong if I said that you +were ex-lieutenant Murray Frobisher?' + +"`On the contrary,' I answered, `you would have hit the bull's-eye dead +in the centre.' + +"`I was certain of it,' he smiled; `and again I say, more emphatically +than ever, that you're the very man I'm looking for. If you'll take +that chair and pull up to the fire, I'll take the other and we'll have a +bit of a palaver.' + +"Having seated ourselves comfortably, Drake at once proceeded:-- + +"`I may tell you, Mr Frobisher, that for the past twenty years I have +been captain of this same steamer, trading between eastern ports all the +while; and as this is the first time I have been back to old England +during the whole of that period, I don't think I'm very far wrong in +saying that I know as much about the East as any man living--perhaps a +good deal more. And there's not very much going on out there that I +don't know about. Sometimes, even, I get to know about things before +they begin to happen, and am able to make my plans and put a little +money in my pocket thereby. + +"`This is one of the occasions upon which I have managed to get wind of +something in advance, and in this case also I can see my way to making +quite a nice little pile of money. First of all, however, I must ask +you to pledge your word that, if after I have told you my plans you +don't feel inclined to come in with me, you'll do nothing to upset those +plans in any way whatever.' + +"I gave him the required promise, perhaps just a little too readily, and +Drake resumed his story. + +"`It so happens that my last port of call was--well--a small seaport in +Korea; and, while there, I heard some news that made me sit up and take +notice, as the Yankees say. It seems that, for some time past, the +Government of Korea has been playing some very hanky-panky games: taxing +the people until the burden has become unbearable; punishing the +smallest offences with death by torture; confiscating the goods and +money of every man who dared to allow himself a few more luxuries than +his neighbours; and, in short, playing the very mischief all round. +Naturally, even the mildest-mannered worm will turn under too much of +that kind of thing, and the average Korean is anything but +mild-mannered; so that, a little while ago, a party of officials decided +that they had had quite enough of it, and proceeded quietly and +methodically to foment a rebellion against the Government. + +"`When I left Korea, things were very nearly ripe for the outbreak; but +it would have been suicidal folly for the rebels to have attempted +anything of the kind without proper arms to back it up, for the Korean +soldiery are naturally on the side from which they draw their pay--that +is to say, the side of the Government--and they also happen to be +particularly well armed just now. It was therefore necessary for the +would-be rebels to procure weapons before any successful revolt could be +undertaken, and one day I was interviewed by one of the officials on the +subject of supplying the rebel army with modern rifles. + +"`To make a rather long story short, the upshot of the interview was +that I was commissioned to supply the rebels with one hundred thousand +rifles, with the necessary ammunition, at a price which, if the venture +is successful, will make it possible for me to give up the sea +altogether and live ashore at my ease.' + +"`Yes, yes,' I interrupted, rather impatiently; `this is interesting +enough in its way, Captain, but I fail to see where it concerns me.' + +"`I was just coming to that,' returned Drake, `when you interrupted me. +I was unfortunate enough to lose my chief officer overboard in a +hurricane in the Indian Ocean on the way home--a circumstance which +upset me and my plans very considerably, for he was a fine seaman, had +been with me many years, and knew all my little ways. In order to bring +off this venture successfully, I must replace him, for there will be +difficult and dangerous work ahead; and I need a man as much like my old +chief as possible, a man who is willing to go anywhere and do anything; +a man who has the brains to organise, and the muscle and courage to keep +his own end up in a fight. + +"`I have often heard of you, Mr Frobisher, as being just that kind of +man; and I followed the whole account of your misfortune and the +proceedings of the court martial in the newspapers. When I learned that +they had dismissed you from the Service, I considered it a most shocking +error of judgment, and told myself that, had you been in my employ, you +would not have been so harshly treated. I would have liked at the time +to make a try to secure your services, but I had my own chief officer +with me then, and consequently had nothing to offer you. But now things +are different. You need employment; I need your services, and am +prepared to pay you well for them and give you a share of the profits. +One of the conditions attaching to my contract is that I deliver the +rifles and ammunition into the hands of the rebel officers at--at a +small town a considerable distance inland from the coast; and as I +cannot leave my ship, the duty of conveying the cargo inland would +devolve upon you. This is where the dangerous part of the business +comes in, and I shall make allowance therefore in the rate of pay I +propose to offer you. + +"`If you will join me--to get down to hard facts--I will give you forty +pounds a month, from the day you sign on with me until you leave the +ship on her return to England, or until you leave her out in the East, +if you care to do that. There are plenty of chances for such a man as +yourself out there. And, in addition, I agree to give you a share of +one-twentieth of my profits, which I estimate should amount to about +twenty thousand pounds sterling. Therefore, one thousand pounds, over +and above your pay, will be your share of the enterprise. Now, I've +said all I have to say; I've put the proposition before you; I've told +you that it's likely to be both profitable and dangerous: what do you +say to joining me as my chief officer?' + +"I tell you, Dick, I was too amazed to reply for a few moments, and my +brain was in such a whirl that all I could presently say was that I +would think the thing over, and meet him again at the same place +to-morrow to give him a reply. The money part of the business naturally +appeals very strongly to one, but the amount seems almost too good to be +true. There would be at least six months' pay at forty pounds a month, +and a thousand on top of that, if the expedition should prove +successful; so that, all being well, I should have a little capital in +my hands to work with at the end of that time, and might be able so to +invest it as to make myself independent, for the remainder of my life, +of anything like the experiences of this past year. + +"On the other hand, I am inclined to look a little doubtfully upon this +gun-running, or smuggling, business. It is all utterly at variance with +Navy traditions; and I would rather starve than set my hand to anything +that has even the appearance of being in the least degree dishonest. +Still, I am bound to say that, from all I can learn, it looks as though +the Korean rebels have a genuine grievance, and that the country might +be all the better for a drastic change of government; so that I am +really very undecided what to do, Dick. One thing is certain--I must +get employment of some kind; and if you are seriously of opinion that I +can accept Drake's offer without soiling my hands I shall most certainly +do so. I have considered the matter pretty thoroughly myself on the way +home, and, to tell the truth, I have almost persuaded myself that I may +accept." + +Dick Penryn, who during this narrative had been leaning back in his +chair smoking, and listening attentively, took his pipe from his mouth, +tapped the ashes out slowly and thoughtfully against the bars of the +grate, and sat up straight. Then, after a lengthy pause, he delivered +judgment. + +"Well, Murray," he said, "I've listened most attentively to your yarn, +and I've been trying to look at the matter from an unprejudiced and +independent standpoint. Of course, as you very truthfully say, anything +in the nature of gun-running or smuggling is totally opposed to all our +Navy traditions. At the same time, you are, unfortunately, no longer in +the Navy; to all intents and purposes you are now a private individual, +at liberty to take up any calling, profession, trade, or whatever you +care to term it, that offers you a chance to make a living. Employment +of some sort you certainly must have; and so long as that employment is +honest--I might almost say in your particular case, so long as it is not +_dis_honest--I think you will be wise to take the first thing that +offers. + +"You have been out of harness for over a year now, and your ready cash +must be running pretty low, I should think; besides, this is the first +offer that has come your way since you left the Navy, and if you do not +accept it while you have the opportunity, it may perhaps be another year +or more before you are given another chance. Personally, I do not see +anything wrong with Drake's proposal. It is a purely business +enterprise. Certain folk require certain goods, and Drake contracts to +supply them. In order to carry out his agreement he needs your help, +and is willing to pay very handsomely for it; so my advice to you, my +son, is that you take what is offered, and be thankful. Of course I +need not say that if the arms had been intended for any country at war, +or likely at any time to be at war, with England, such a thing would be +absolutely impossible for you to contemplate for a moment; but as things +are--well, I have no hesitation in saying that under similar +circumstances my conscience would not worry me very much." + +At this very clear and definite expression of opinion, Frobisher's +anxious expression vanished. He had evidently been a little afraid that +his friend might not look altogether favourably on the scheme; and he +was not so deeply in love with it himself that he would have felt +inclined to follow it up had Dick voted against it or pronounced it of +too "shady" a character for a gentleman to meddle with. But since +Dick's views coincided so completely with his own, he felt that there +could be no longer any room for hesitation. + +"I'm glad indeed to hear you say that, Dick," he exclaimed, jumping up. +"It decides me absolutely. Tomorrow I'll run down to the docks, see +Drake on board the _Quernmore_ instead of waiting to meet him at the +hotel as I had arranged, and tell him I have decided to accept his +offer. I would go down to-night if it were not so late; for now that +I've made up my mind I should feel pretty bad if meanwhile he happened +to meet someone else who had not so many scruples as myself, and who +needed a job badly enough to accept the opening on the spot, without +taking time to think it over. + +"However, I don't think Drake will interview anybody else until he has +had my answer, for he certainly seemed anxious enough to secure my +particular services; so I'll hope for the best and leave things in the +hands of fate. And now, Dick," he went on, passing his hand across his +forehead, "I've had a long tiring day, and have a rather bad headache +into the bargain; so, if you don't mind, I think I'll toddle up to bed +and get to sleep; for I want to be up early in the morning. Good night, +old man!" + +"Good night, Murray, my hearty!" replied his friend. "I hope you'll +sleep well, and have pleasant dreams. You ought to, after this piece of +good luck. By the way, when does Drake want you to go aboard?" + +"Oh, to be sure; I quite forgot to mention that. He told me that if I +decided to join him he would require me to be on board as soon as I +possibly could. Indeed, he hinted that if I could make it convenient to +turn up tomorrow evening and sleep aboard the ship, he would be more +than pleased. You see, he has his cargo pretty nearly loaded, and hopes +to be able to get away at midday the day after to-morrow; so the sooner +I am on board the sooner I shall be able to take some of the worry and +trouble and work off his shoulders." + +"Great Scot!" exclaimed Dick, jumping up, "he wants you to join as soon +as that! Why, I fully expected that you wouldn't be leaving under a +week at the least. So to-night will be your last sleep in the old bed, +for some months to come, at any rate--for I want you to make this place +your home again as soon as ever you return. Make the most of it, +therefore. You don't know where you may have to lie, in what queer +places you may have to sleep, before you get back. Well, I suppose I'll +see you in the morning at breakfast; and at any rate you'll be back here +after you've interviewed Drake, in order to pack your traps, say +good-bye, and so on?" + +"Yes, you'll see me at breakfast, Dick; and I shall be back as soon as +possible after I have seen the skipper, to pack and to say good-bye. By +gad, Dick!" he went on, with a little burst of emotion, "but I'm more +than sorry to have to leave you. You've been a mighty good chum to me, +and as long as I live I'll never forget your kindness. I wish to +goodness you were coming along too." + +"So do I, old chap," answered Penryn, gripping his friend's hand; "but +as to `goodness' and `kindness' to you, and all the rest of it--why, +that's all rot, you know. Any man would do the same for his pal." + +"Not every man, Dick," returned Murray, soberly. "If you only knew it, +there are not a great many of your sort knocking about nowadays. Good +night, again, old chap." + +Frobisher slept well, and was not visited by any dreams, sweet or +otherwise. We are sometimes told that dreams are sent to us as +warnings, as forerunners of events that are to happen to us in the +future; but if this is really true it seems strange that Murray's sleep +should have been so deep and dreamless. For had that young man been +able to foresee but one half of the strange and terrible adventures that +were in store for him, it is scarcely to be doubted that he would, in +spite of his long period of unemployment, have gladly allowed Captain +Drake to take somebody else in his place, notwithstanding the offer of +the forty pounds a month salary, and the thousand-pound bonus at the +successful termination of the venture. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +EASTWARD HO! + +So soundly and dreamlessly did Frobisher sleep that he did not wake +until the clear notes of the dressing bugle--a solemn farce which Dick +insisted upon his servant performing when ashore--had almost finished +ringing through the little cottage. + +Punctually at 8 a.m. the old marine who acted as Dick's servant when he +was ashore, and as general housekeeper and caretaker when he was afloat, +sounded the bugle as a signal to his master that it was time to turn +out; and the neighbours in the houses round about--who, by the way, +referred to Penryn as "that very eccentric young man"--had come to look +upon the instrument somewhat in the light of a town clock; so much so +that several of them set their watches by it, and one old gentleman was +in the habit of leaving his front door and sprinting for the +eight-fifteen train to town punctually upon the first note. + +Frobisher sat up in bed with a yawn, and was half-way to the bath-room +before he was sufficiently wideawake to recollect that this morning was +different from the three hundred and sixty-five odd preceding mornings. +But as he remembered that at last he had secured the offer of regular +and profitable employment--although not quite along the lines he had +hoped for--he let out a whoop of rejoicing that made the cottage ring. + +Having completed his toilet, Frobisher came downstairs whistling, to +find Penryn standing in front of the fire, warming his coat tails and +sniffing hungrily, while from the direction of the kitchen came certain +savoury smells. + +"'Morning, Murray!" + +"'Morning, Dick!" was the response. "What's for breakfast this +morning?" + +"Don't know," answered his friend, "but it smells like eggs and bacon, +and steak and mushrooms, and chops and kidneys on toast. I hope so, at +any rate, for I'm hungry this morning, and feel quite ready for a +snack." + +"Snack!" laughed Frobisher. "Is what you have just mentioned your idea +of a snack? It sounds to me more like the menu of an aldermanic +banquet. By the way, I didn't know the parcel-postman had arrived yet; +he's early, isn't he?" + +"Oh," replied Dick, turning rather red, "I thought I'd put that away. +No, the postman hasn't been. That's just something I went out for, +early this morning, for--oh--for a friend of mine." + +"Sorry, old man," said Murray, "I didn't mean to be inquisitive. By the +way, is there a train to town somewhere about nine or half-past? I +should like to catch it if there is." + +"One at nine twenty-three," answered Dick. "You'll catch it easily. +And now, here's Tom with the breakfast; bring yourself to an anchor, and +let's begin. I'm as hungry as a hunter. How about yourself?" + +"Rather better than usual this morning," laughed Frobisher. "A little +hope is a splendid thing for giving one an appetite." And with this +remark both the young men fell to with a will. + +The meal finished, Frobisher hurried off to catch his train; travelled +up to London; crossed the city; and took another train down to the +docks. Arrived there, he enquired the whereabouts of the steamer +_Quernmore_. + +"Over there, sir," a policeman told him, pointing to a spot about two +hundred yards distant; and thither the young man made his way, halting +presently at the shore end of a gangway leading on to the steamer, to +take a good look at the craft that was to be his floating home for so +long a period. + +Certainly, he told himself, if one might judge by appearances, Captain +Drake had ample justification for being proud of his steamer; for she +was as pretty a model of a craft as Frobisher, for all his long +experience, had ever set eyes on. Indeed, one would almost have been +excused for assuming that, but for her size, she might have been a +private yacht at some period of her existence. Flush-decked, with a +graceful curving run, a clipper bow with gilt figure-head, and a long, +overhanging counter, the hull painted a particularly pleasing shade of +dark green down to within a couple of feet of the water-line, and +polished black below that, she made a picture completely satisfying to +the eye of the most exacting critic. She was rigged as a topsail +schooner, and her funnel was tall, oval-shaped, and cream-coloured. +Indeed, anything less like the traditional tramp steamer, and more +resembling a gentleman's yacht, it would have been difficult to find. + +By the look of her, too, thought Frobisher, she should be able to show a +pretty fair turn of speed, if she were put to it--sixteen knots at the +least, the young lieutenant judged--and the idea occurred to him that +possibly, some time in the future, the lives of her crew might depend +upon those few extra knots of which she appeared capable. + +However, it would not do to stand there admiring the ship. "Business +before pleasure," the young man reminded himself; and, involuntarily +straightening himself up as though about to board a man-of-war, +Frobisher marched across the gangway, and asked the first seaman he met +whether Captain Drake was aboard. + +"He's in the chart-house at this moment, sir," answered the man; "I'll +take you to him." And a minute later Frobisher found himself ducking +his head in order to get in through the low chart-house door-way. + +"Hillo! it's you already, is it?" exclaimed Drake, looking up from a +chart over which he was poring. "I didn't expect to see you until this +afternoon. Sit down and make yourself comfortable. I hope you've come +to tell me that we are to be shipmates for this cruise," he added, +eagerly. "If I can't persuade you to come in with me, I shall be +obliged to sail shorthanded, for I've no time to do any more looking +round now." + +"Then you can make your mind easy," laughed Frobisher. "To tell you the +simple truth, I believe I had practically made up my mind to sail with +you before I said good-bye to you yesterday. Yes, I'm coming, skipper; +and I hope, for both our sakes, that the voyage will turn out as +successfully as you desire." + +"Good man!" heartily ejaculated the skipper, thrusting out his hand. +"That's the best news I've heard for a long while. Now, where's your +dunnage? I'll show you your room, and you can settle down right away." + +"My dunnage isn't down yet, skipper," replied Frobisher, smiling. "I +came down just to tell you what I had decided, intending to go back and +fetch my traps this afternoon." + +Drake looked rather blank at hearing this. "That's a pity," he +remarked, thoughtfully, half to himself. Then, addressing Frobisher: +"Well, trot away back, and get them down here as quickly as you can, +will ye? Certain events have happened since I saw you yesterday that +make me anxious to leave at the very earliest moment possible, and I've +already made arrangements to clear directly after I had seen you this +afternoon." + +"I'll be off at once, skipper," returned Frobisher, "and be back again +not later than one o'clock." And the young man darted out of the +chart-house, across the gangway, and out of the dock premises like a +sprinter, leaving Drake staring open-mouthed after him. + +"He certainly can take a hint quicker than any man I've ever met," said +that worthy, as he resumed the study of his chart. + +Two hours later Frobisher was back in Kingston, had packed his +belongings, and was saying good-bye to his old friend, Dick Penryn. + +Neither of the men felt very happy at parting, and both, after the +manner of their kind, tried to conceal their real feelings by an +exaggerated show of indifference. Thus it was that their farewells were +brief, almost to curtness, and to the point; and it was only as +Frobisher was actually on the door-step that Dick pushed into his +friend's hands a parcel--the same parcel that had caught Frobisher's eye +that morning. It was heavy, and the recipient could not guess, even +remotely, as to its contents; but he thanked Dick heartily, tucked the +package under his arm, and got into the cab which had been sent for. + +One last firm hand-grip, two rather husky good-byes, now that the actual +moment for parting had come, and the pair were separated--one bound for +the far, mysterious East, the other to return in a few days to the ship +he had come to look upon as his real home. + +It was with a few minutes in hand that Frobisher leapt out of his cab at +the dock gates, and collected his few belongings. He paid the cabby, +and, with his customary swiftness of movement, turned and started to +trot quickly through the gates towards the _Quernmore_; but as he did +so, he collided violently with another man, causing him to sit down +suddenly on the hard cobbles, while Frobisher himself dropped one of his +portmanteaux. + +The fat policeman on duty at the entrance chuckled loudly; Frobisher +laughed and picked up his bag, as he murmured an apology; but the victim +on the cobbles appeared to be saying unpleasant things venomously in +some language quite unfamiliar to the young lieutenant--who knew a good +many--and this caused him to pause an instant and look at the man. + +He was a brown, or rather, yellow man; and for a moment Frobisher took +him for a Chinaman. But a second glance convinced the latter that he +did not belong to that nation, nor to the Japanese, although he was +undoubtedly of Eastern extraction. + +Murray had no time to waste in conjectures, however, and with a hearty +English "Sorry, old man!" he proceeded to the _Quernmore_, where Drake +himself conducted him to his state-room. + +Frobisher would have left his unpacking until the evening, and gone on +duty at once; but Drake informed him that there was no need. All the +cargo was aboard; the crew--specially selected men--were all in the +forecastle; and there was nothing to be done until three o'clock, when +Drake would get his papers, and the tug would arrive to help him out of +the dock. Frobisher therefore unpacked and stowed his things away; +afterwards getting into his first-officer's uniform, which had been +hastily adapted from his own old Navy outfit by the removal of the +shoulder-straps and the "executive curl" from the gold stripes on the +sleeves. He then proceeded to examine the parcel placed in his hands by +Dick Penryn. + +Removing the brown paper, he found a square, polished mahogany box, +fastened by two hooks as well as by a lock and key; and, upon opening +the lid, he gave a cry of pleasure and surprise. + +Inside were a pair of most business-like large-calibre, blued revolvers, +carrying the heavy .450 cartridge--serviceable weapons indeed, capable +of dropping a man in his tracks at a distance of a hundred yards. In +addition to the weapons themselves, there was a cavity beneath the tray +in which they rested, fitted up to contain exactly one hundred rounds of +ammunition, and it was this--deadly-looking, blunt-nosed bullets in +brass cartridge-cases--that had made the parcel so heavy. With his eyes +snapping with gratification, Frobisher locked away the case in a drawer, +and went out on deck to find Drake. + +As he emerged from the companion-way, he saw that the tug was already +alongside; and he immediately ran up on to the bridge, so as to be ready +to carry out any orders that Drake might have for him. But it appeared +that the skipper intended to work his ship out of dock entirely with his +own hands, so Frobisher had a few minutes in which to look round him and +take in, for the last time for several months at any rate, the intimate +sights around him. + +The _Quernmore_ was now slowly passing out between the pierheads, and +Frobisher was keeping a sharp look-out to see that none of the crew +attempted a "pierhead jump", when he happened to catch sight of his late +acquaintance of the collision. The man was standing at the extreme end +of the pier, leaning against a bollard, and observing the _Quernmore_ +and her crew with a scrutiny so close as to be a little suspicious; and +Murray half-turned to point him out to Drake. + +He need not have troubled to do so, however, for he at once perceived +that the skipper was already aware of the man's presence. If looks went +for anything, too, Drake was intensely annoyed; and the thought at once +occurred to Frobisher that the presence of this yellow man might +possibly have had something to do with Drake's sudden resolution to +leave during the early afternoon. He said nothing, however, at the +moment, but continued to stare at the Easterner as long as he could see +him clearly, in order to impress the man's appearance and features +indelibly on his memory. For a presentiment had just seized him that +this man was in some strange way bound up with his own fate, and that +they were destined to meet again under far different circumstances from +those under which they had come together, shortly before, at the dock +gates. + +He had not much time or opportunity, however, to dwell at length upon +such matters; for a quarter of an hour later the tug had cast off, the +pilot had taken charge, and the _Quernmore_, under her own steam, was +proceeding rapidly down the winding, traffic-laden river. + +They were passing Gravesend when Drake suddenly turned to Frobisher and +remarked: + +"I say, Mr Frobisher, did you happen to notice a yellow-skinned chap +standing on the pierhead as we left the dock?" + +"Why, yes," replied Frobisher. "That was the second time I'd seen him. +The first time I cannoned into him at the dock gates as I was coming +aboard, and sent him spinning. You should have heard the remarks he +made--though I didn't understand a word he said, but guessed what they +meant by his expression. I believe, if it hadn't been for the bobby at +the gate, the fellow would have tried to knife me, although my running +him down was quite an accident. I saw his hand fly to his waist-belt, +but I didn't stay to argue with him. I didn't like the looks of the +fellow a little bit, and I have a sort of presentiment that we have not +seen the last of him. He seemed to be taking quite a lot of interest in +the _Quernmore_. Of what nationality do you suppose him to be?" + +"That man," answered Drake, "has caused me a heap of anxiety. Ever +since we started loading our cargo, he has been on the watch every day +and all day. I'll wager he counted every chest and case that we took +aboard; and I feel convinced in my own mind that he is a Korean spy. If +so, we may be in for a lot of trouble when we arrive out there; for he +can easily cable, or even get there before us by catching a fast +mail-boat. I tell you candidly that I am not very comfortable about the +business; and I shall be glad to get out of English waters, too, for I +am not quite as clear as I should like to be concerning the law, in its +bearing on cases of this sort. I fancy that the British Government has +the power to stop or delay us, if our Korean friend chooses to represent +in the proper quarters that I am carrying arms to rebels arrayed against +their lawful sovereign." + +"If the news should by any means leak out," said Frobisher, "I think +there's no doubt that you will be delayed, if not stopped altogether; +for England does not want a quarrel on her hands with anybody just now, +however insignificant they may be. So we had better keep our weather +eyes lifting, and be prepared for all eventualities." + +By the time they cleared the mouth of the river and dropped the pilot, +however, darkness had long since fallen; and Drake hoped that with the +dawn of the morrow he would be far enough down the Channel to be clear +of any danger of recall or overhauling. + +To this end he shaped a course that would carry him well over toward the +French coast, determining to run down on that side of the Channel and so +avoid, if possible, any prowling English cruisers. And it was well for +him that he did so; for on the following morning, happening to take a +glance astern through the glass, Frobisher caught sight, about eight +miles distant, of a small gunboat coming along in their wake at +top-speed, and flying a signal of some sort which the ex-naval officer +shrewdly suspected to be a summons to heave-to, though the craft was too +far away for the signal to be plainly read. + +He at once informed Drake, who promptly went down to the engine-room and +gave the chief engineer a few private instructions, with the result +that, presently, dense volumes of smoke began to pour out of the +_Quernmore's_ funnel, and her speed quickened up until Frobisher judged +her to be doing quite sixteen knots. Then he and Drake took turns at +watching the war-ship astern, when it soon became evident that, even if +she was not increasing the distance, the _Quernmore_ was at least +holding her own. + +That this was apparent to the commander of the gunboat was demonstrated +shortly afterwards, when a puff of white smoke broke out from her bows, +and the distant boom of a gun floated down to them. + +"I feared as much," exclaimed Drake, uneasily; "but I believe we shall +get clear unless that fellow's firing brings a cruiser out from Plymouth +to stop us. But,"--brightening up a little--"I fancy we are too far +over toward the French side for anything of that sort; so, if we can +only keep ahead, I think we shall pull out safely." + +The gunboat continued firing, and after a time began to send solid shot +after the flying _Quernmore_, as a stronger hint to heave-to; but her +guns were not powerful enough for the range, and the shot dropped +harmlessly into the water far away astern. She was still in sight when +darkness fell, but had lost ground badly during the day; and when the +following morning dawned she was out of sight below the horizon. + +This was the only attempt made to stop Drake in English waters; and he +was shortly afterward safely in the Bay of Biscay. + +There is no need to describe in detail the voyage to the East, since it +was entirely uneventful. They stopped at Port Said to coal; coaled +again at Colombo and Hongkong; and then headed straight for the Korean +coast, neither Drake nor Frobisher having taken particular notice of the +P&O liner that had left England the day after themselves, and steamed +out of Colombo harbour just as the _Quernmore_ was entering it. Neither +did they observe the fashionably-dressed, yellow-skinned gentleman on +board the liner who treated them to such a close scrutiny through a pair +of field-glasses. They had, for the moment, forgotten all about their +Korean friend of the docks; and, in any case, would hardly have expected +to find him on the first-class promenade deck of a crack ocean liner. + +It was just two months after leaving London when, late one afternoon, +Drake pointed ahead, to the north, indicating what at first sight +appeared to be a belt of cloud right down upon the horizon. + +"Ah!" remarked Frobisher, following the direction of the skipper's +outstretched finger; "we are nearly at our destination. That's Quelpart +Island, I take it. We ought to anchor off Fusan, then, about this time +to-morrow, eh, skipper?" + +Drake turned and regarded his officer solemnly. Then he slowly lowered +his right eyelid. + +"We shall pass Fusan about that time, Mr Frobisher," he said; "but we +do not stop there. Fusan is our port, according to the ship's papers, I +happen to remember; but our actual destination is a small harbour about +two hundred miles north of that. We should never be able to get our +cargo unloaded at Fusan, much less into the rebels' hands. Sam-riek is +our goal--quite a small unimportant place, right on the coast. There's +good, sheltered anchorage there; and, if we have the luck we deserve, we +shall be able to unload the stuff without fear of interruption." + +"Ah!" remarked Frobisher, and relapsed into deep thought. + +On the evening of the second day following, the _Quernmore_ was close in +under the land; and, just as the sun was setting behind the Korean +hills, the anchor plashed down from the bows, and the voyage was at an +end. The _Quernmore_ had reached her destination, done her part; and +now it was for Murray Frobisher to carry out the other half of Drake's +contract, and place the cargo in the hands of the rebels, at a spot a +week's journey or more up-country. Would he, or would he not, be able +to do this; and, more important still, from his own personal point of +view, would he be able to get back to the ship with a whole skin? Time +alone would show. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +UP-COUNTRY. + +No sooner had the anchor splashed into the water than Captain Drake gave +the order for the ship's lanterns to be lighted, and some of them slung +in the rigging, while others were to be placed at intervals along the +bulwarks. Blocks and tackles were then made fast to the end of the fore +and main booms, the booms were triced up at an angle to serve as +derricks, and the hatch-covers were stripped off. + +It was to be a case of all hands working all night to get the cargo +ashore; for now that the ship had arrived in Korean waters--and +consequently in the zone of danger--Drake was all eagerness to get his +contract completed, to collect his payments, and to clear off out of +harm's way, with his steamer still in his own hands. For she was his +own property, and to lose her would mean ruin for her owner. + +Arrangements had long since been made between Drake and Frobisher as to +the method of procedure upon arrival at their destination, and the mere +fact that at the last moment the point of disembarkation of the cargo +had been changed to Sam-riek made no difference in the plans. + +It had been agreed between Drake and the official negotiating for the +rebels that the latter should not put in an appearance at the point of +debarkation, because of the possibility that things might at the +critical moment go wrong, but that the Englishman should land the arms +in his own boats, and convey them up-country at his own risk, to a place +which, it now transpired, was called Yong-wol, in the department of +Kang-won, and situated on the river Han. Here they were to be handed +over to the rebel representative and his escort; after which they could +be conveyed by water to the environs of Seoul itself, where, in all +probability, they would in the first instance be used. This arrangement +would necessitate a journey across the entire peninsula of Korea; but to +land the arms on the west coast, where the Government troops were mostly +posted, would have been simply courting disaster. On the east coast +there were only a _few_ scattered outposts of troops; the inhabitants +were hand-in-glove with the rebels--although none of them had as yet +actually implicated themselves; and the inhabitants of Sam-riek, in +particular, could be relied upon not to offer any opposition to the +landing, or to inform the Government authorities of what was in the +wind. + +When, therefore, about nine o'clock that night--at which time the decks +were packed with cases that had been got up from below in readiness to +be sent ashore in the boats--there came from the look-out whom Drake, as +a precautionary measure, had posted in the foretop a hail of "Ho! boat +ahoy! What do you want?" every man on deck jumped as though he had been +shot, so little was any interruption of any sort expected. + +Drake and Frobisher darted to the side together, as though moved by the +same impulse, and leant over the bulwarks, peering into the darkness and +listening intently for any sound of oars that should enable them to +discover the whereabouts of the approaching craft. + +Whoever the occupant of the boat might be, he was evidently neither an +enemy nor a spy; for hardly had the challenge left the seaman's mouth +when the reply came out of the darkness, in a thin, high-pitched, timid +voice: "All alightee; all alightee; it only me." + +"And who the mischief may `only me' be?" growled Drake, who had been +very considerably startled, and therefore felt rather annoyed with +himself. + +"Sh, sh! mastel," urged the voice; "you makee not so muchee shout; it +vely dangelous. Thlow me lope, so I climb up; I got big piecee news for +mastel." And the sound of muffled oars was again heard, this time +evidently close to the ship. + +"H'm!" muttered Drake under his breath to Frobisher; "I don't much like +the look of this. It seems as though something had miscarried, for this +fellow to come out here at this time of night, with a `big piecee news'. +I suppose there is no doubt the beggar really has a message of some +sort for us, so I'll have to let him come aboard. But if he tries any +hanky-panky tricks, I'll send him over the side in double-quick time to +feed the sharks. I can't afford to have this venture miss fire now. +Jones, open the gangway, and throw a rope over the side," he added, +turning to one of the seamen; "and stand by to hit, and hit hard, if +everything is not exactly as it should be." + +A rope was allowed to slide over the side through the open entry port; +and a moment later it began to quiver as the occupant of the boat left +his craft and proceeded to scramble up, hand over hand. Presently there +appeared on deck a little, thin, wizened man, who might have been any +age over sixty. He was clothed in nothing but a length of brown cotton +material swathed round his body, and round the upper part of each leg, +the end being drawn up between the thighs so as to form a kind of rough +apology for a pair of knickerbockers. His lower limbs and feet were +bare, and on his head he wore one of those high, broad-brimmed, conical +hats that are so common among the Koreans. + +"Well," exclaimed Drake sharply, as this peculiar-looking individual +reached the deck and stood staring round him, "what the dickens d'ye +want? Who are ye? What's your name?" + +"My name Ling-Wong, mastel," replied the Korean, "and I come flom +Excellency Kyong-Bah, at Yong-wol." + +"Phew!" whistled Drake, turning to Frobisher. "Kyong-bah is the man I +negotiated with about this cargo. What's in the wind, I wonder? Yes-- +go on," he added to Ling impatiently. "What's your message?" + +"Me wait, mastel, six, seven day," said Ling, "wait fol the smoke-junk, +to tell you that the Govelnol at Seoul, he got know about evelything, +and he sendee tloops catchee you, if he can. Excellency Kyong-Bah tell +me say you he must havee those lifles, and think you get them safe +thlough if you vely quick and caleful; but he tell me say you must +hully, ol you be caught." + +"And that's over a week ago!" groaned Drake. "What chance have we, +think you, Mr Frobisher, of getting this cargo safely through now?" + +"Oh!" exclaimed Frobisher cheerfully, seeing that Drake was inclined to +take a dismal view of things; "if we can get 'em ashore uninterfered +with, I'll engage to deliver them to Kyong-Bah, or whatever the johnny's +name is, safely enough. _Nil desperandum_, you know, skipper--that's +Latin for `You never know what you can do till you try'." + +"Those Latin chaps certainly did know how to say a lot in a few words, +didn't they, Mr Frobisher?" remarked Drake, a little more cheerfully. +"But do you really think you can get through if we get the arms safely +ashore?" + +"Sure of it," answered Frobisher, with a good deal more confidence than +he really felt. "I'll take this chap as a guide, collect sufficient +carts and mules at Sam-riek to take the whole lot at one trip, and then +get this man Ling to show me some bypath over the hills which the +Government troops are not likely to take. I understood you to say that +there is a good road from Yong-wol to Sam-riek; and, if I know anything +of Orientals, the troops will take it. If, then, we take another route, +you will have the pleasure of seeing those fellows sitting on their +haunches in Sam-riek, waiting for you to unload your cargo into their +lap, while I shall be travelling another way, under a heavy press of +canvas, conveying the consignment on its way to its proper owners. +Savvee?" + +Drake brought his hand down on Frobisher's shoulder. "By the Great Horn +Spoon, Mr Frobisher," he exclaimed, "I don't know what I should have +done without you! That's a Hundred A1 plan; and if you can only get +safely away before the troops appear, I'll engage so to arrange matters +that they shall believe the cargo to be still in the ship. That'll keep +'em busy long enough to allow you to carry out your part without +interference. Of course a lot'll depend upon the extent to which the +people of Sam-riek dislike the Government. If they are really on the +side of the rebels, they'll keep mum about the stuff being already +ashore; but if there are any traitors among them, the first thing +they'll do will be to curry favour by setting the troops after you, +one-time." + +"Yes, that's so," agreed Frobisher, stroking his chin. "Still, it's the +only way out that I can see; and the sooner we get the cargo ashore and +test the scheme for ourselves, the better, I think." + +"Right!" answered Drake. "Come along, boys,"--to the listening +crew--"you have heard what's been said, so you see we've got to hurry. +Jones, take this fellow Ling down below, and lock him up somewhere until +Mr Frobisher is ready for him--I'm not taking any risks this trip. +Then, when you've done that, take a few of the hands and swing eery one +of our boats over into the water. We have enough cases on deck now to +begin taking some of them ashore." + +Encouraged by the captain and Frobisher, both of whom worked as hard as, +or harder than, any of the seamen, the men buckled-to again in earnest; +and soon the chests and cases were leaping up out of the holds on to the +decks, off the decks into the boats, and so ashore, at a very +satisfactory rate of progress. + +All night the work went swiftly and steadily on, and well into the +following morning, with only a few minutes' break for meals. Frobisher +went ashore early in the morning with one of the loads, taking Ling with +him as interpreter, in order to make arrangements for the transport of +the cargo, and also to try to discover if there were as yet any signs of +the arrival of the troops. + +The villagers proved only too glad of the chance to hire out their carts +and animals; and after a lengthy ride along the Yong-wol road, on a +horse which he had borrowed, Frobisher satisfied himself that, thus far +at any rate, there was no sign of troops in the neighbourhood. + +By the time he got back to the ship the last of the cases was just being +placed on deck, and two more trips of the little fleet of the +_Quernmore's_ boats would see the whole of the cargo safely ashore. +Frobisher therefore ran down to his cabin and, throwing off his uniform, +dressed himself in a pair of khaki-coloured riding-breeches, which he +had brought out with him from England, thick-soled brown boots, and good +leather leggings. An old Norfolk jacket completed the outfit, so far as +his outer garb was concerned. And when he had donned an old and +somewhat battered, but still serviceable, topi helmet--a relic of more +prosperous days--and had fastened round him a leather belt and bandolier +combined, filled it with cartridges, and attached to it one of Penryn's +revolvers in a leather holster, it would have been rather difficult to +recognise in him the erstwhile smart and spruce Murray Frobisher. +Rather he resembled a South African transport-rider in a state of +disrepair, and of so truculent an appearance that he might have been +expected to put to flight with ease, and singlehanded, a considerable +detachment of Korean soldiery. He slipped the second revolver into one +of the side pockets of his jacket, and an extra supply of cartridges +into the other pocket, and then ran up on deck, ready to start on his +perilous journey into the interior. + +By the time he had said good-bye to the skipper, and had received his +instructions with regard to the collection of the purchase-money and +sundry other matters, the last of the cargo had been sent ashore; and +Drake's own gig was waiting at the foot of the accommodation-ladder to +take the young man to the landing-place. + +As he was on the point of descending the side-ladder, Drake asked him to +wait a moment, and ran down below; reappearing, a few seconds later, +with a serviceable ship's cutlass in his hand, which he himself belted +round Frobisher's waist. + +"Revolvers are all very well in their way," remarked the little skipper; +"but sometimes a man is too busy fighting to have time to reload, and +then he is very glad to have a yard of good, stout steel in his fist. +Take it along with you, Mr Frobisher. If there should happen to be a +scrap, I feel sure you will find it mighty handy. Avoid a fight if you +can, of course; but, as Charlie Dickens says in that play of his, _Jim +the Penman_, `once in a fight so carry yourself that the enemy shall be +sorry for himself.' Good-bye, my boy, and take care of yourself!" + +With a laughing reply Frobisher clasped Drake's hand once more, and ran +lightly down the ladder into the boat; and fifteen minutes later he +found himself safely ashore. The boat pulled back to the ship, where +the remainder of the small fleet were already being hoisted up to the +davits; and he was alone in a strange land, charged with a dangerous +mission, with no white man to share his burden, and with only one man, +Ling, who had even a nodding acquaintance with the English language. + +Escort there was none, in the usual sense of the word, for the drivers +of the carts containing the arms and ammunition-chests, although armed +with old-fashioned muzzle-loading muskets, out-of-date halberds, and, in +some cases, bows and arrows, could not possibly be relied upon to put up +any sort of a fight in the event of an encounter with the regular Korean +soldiery. The only person beside himself who was armed with a modern +weapon was the interpreter, Ling, who carried a fairly recent and +reliable Marlin repeating rifle, holding eight cartridges; but this was +all the ammunition he had, so that, if trouble arose, he could not be +relied upon very far, either. + +Having reached the village, Frobisher took Ling with him and went off to +see that the carts were properly loaded, and the mule-drivers at their +stations; and to his astonishment found that, in spite of the proverbial +slackness of the Korean, everything was in readiness, and only his word +was necessary to enable the caravan to start. During his previous visit +to the shore he had done a little exploration, and had quite made up his +mind which road to take in order to avoid the troops coming from +Yong-wol--provided, of course, that they came by the direct route. So +he did not waste any time, but, after a last look round, to see that +everything was satisfactory, commanded Ling to set the caravan in +motion, himself remaining behind until the last cart had left the +village, in order to make sure that, at the last moment, none of the +drivers should shirk the risks and try to desert. + +There was no attempt of the kind, however. The Korean mule-drivers +appeared absolutely apathetic and indifferent to any possible danger. +They were being well paid for their trouble, and "sufficient unto the +day" was evidently their motto. Satisfied, therefore, that there was +nothing to fear in that respect, Frobisher mounted the elderly steed +which he had managed to purchase at about ten times its proper value, +and rode to the head of the column, where he found Ling, already fast +asleep on the back of the mule which he had elected to ride. + +So the long column was at last fairly started on its perilous hundred +miles' journey into the interior of Korea--a journey which involved the +negotiation of heavy, ill-made roads, the fording of deep, swift rivers +and streams, and, most difficult of all, the passage of the range of +lofty hills on the other side of which the town of Yong-wol, their +destination, was situated. + +For a long time, until, in fact, the caravan disappeared from view among +the trees, Captain Drake watched it through his telescope; and, when +finally the last cart disappeared in the forest, the man whom Frobisher +had once called his "little pirate" was not ashamed to follow the +example of his illustrious namesake of immortal memory. He went down to +his cabin and remained there for some minutes, actually praying for the +safe return of the man to whom he had grown to be very sincerely +attached--our friend Murray Frobisher. + +It was about three o'clock in the afternoon when the caravan got away +from Sam-riek, and urge and command and even implore as he might, +Frobisher was quite unable to get the expedition farther than ten miles +from the coast before darkness fell and it became necessary to camp for +the night. A suitable place for an encampment was eventually found, on +an open, level strip of ground by the side of a considerable stream, +about half a mile ahead, a distance which Frobisher was compelled to +force the drivers to traverse almost at the muzzle of the pistol. He +managed, however, to convince the dull-witted Koreans that another +half-mile would not kill them; and about seven o'clock the party pulled +up at the spot selected. A couple of the carts contained provisions, +and on the top of these Frobisher had placed a bundle containing a tent +and blankets for his personal use. + +He pitched the tent, spread his blankets on the ground, and then, before +allowing the men to prepare their supper, ordered that all the vehicles +should be formed into a circle, with his own tent in the centre, the +shafts of each being run in under the hind wheels of the one in front, +so as to form a fairly effective barricade, which would at least prevent +the camp being rushed without warning, should an attack be made by the +enemy. He also took care that the mules were picketed within the +enclosure so formed, so that they might not stray away or be stolen; and +finally, he told off half a dozen of the best-armed and most +resolute-looking men, under the command of Ling, to act as sentries in +different watches during the first half of the night, resolving to keep +watch himself during the second half--the period during which there was +most likelihood of danger. + +These arrangements having been made, Frobisher served out their rations +to the men, partook of his own supper, and, leaving strict orders with +Ling that he was to be called at midnight, went to his tent, rolled +himself up in his blankets, laid his cutlass and revolvers beside him, +and was soon asleep. + +He did not know how long he had been sleeping when he suddenly awoke, +with a sense of danger and oppression strong upon him. Like most men +who pass their lives at sea, or in uncivilised parts of the world, he +seemed to be possessed of a sixth sense which always gave him warning +when there was peril at hand; and it was this sense which now brought +him broad awake in an instant, with his ears straining to catch the +least sound, and his eyes peering through the darkness to catch the +first glimpse of an intruder. + +Like a wise man, he refrained from making the slightest sound that might +betray his whereabouts to a prowling assassin; but, slowly and very +carefully, he disengaged his arms from the blankets and reached out for +one of his revolvers. With this in his hand he felt much more +comfortable, and fully prepared for eventualities. + +Then, sitting up carefully, Frobisher again listened intently for some +sound which might tell him the position of the danger, if any; but, +strain his ears as he might, he could catch not the slightest suggestion +of a warning. There was, however, a certain faint, peculiar odour in +the tent, which he felt sure proceeded neither from the canvas nor from +the blankets. Very faint indeed it was, and it would perhaps have been +quite imperceptible to anybody with a less keen olfactory sense than +Frobisher possessed; but it was there, all the same, and he felt that he +would very much like to identify it and determine its origin. It was +not unpleasant--indeed the suggestion was of a pleasant perfume, a +perfume which he had often smelt before; but what that perfume was he +could not for the life of him recall just at the moment. + +One thing was certain, however, and that was that there had been no such +odour in the tent when he went to sleep; and it must therefore have been +brought in by somebody since then. Now, nobody but himself had any +business there, unless it were Ling come to wake him. But Ling would, +or should, have stood at the entrance and called him; or at the most, if +calling had not aroused him, have come boldly in and shaken him. + +There was no sound, however, in the tent, and therefore the intruder, if +there were one, had no legitimate business there; and the more Frobisher +thought about the matter, the more certain he became that all was not as +it should be. + +He therefore very slowly and very silently divested himself of his +blankets, leaving them in a bundle on the ground, and, with the revolver +still grasped tightly in his hand, started to crawl noiselessly toward +the open flap of the tent, which he located by seeing the glimmer of +stars shining through. At the same time he took care to keep close to +the side of the tent walls, so as to avoid, if possible, colliding with +his supposed unknown visitor. + +The odour was much more pungent now, and Frobisher knew that in a few +seconds he would recognise it for what it was. Surely, he thought, +there was a suggestion of oiliness about it, and--then in a moment he +knew. The strange perfume was that of sandalwood oil, and he instantly +realised what the circumstance meant. There was a human being in the +tent, somebody who had planned murder, or robbery, or both; and the man +had oiled himself so that, if his intended victim happened to be awake +and grappled with him, he would be able to twist himself loose and +escape. + +Frobisher was by no means easily flurried, but when he realised that he +was alone in a dark tent with a desperate man seeking his life; that he +was possibly within arm's-reach of the fellow at that moment; and that +in another second he might feel a long, keen blade sliding in between +his ribs, it was only with difficulty that he restrained himself from +firing off all six chambers of his revolver into the darkness, in the +hope that one of the bullets might find its billet. + +And then, at the very moment when he felt that his nerves would bear the +strain no longer, the spell was broken. Suddenly there came a long, +hissing breath close beside him, and immediately afterward a terrific +thud, as something--Frobisher could easily guess what--was driven with +deadly force into the heap of blankets close beside him. + +With a tremendous bound the young Englishman leaped forward, dropping +his revolver as he did so, and grappled with the intruder; but the man +had been prepared for any mishap by oiling his body, and twisted and +squirmed like an eel. So slippery was his skin that Frobisher, with all +his tremendous strength, recognised that he could not hold him. He +therefore gripped the fellow's wrist as firmly as he could with his left +hand, and drew back his clenched right fist for a knock-out blow. But +before he could deliver it he received a fearful kick in the stomach +from one of the man's feet--which luckily were bare, or he would have +been killed--and he doubled up like a jack-knife, involuntarily +loosening his grip on the other's wrist. In an instant the man had +gained the door of the tent, and was lost in the darkness, while poor +Frobisher lay upon the ground gasping. + +It was fully ten minutes before he had so far recovered as to be able to +stand upright; but as soon as his strength returned he struck a match +and lighted a lantern. By its light he examined the pile of blankets +which had formed his bed, and, as he expected, found them pinned to the +ground by a long, wavy-bladed knife, very similar in appearance to a +Malay kris, which had been driven into the earth up to the very hilt by +a blow that would assuredly have killed him, had he continued to slumber +for another five minutes. + +Frobisher drew out the knife, and tried to remember whether he had ever +seen it before--whether he had observed it in the possession of any of +the men composing the caravan; but he could not remember having seen a +knife of the kind in the hands of any of the drivers. He therefore +threw it aside, and cautiously opened the flap of the tent to see +whether there was any mischief going on outside. But all was silent, +and he could see some of the shadowy forms of the men on guard. + +It was then half-past eleven, as he found by looking at his watch, and +too late to go to sleep again, even if he felt inclined. + +Precisely half an hour later a figure appeared at the door of the tent, +and a voice observed quietly: "Time to wake up, mastel. You tellee me +wake you one piecee time twelluf. Twelluf now, and me welly sleepy." + +It was Ling. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +BETRAYED. + +Frobisher scrutinised the Korean's face closely, but there was no shadow +of change in its Oriental impassivity. For all that the man's bearing +betrayed, he might never have moved from his post since the camp had +been pitched; yet the young Englishman could not rid himself of the +suspicion that Ling was not exactly what he appeared to be. Moreover, +now that the man was standing inside the tent, Frobisher again became +conscious of a faint suggestion of the odour of sandal-wood oil. +However, it would not in any way suit his plans to betray his suspicions +of the Korean at present, therefore he merely contented himself with +remarking quietly: + +"Very well, Ling. You had better get to sleep, so as to be rested by +the morning; and I'll wake you as soon as it is time to break camp and +be stirring. By the way, I fancied I heard someone prowling about my +tent half an hour ago. I suppose you did not notice anything out of the +common, or you would have reported it to me at once, eh?" + +"Me no undelstand `anything outel le common', mastel; what mastel mean?" +enquired Ling, his almond-shaped eyes opening in apparent puzzlement. + +"I mean," replied Frobisher, rather testily--for he now felt almost +convinced that the fellow was trying to hoodwink him--"that I suppose +you are quite sure that no spy, no one belonging to the enemy, in fact, +approached or entered the camp while I was asleep and you were on +guard?" + +"Oh!" exclaimed Ling, his face breaking out into a smile, "I undelstand +now. No, mastel; nobody not come neal camp. If anyone had come he +would be dead by now; me shoot any stlangel quick, without ask any +questions." + +"All right!" answered Frobisher, permitting himself to be almost +persuaded against his better judgment that the man was honest, so +absolutely child-like and bland was his manner; "get away to your own +quarters and secure as much sleep as you possibly can, for we have a +long march before us to-morrow." And he turned away, to show Ling that +his presence was no longer required. + +But at the moment of turning he could almost have sworn that he caught +sight of Ling's lips parted in a sardonic smile. Frobisher wheeled +again immediately, but when he once more looked at the man, the Korean's +face was as indifferently emotionless as though carved from stone, and +Murray was compelled to acknowledge that the expression which he thought +he had noticed must have been due to the flickering shadows cast by the +lantern that he carried in his hand. + +Thus dismissed, Ling trotted off and threw himself down beside the inner +wheels of one of the carts, covered his face with a fold of his ample +cloak, and was, to all outward appearance, fast asleep on the instant. +Frobisher, after regarding the recumbent form for a long minute or more, +silently tiptoed away to his post of observation, having reached which, +he extinguished the lantern, making sure, first of all, that his matches +were ready to hand in his pocket, so that the light might not prove a +convenient target for any prowling sharpshooter of the enemy. + +He remained motionless in the one position for at least half an hour, +and then, beginning to feel a trifle cramped from his spell of +inactivity, made up his mind to traverse the sleeping camp, in order to +assure himself fully that all was as it should be. Leaving the lantern +behind him, he made his way slowly and silently, by the dim light of the +stars, round the sleeping bivouac. And it was not until he had +completed the entire circumference of the circle and was back again at +his starting-point, that it occurred to him that he had not particularly +noticed Ling, who, of course, ought to have been lying asleep where +Frobisher had left him. + +At once the Englishman's dormant suspicions again awoke into full +activity, and, lighting the lantern, he proceeded to repeat his +investigation, going his rounds in the opposite direction this time; +and, sure enough, when he came to the place where he had left Ling +lying, the spot was vacant--Ling had disappeared. + +"Now what in the world is the explanation of this?" Frobisher asked +himself testily. "I'm certain there is something fishy about the +fellow, and I would give a trifle to be able to discover what game it is +that he's playing. Where, in the name of Fortune, has he got to now, I +wonder?" + +As the thought passed through his mind he heard a sudden, suspicious +sound right on the other side of the camp. The idea it conveyed to him +was that a man had tripped or fallen over something; and this suggestion +was strengthened when, immediately afterward, certain low muttered words +in the Korean tongue, which sounded remarkably like a string of hearty +expletives, issued from the same quarter. And the voice was undoubtedly +that of Ling. + +Frobisher whipped the revolver out of his pocket and leapt like a deer +in the direction of the sound, arriving on the spot just in time to +discover Ling sitting upright on the dewy grass, alternately rubbing his +head and his shins. The Englishman stood looking down at the other for +a few moments, and in that brief interval found time to notice that his +feet were soiled and plastered with fresh clay, which had certainly not +been on them when Frobisher had left him half an hour previously. It +was also certain that he could not have accumulated that clay within the +confines of the camp, for the space where the wagons had been drawn up +was carpeted entirely with grass, and there was no vestige of clay +anywhere within the circle. Frobisher therefore felt more convinced +than ever that Ling was something very different from what he +represented himself to be. + +"Well, Ling," he remarked sternly, after a pause, during which the +Korean had been vigorously rubbing himself, "what's happened to you? +Where have you been; what have you been doing?" And as he spoke he +brought his right hand slightly forward, so that the rays of light from +the lantern which he carried fell upon the gleaming barrel of his +revolver. + +Ling observed the motion, and shrank back guiltily. "Oh, mastel," he +quavered, "me thinkee me heal a sound ovel hele--fol me too flightened +to sleep--and me come hele to see what the mattel." + +"What kind of sound did you think you heard?" queried Frobisher, looking +the man square in the eyes. + +Ling tried to return the gaze, but failed. His almond-shaped eyes met +the other's for a few seconds, and then turned ground-ward. + +"Me believe me heal someone moving ovel hele," he replied, "and so me +came see if anybody tly to get in." + +"Then what did you fall over?" asked Frobisher. + +"Me go look see if anybody hiding outside camp," explained Ling glibly, +"and me fall ovel shafts of calt coming back. Me no see clealy without +lanteln," he continued, volubly. + +"If you believed you heard a movement," said Frobisher, "why didn't you +come and tell me, instead of going yourself? Besides, it seems strange +that you, who ought to have been sleepy after your spell of duty, should +have noticed those suspicious sounds, while I, who was wideawake, heard +nothing." + +"No undelstand, mastel," said Ling, regarding Frobisher with a blank +stare. + +"No, you scoundrel!" retorted Frobisher angrily; "you only understand +just what suits you, don't you? However, understand this, my fine +fellow," he went on, bringing the revolver into full view, and shaking +it in front of the now thoroughly frightened Korean; "if I find that +you've been up to any tricks, I'll shoot you, as sure as my name's what +it is, so you had better be very careful. Do you understand that? Very +well, then; get over to your place and lie down; and mark this--don't +let me catch you slinking about this camp any more to-night. Savvee?" + +"Me savvee plenty, mastel," replied Ling, gathering himself up and +hobbling away. He added some other words in his own language, in a tone +that sounded anything but reassuring; but as Frobisher was totally +unfamiliar with the Korean tongue, he was compelled to let the matter +pass unnoticed. + +The remainder of the night slipped away without interruption. But +shortly after the incident above referred to, Frobisher noticed that the +stars were becoming obscured, and about two o'clock in the morning rain +began to fall, softly at first, then increasing in volume until, in half +an hour after the beginning, it seemed as though the very bottom had +fallen out of the heavens, and thus allowed the water pent up there to +fall upon the earth in an overwhelming cataract. + +One by one, as they became chilled by the wet, the sleepers awoke, and +crawled drowsily either into or beneath the carts; and soon Frobisher +was the only human being in sight anywhere in camp. He was quickly +drenched to the skin, but realising how excellent a screen for rushing +the camp this downpour would make, he remained at his post, shivering +with cold, for the rest of the night; and by the time that morning +dawned, was feeling weary and wretched. + +As soon, however, as the first hint of dawn paled the eastern sky, the +rain ceased as suddenly as it had begun, and Frobisher aroused Ling and +gave him orders to call the men to their breakfast, so that an early +start might be made. + +When Frobisher poked his head under the hood of the cart where the +Korean had taken refuge from the rain, he somehow very strongly +suspected that that individual had been awake and sitting up at the +moment of his approach; yet he was obliged to shake the man vigorously +for a full minute before he could be made to comprehend that it was time +to bestir himself. + +As soon as Ling permitted himself to realise this fact, however, he +sprang from the cart with an admirable assumption of briskness, and soon +had the mule-drivers at work preparing breakfast and inspanning the wet +and wretched-looking mules. He even took the trouble to light a fire +himself and prepare a cup of hot tea for the "mastel", for which the +drenched and shivering young Englishman felt sincerely grateful. + +The young man had taken only a single sip, however, when he detected a +very peculiar taste in the liquid, and spat the mouthful out on to the +ground, with an exclamation of disgust. Happening to glance upward at +the moment, he caught sight of Ling regarding him with a peculiar +expression, in which hate, cunning, and satisfaction were curiously +mingled; and Frobisher could scarcely repress his anger as he realised +the meaning of that malignant glare. Not content with having attempted +to murder him by means of the knife during the night, the scoundrel was +now trying to put an end to him by means of poison; a powerful and very +painful poison, too, surmised Frobisher, if he might judge by the +burning, biting sensation that tingled on his throat, lips, and tongue. + +It was not Frobisher's policy, however, to let Ling see that he was +suspected, otherwise the man might become desperate and adopt some still +more strenuous measure, which it might be difficult if not impossible to +frustrate. Therefore, forcing back the words of indignation and +accusation that leapt to his lips, and making a strong effort to command +his voice so that it might not quiver, he remarked quietly: "Hi, Ling! +This tea is very strong. You've forgotten to put in any sugar. I +suppose there is some, isn't there?" + +Ling repressed a smile, dived under one of the cart hoods, and presently +reappeared with a few lumps of the required sweetening, which Frobisher +calmly dropped into his cup, stirring them round so as to dissolve them +completely. He then set the cup down beside him, as though to let the +liquid cool, and watched Ling keenly until that wily Oriental was +looking another way, when he quickly capsized the contents of the cup on +to the grass, where the liquid was immediately absorbed by the damp +earth. + +When Ling returned for the cup Frobisher observed him closely, and could +not avoid noticing the expression of satisfaction which even the man's +usual impassivity failed to suppress completely. Frobisher was by this +time quite convinced that Ling was a traitor, either belonging to, or in +the pay of, the Government party; and he began to wonder whether, after +all, the man had spoken the truth when he had affirmed that Korean +troops were approaching to capture the caravan along the Yong-wol road. +Might not the very reverse be the fact, and the troops be hiding in +ambush along the very road that they were about to traverse? Frobisher +was almost inclined to take the risk of altering the course of the +caravan in order to regain the main road; but a few seconds' +consideration caused him to abandon that idea. There were no less than +four roads to Yong-wol, including the customary route, and the +Englishman had only selected the one they were on at the last moment +before starting--after the arrival of Ling from the ship, in fact; so +that, unless Ling had arranged to have messengers waiting for him +ashore, and had found means to communicate with them--which Frobisher +could scarcely believe possible--the route they were taking could hardly +have leaked out. He therefore made up his mind to stand by his original +plan; and, the men having finished their meal, he gave orders for the +caravan to proceed, himself leading the way and keeping a sharp look-out +for any sign of treachery on the part of the Korean. + +It was but a short distance to the banks of the stream, previously +mentioned, which crossed the route of the caravan, but when they arrived +there a disagreeable surprise was in store for the leader. The heavy +rain of the previous night had swollen the river to such an extent that, +instead of a placid, shallow stream, little exceeding in size a mere +brook, it was now a roaring, foaming torrent, rising higher and higher +every minute; and there was no knowing how long it might be before the +water would subside to its normal level. Frobisher consequently +realised with dismay that he might be compelled to stay where he was for +several days, allowing the enemy ample time to arrive on the spot and +capture the caravan. + +Evidently, he told himself, it would never do to be delayed by this +obstacle; but how was he to overcome it? that was the question. + +"Ling," he demanded, "how long will it be before this water will go low +enough to allow us to cross?" + +The Korean shrugged his shoulders. "Me no know, mastel," he said. +"Pelhaps by to-night; pelhaps not fol week. No can do nothing, can only +stop hele." + +"Don't you believe that for a minute, my man," retorted Frobisher +tartly, for it annoyed him to observe the calm satisfaction with which +the Korean regarded the situation. "We've got to get across, do you +hear? And we are going to do it; so make up your mind to that. If I +have to drown every man of the caravan, and you too," he added, "I'm +going to manage it somehow, so you understand. And now that I've told +you this, tell me in return whether there is any other place beside this +where we can cross?" + +"No, mastel," said Ling, "no othel place. This only place anywhele. +And no can closs hele, mastel can see fol himselluf." + +"Well," said Frobisher determinedly, "if this is the only place, this is +where we cross. The river is rising very rapidly, and the longer we +delay the worse it will be; you see, therefore, that there's no time to +waste. I'm going to ride in to find how deep the water is, and, what's +more, my friend, you are coming with me." As he spoke, the young sailor +grasped the bridle of Ling's mule, dug his heels into his own animal's +sides, and together the Englishman and the now thoroughly frightened +Korean descended the steep bank and plunged into the river. + +Not until he was actually in the water did Frobisher realise how deep +and how swift was the current; yet his horse seemed to betray no +uneasiness, and the river deepened only very slightly as they pushed +forward. He therefore grasped the Korean's bridle more firmly, took his +own bridle between his teeth, so as to have one hand free, drew his feet +out of the stirrups in order to get clear of the horse if the animal +were washed off its feet, and brought his open hand down with a +resounding smack upon the brute's hind-quarters. + +With a snort, the beast plunged forward with a rush, the mule following +reluctantly after, with Ling clinging desperately to its neck. +Fortunately the water remained shallow, and the adventurous Englishman +was just congratulating himself on getting safely across without mishap +when there came a despairing shriek from Ling, the bridle was wrenched +from Frobisher's hand, and he wheeled in the saddle in the nick of time +to see Ling's mule lose its footing and sink back into the swirling +torrent, flinging the shrieking Korean off its back into the water. The +man immediately disappeared from view, all that was visible of him being +a hand and an arm, waving frantically to and fro and clutching +helplessly at the empty air. Evidently the mule had planted its foot in +a hole, stumbled, and been swept off the narrow ford into deep water; +and, unless something were done quickly, it looked as though Ling were +in danger of being drowned. + +The Korean had twice attempted to take Frobisher's life, and it would +have been far more convenient and safer, as regarded himself, for the +leader of the expedition to have let the man drown; but that leader was +an Englishman, with all an Englishman's traditions behind him, and he +could not stand idly by and see a fellow creature perish, however +well-deserving of such a fate the man might be. So, without a moment's +hesitation, Frobisher dragged his horse's head round by main force, and +urged him, by voice, heel, and hand, off the causeway into the flood, +and headed downstream after Ling, who had by this time risen to the +surface and was yelling madly for mercy and help. But the sailor soon +perceived that if he pursued his present tactics the Korean would be +swept away and drowned before being overtaken; so, casting his eyes +keenly about him, Frobisher picked out a spot a little distance lower +down, where the banks appeared slightly less steep than elsewhere, and +urged his animal in that direction. + +Presently he was fortunate enough to feel solid ground under his horse's +feet, and a few moments later was safely ashore and riding hard along +the bank, parallel with the stream. By this time Ling had swallowed a +considerable quantity of water, and his lungs were already half-full; it +was evident, therefore, that in a few minutes the fellow would sink for +the last time. But Frobisher was now abreast of him, and a few seconds +later he sighted another low place in the bank where he could re-enter +the stream. Urging his animal to top speed, in another moment he was +plunging down the bank into the water. The plunge submerged both horse +and rider for the moment, and when Frobisher's head again appeared he +saw Ling's body swirling past him in the strongest part of the current. +Another moment and Frobisher had drawn the man to him, hoisting his head +clear of the water on to the peak of the saddle in front of him. He +then steered the horse to the bank, and was fortunate enough to be able +to regain solid ground without further mishap. He lowered Ling +carefully to the ground, dismounted himself, and, after securing his +horse by the bridle to a convenient tree, set about the task of +restoring the half-drowned Korean to consciousness. + +Frobisher had had a good deal of "first-aid" experience during the +period of his service in the Navy, and he therefore knew exactly what to +do. Laying the Korean flat on his back, he knelt on the ground astride +of the body, seized both Ling's wrists in his hands, and then proceeded +to move the man's arms slowly backward and forward from a position right +above his head forward to the sides of his body, and then back again, +thus actually pumping air forcibly into the lungs. + +After a few minutes of this treatment Ling began to show signs of +returning life, and before long he opened his eyes, coughed chokingly, +and then rolled over on his side, vomiting up the water he had swallowed +and coughing it out of his lungs as well. Then Frobisher completed his +work of restoration by administering a sip or two of brandy from the cup +belonging to his emergency flask, and a few more moments later Ling was +able to stagger to his feet. + +Then, and not until then, did the Korean appear to recover his full +faculties and recognise who it was that had saved him from a watery +grave. + +The Korean licked his dry lips and, carefully avoiding looking his +rescuer in the face, stammered out some kind of thanks to his master for +saving his life; and Frobisher observing the man's manner, became more +than ever convinced that there was treachery in the wind, and determined +to be thoroughly on his guard, day and night. + +But there was no time to think about such matters just now; the river +was rising higher every moment, and if the carts were to be got safely +across without the loss of men, mules, or cargo, it was necessary to set +things in motion immediately. On the opposite bank of the stream were +now collected some of the Sam-riek drivers who had run along so as to be +"in at the death" as they fully expected, and Frobisher sharply ordered +them back to their posts, telling them to get the caravan in motion and +prepare to cross. + +The men had seen their leader negotiate the ford in safety, so they were +not quite so timid as might have been expected, and as the heavily-laden +carts formed a kind of anchorage and support to both mules and drivers, +the young man soon had the satisfaction of seeing the entire caravan +safely on the desired side without loss, when he immediately got the +procession once more in motion toward Yong-wol. + +During the whole of that day they travelled along the jungle road, with +the thick, solid greenery hemming them in on each side, and the sun +pouring down upon them like a flame. Ling marched along, silent and +morose, never speaking a word unless Frobisher actually addressed him or +ordered him to translate some command to the men; and it was with +unfeigned thankfulness that, just as the sun was about to set, the young +man saw, not far ahead of him, a small clearing somewhat similar to the +one where they had camped on the previous evening, and determined to +spend the night there. + +The carts were drawn up in precisely similar formation, and supper was +cooked; and by the time that this was disposed of, all hands were more +than ready to seek their couches. Frobisher had already pitched his +tent, and had just entered it to get his cutlass and second revolver +when Ling came up to him. + +"Me keep filst watch, mastel, same as last night," he remarked +ingratiatingly. + +Frobisher looked fixedly at him for a few moments, and Ling lowered his +eyes. + +"No, my man," answered the Englishman; "I keep first watch to-night. +You kept it yesterday, I keep it to-day. Now run away and get your +rest, Ling. I expect you need it after your experience this morning." + +Ling gritted his teeth under his long, scanty moustache. This +arrangement would not suit his plans at all. Why could not these +eccentric westerners be consistent? he wondered. The Englishman kept +second watch yesterday, and Ling had fully expected that he would do the +same again; while now-- + +"Me lathel watch filst, mastel," he pleaded; "me no sleepy. You sleep +now, mastel; me look out." + +"Look here, my man," exclaimed Frobisher, wrathfully, "who's master +here, you or I? Just understand this, as it will save trouble in the +future. When I tell you to do a thing, just remember that you've got to +do it, and do it at once. Now, get away to wherever you're going to lie +down, and I'll call you when it's time for you to go on duty. No, not +another word; off you go, without any more palaver." + +For a moment it seemed as though Ling intended to disobey. Then the +Englishman's great stature and commanding presence had their effect, and +he slunk off and lay down under one of the wagons, but not to sleep. He +simply lay there leaning on his elbow, regarding Frobisher with a +malignant expression. About a couple of hours later, after darkness had +fallen upon the camp for some considerable time, and the rest of the men +were asleep, he began to listen for something; and Frobisher would have +been intensely interested could he but have glanced into Ling's mind and +read what was working there. + +About ten o'clock Frobisher began to feel so drowsy, that although he +had made the rounds only half an hour previously he determined to repeat +them, in order to avoid falling asleep at his post; so, taking up the +lantern and cautiously feeling his way, to avoid stepping on the +slumbering forms of any of the men, he began again to make the circuit +of the camp. + +Ling had been in his place, apparently sound asleep, when Frobisher had +passed half an hour previously, but when the young man now directed the +light of his lantern under Ling's cart he saw that the fellow was no +longer there; and a hurried survey of the camp soon convinced him that +the Korean was nowhere within the circle of the carts. He must +therefore be outside, Frobisher argued; and, if outside, where, and what +doing? + +There could be but one answer to that question, so, without a moment's +hesitation, Frobisher set to work to arouse the slumbering Koreans, +afterwards herding them in front of him until he had them all collected +together in a little knot in the centre of the camp. + +He next endeavoured, in "pidgin" English, to make them comprehend the +situation as it presented itself to him; but, unfortunately, they were +men who had seldom or never come in contact with white people, and he +soon saw that they did not understand a word he was saying. He was +compelled, therefore, to fall back upon signs; and after a time they +began to comprehend dimly what it was that their leader was trying to +tell them. + +When at length he had succeeded in impressing upon them the fact that +the camp was in imminent danger, he took four of their number to one of +the carts, unloaded one of the chests of rifles and one of ammunition, +broke both open, and distributed the weapons and a quantity of +ammunition to each Korean, at the same time carefully instructing them +by repeated action how to load and fire the rifles. Luckily, the men +were quick to learn, and appeared delighted with the weapons, which they +seemed to look upon as presents; but Frobisher fully realised that, +however willing they might be, they would scarcely be able to hold out +long against regular troops, even though the latter were poorly +trained--especially if those troops should appear, as might be fully +expected, in overwhelming numbers. + +It was his duty, however, to protect the property committed to his +charge as long as he could; and there was always the possibility that +the rebels at Yong-wol might come part of the way to meet him, and that +the sound of firing might bring them to his assistance. He therefore +selected a rifle for himself, stuffed a quantity of ammunition into his +breeches pockets--the pockets of his coat being full of revolver +cartridges--and then went round, placing his small force of some twenty +men in the most sheltered and advantageous positions he could arrange. +After this there was nothing to be done but to keep a sharp look-out and +await developments. + +These were not long in coming. Frobisher had barely found time to get +his men to their places, and to arm himself--having previously enjoined +strict silence, by signs again, of course--when his straining ears +caught slight, rustling sounds in the jungle close at hand. They were +the sounds of bush, fern, and shrub being cautiously pushed aside--the +sounds of the stealthy approach of a considerable body of men; and it +soon became abundantly evident that the camp was entirely surrounded, +and that it was to be attacked from all sides at once. + +Frobisher flitted hither and thither silently, peering into the jungle +from between the carts and underneath the wheels; and he was presently +able, by the dim light of the stars, to distinguish that the whole bush +was in barely perceptible motion. The attackers were at the very edge +of it, evidently only waiting for the command to commence operations; +the Englishman, therefore, determined, by being first, to secure the +advantage of surprise himself. At his shouted word the Koreans +discharged their rifles into the jungle at point-blank range, reloading +on the instant; while Frobisher heightened the effect by selecting a +spot where he could already see the glint of rifle barrels in the +starlight and discharging all six chambers of both his revolvers in that +direction. + +The effect upon the attackers must have been considerable, for +immediately following the discharge there arose a tremendous outburst of +shrieks, yells, and groans, shouted orders, and cries of encouragement; +and Frobisher saw several forms leap out of the bush and go crashing to +earth in the clearing. + +He had just time to re-load his revolvers before the surrounding bush +burst into a perfect tempest of flame and lead, indicating that the +Government troops must be present in force. One of the Sam-riek men, +right at his elbow, uttered a pitiful cry, clutched frenziedly at his +breast, from which the blood was spouting, and dropped to the ground, +his chest torn to pieces by five charges of pot-leg, or stout nails, +which had struck him at the same moment; while groans and screams from +various parts of the enclosure showed that the little force had suffered +pretty severely. + +The men were now, however, re-loading and firing as rapidly as they +could, each independently of the other, and Frobisher, not knowing their +language, found it impossible to control them sufficiently to make them +fire only at the word of command. He realised that, at the rate at +which they were firing, an enormous wastage was taking place, but he was +powerless, and could only hope that the result would justify the +expenditure. + +The attackers presently lighted a large fire at the edge of the +clearing, that they might have light to fight by; and what with the +ruddy flickering of the flames and the incessant flashing of the rifles, +the running crouching forms of the troops, and the desperate energy with +which the defenders fought, the scene was a fit subject for the brush of +a Wiertz or a Verestchagin. Men on both sides were falling fast, and +Frobisher himself was half-blinded by the blood from a wound in his +forehead inflicted by a ricochetting slug or bullet. And presently he +began to realise that, despite the stubborn resistance of his men, the +Government troops were slowly but surely closing in on him, and that the +end could not be very long delayed. + +He himself fought as Englishmen fight, doing as much execution as any +four of his men; but he could not be everywhere at once, although he +rushed here and there, encouraging and urging the defenders to fresh +effort. Grimy, bleeding, and powder-stained, they did their best to +obey; but the pelting rain of lead was rapidly reducing their numbers, +and as their fire slackened for want of men, the troops edged in ever +closer and closer until, at a sudden shouted word of command, they +surged forward and stormed the enclosure, carrying it by sheer weight of +numbers. + +The Sam-riek men were slaughtered like sheep, and Frobisher found +himself surrounded by at least a dozen men, shooting and stabbing at him +until it seemed miraculous that he still survived. He laid about him +desperately, and many a man of the enemy went down under the terrific +sweep of his cutlass--his revolvers he had emptied long ago, save for a +single shot which he was hoarding against some special emergency. + +But the fight could not last much longer; his foes pressed so closely +about him that Frobisher could no longer freely swing his cutlass, while +the blood running down into his eyes half-blinded him. Out of the +corner of one eye, however, he suddenly caught sight of a heap of +cartridges that he had emptied on the ground for his men to help +themselves from. His foes had driven him almost on the top of the pile, +and, seeing that there was no possible escape, the young Englishman +determined to sell his life dearly. + +With his cutlass hand he warded off the blows that were raining upon his +head, and with the other he fired the last chamber of his revolver right +into the middle of the heap of ammunition. The next instant there shot +forth a dazzling burst of flame accompanied by a crackling report, and +for a brief instant Frobisher had a confused vision of torn and writhing +limbs and bodies. Then something struck him sharply; there was a sound +as of roaring, tumbling, thundering waters in his ears; and he knew no +more. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +ON THE RIVER. + +When Frobisher recovered consciousness he became aware of most +excruciating pains in his head and his left side, and so extreme was his +suffering that he could scarcely restrain a groan. To add to his +discomfort he was in complete darkness, and furthermore he was being +jolted and shaken about in a most agonising manner. + +Sick and faint with pain, it was several minutes before he was able to +recall what had happened to him; and then he remembered the last scene +of the fight, when, in the hope of destroying as many of his foes as +possible, he had discharged his revolver into the heap of ammunition. +There must, he recollected, have been some hundreds of rounds of +cartridges lying loose within a very few feet of him, and it was +doubtless a bullet from one of those that had struck him in the side +and, he felt pretty sure, shattered one or more of his ribs. As for the +pain in his head, that was of course accounted for by the stroke which +he had received across his forehead early in the fight. + +He put up his hand to his aching brow, and discovered to his surprise +that it had been carefully bandaged, and that the wound had evidently +been cleansed, for his hair was still damp, and there was no clotted +blood adhering to it. Also he found, upon further investigation, that +his jacket had been removed, and that his body had been strapped up with +rough wrappings. It appeared probable, therefore, that his captors had +received orders to capture him alive, if possible; otherwise, knowing as +he did the usual methods adopted by the Chinese and Koreans toward their +wounded prisoners, he felt tolerably certain that he would have been +barbarously destroyed while still unconscious--particularly as he had +been the direct means of bringing a dreadful death upon so many of his +assailants. As he thought of this he could only come to one +conclusion--he had been kept alive in order that, upon his arrival at +head-quarters, he might be examined, by torture if necessary, as to the +extent of his knowledge of the plot against the Government, and as to +the existence of any other schemes for bringing arms into the country. + +Now, he had no intention of being submitted to the diabolically +ingenious torments practised by the Korean executioners; the important +thing, therefore, was to contrive, if possible, to escape while there +was yet time. But before thinking about escape it was absolutely +necessary that he should discover his own whereabouts, and the number of +men by whom he was at present guarded. He was now entirely unarmed, +having no doubt dropped his cutlass and one of his revolvers at the time +when he had been struck down; while the second revolver, which had been +in the side pocket of his coat, had probably been discovered and seized +when the jacket was stripped off him by the individual who had attended +to the wound in his side. + +With a great effort and a wrench that caused him to bite his lips to +bleeding-point, to keep back his groans, Frobisher contrived to raise +himself to a sitting posture, and he then discovered that he was in a +closed litter of some sort, or palanquin, which, he could tell by its +short, jerky motion, was being borne over very rough ground. + +Feeling cautiously around him, in the faint hope that his jacket might +have been thrown into the palanquin, and with it, perhaps, the revolver +still in the pocket, Frobisher's fingers encountered one of the +curtains, and gradually gathering it up, he was presently able to pull +it aside sufficiently to enable him to see out. + +It was still dark, but the stars were shining brightly, and a thin slice +of moon had risen just clear of the treetops that bordered the jungle, +so that the young Englishman was able to make out his surroundings with +comparative ease. Marching alongside the palanquin, on each side, at a +distance of a few feet only, so narrow was the jungle path, was a line +of Government troops, their weapons, consisting of flint-locks, +match-locks, halberds, old muzzle-loaders, and, in a few cases, modern +breechloaders, sloped over their shoulders; while close beside the +litter, but a little in advance, so that Frobisher was unable to see the +man's face, walked an officer with a drawn two-handed Chinese sword in +his hand. He was evidently quite prepared to cut the prisoner down +without parley, should he make the slightest attempt at escape. + +Beside him walked another man, whom Frobisher had no difficulty in +recognising as Ling; and he was by no means grieved to observe that the +Korean had also suffered damage; for Ling's head was roughly bandaged, +and his right arm hung down limp and useless, while he walked with a +limp that proved he had received an injury to his leg as well. A +cautious glance rearward through the open curtains disclosed the fact +that the caravan of carts was coming along in the rear, escorted by a +few files of troops; but there was nothing to be seen of the unfortunate +Sam-riek drivers, and Frobisher was forced to the conclusion that, +rather than encumber themselves with other prisoners, the soldiers had +simply shot down and butchered the few who might have remained alive +after the capture of the encampment. + +Having thus discovered all that was possible at the moment, Frobisher +closed the curtains again and threw himself back in the litter, a trifle +relieved by his few breaths of fresh air, and determined to sleep, if he +could, so that he might the sooner recover his strength, and be fit to +attempt his escape should the chance occur. As he painfully twisted his +body round so as to lie on his back, and thus take as much weight as +possible off his broken ribs, he became aware of something hard in his +hip-pocket, and thrusting in his hand, he brought out the little +travelling-flask of brandy which he had used to revive Ling that very +morning. + +How little he had thought when he did so, that the next occasion on +which he was to use it would find him a prisoner in the hands of a +barbarous soldiery, on his way--he had not a shadow of doubt--to +imprisonment and, only too probably, a revolting, lingering death at the +end of all! + +However, as he told himself, he was not dead yet--very far from it +indeed; and while there was life there was always hope. So he took a +good long pull at the flask, and felt so much benefited and restored +thereby that a very few minutes afterward he fell into a doze which, +although not exactly amounting to complete unconsciousness, yet served +to mitigate to a considerable extent the pain from which he was +suffering, and mercifully prevented his mind from dwelling unduly upon +the horrid possibilities of the future before him. Finally, he fell +into a deep and refreshing sleep. + +When he awoke it was broad daylight, and the atmosphere was perceptibly +cooler. This, together with the fact that the palanquin was frequently +tilted to a considerable angle, and that the bearers seemed to be +finding some difficulty in retaining their footing, convinced him that +they must be descending the other side of the range of hills which he +knew he would have had to cross if he had been allowed to continue his +journey to Yong-wol. But he felt pretty certain that Yong-wol was not +the objective of the party. Since they had been informed of the +presence of the caravan, they must naturally also have been told that a +rebel force awaited its arrival there; and they would, of course, take +particular care to avoid an encounter, especially if it were known that +the rebels were there in force. + +It was just noon by Frobisher's watch--which he had been allowed to +retain, or which had escaped the notice of his captors--when they +regained level ground; and half an hour or so later the company came to +a halt, the litter was set down, and all hands, as Frobisher could see +by looking through the curtains, prepared to make a meal. + +He was by this time beginning to suffer very severely from thirst, and +had about made up his mind to call for Ling and order him to bring some +water, when that individual softly pulled the curtains aside and stood +looking down at the prisoner with an expression on his face that +Frobisher found difficult to fathom. Then, seeing that the Englishman +was conscious, Ling remarked: + +"Me glad see mastel open eyes again. Me thinkee once that mastel killed +dead." + +"It is no fault of yours that I was not, you treacherous rascal!" +returned Frobisher, so savagely that the Korean involuntarily stepped +backward a pace. "If ever I get out of this and can get my hands on +you, I'll make you sorry for your betrayal of me!" + +"Ah, mastel," exclaimed Ling, glancing apprehensively over his shoulder; +"no speak so loud. Listen. When you save my life this molning, me wish +velly much that me could wain you, but me dale not then--it too late. +But Ling nevel folget kindness of mastel; and me tly to savee you, if +can. But to do that me must pletend me velly glad you caught; pletend +me velly angly against you. Allee same, me not so leally; and me do +allee can fol you on q.t." + +Despite his anger and pain Frobisher could scarcely refrain from smiling +at the quaint "pidgin" English, especially the phrase "q.t.", which the +man had evidently picked up from some Englishman, and of which he seemed +quite proud. But he sternly repressed the inclination, and looked +keenly at Ling, to ascertain, if he could, whether the man were really +in earnest in saying that he would help him if he could. The Korean now +bore the scrutiny boldly, and did not lower his eyes; and from the +expression of his face Frobisher felt almost convinced that Ling meant +what he said. If the fellow could be relied upon implicitly, he would +be simply invaluable, and might be the means of getting Frobisher out of +the clutches of the Koreans; whereas, without assistance, escape seemed +almost beyond the bounds of possibility. It was therefore in a gentler +voice that the Englishman said: + +"Very well, Ling; I'll believe you. And, what's more, if you prove +yourself true to me, and help me to effect my escape, I'll see that you +are given a reward such as you have never before dreamed of. But if you +want to prove that you are in earnest, for goodness' sake bring me +water, and plenty of it; I am nearly dying of thirst." + +After another anxious glance round, as though he feared that, even at +that distance, his and Frobisher's conversation might have been +overheard, Ling turned away with a heavy scowl on his face--presumably +to give the correct colour to his proposed part--and with an admirable +assumption of indifference went toward the place where the soldiers were +already partaking of their simple meal of boiled rice and a thin kind of +soup, washed down by copious draughts of raki, a strong, pungent spirit +distilled from rice. + +Here he picked up an empty cooking-pot, washed it out in the little +brook by the side of which they were encamped, filled it with water, and +then sauntered back to Frobisher with it, dashing it down on the ground +so violently that at least half the contents were spilt. This did not +greatly matter, however, since there was still sufficient left for the +Englishman's requirements, and the effect of the action was good. If +there was one man among them who appeared to hate and despise the +Englishman more thoroughly than the others, that man was Ling; and +Frobisher could scarcely bring himself to believe, even after Ling's +assurance, that the feeling was not genuine, so excellent was the man's +acting--if acting it were. + +Much refreshed by the water, Frobisher was able to swallow a little of +the rice which the Korean officer brought to him on a fibre mat, and +immediately felt benefited by it. With the cessation of the jarring +movement of the litter, too, the pain of his wounds became considerably +less acute, and altogether he was soon feeling much stronger and better. +All the same, he decided that it would be wise policy on his part to +feign a continuance of extreme weakness and pain for some time longer, +in order to throw the enemy off their guard. Naturally, they would not +be likely to watch him so closely if they believed him to be too feeble +and too seriously injured to be capable of making any attempt at escape; +and perhaps before long a favourable opportunity might present itself. + +The soldiers did not linger very long over their meal, and the caravan +was soon in motion again; but Frobisher observed that this time their +course was almost parallel with the hills, instead of leaving them +directly behind. It was therefore now certain that they were going to +avoid Yong-wol, and consequently there would be little or no chance of +rescue by the rebels. + +Frobisher hoped that by keeping his ears open he might be able to gain +some idea as to the place which they were making for; and a little +later, by hearing the constant repetition of a certain name, he came to +the conclusion that they were bound for some place called Chhung-ju-- +though where it was situated, and even whether it was really the name of +a place, he could not be at all certain. + +Shortly after nightfall of the third day after crossing the hills, they +entered a walled town of some size, situated on a river; and Ling +contrived an opportunity to inform Frobisher that the name of the place +was indeed Chhungju, and that the river was a branch or tributary of the +river Han. He also stated that news had been brought by a Government +spy that the rebels at Yong-wol had somehow obtained knowledge of the +capture of the caravan, and that they had rapidly collected their forces +with the object of starting in pursuit of the party for the purpose of +recovering the arms and ammunition before they could be delivered to the +authorities in Seoul. The rebels, reported Ling, were only some +twenty-four hours' journey behind; and, as it would be quite possible +for them to cut off the troops by making direct for the capital, the +commander of the present force had determined to remain but a few hours +in Chhung-ju, in order to rest his men, and then to transfer the whole +party, cargo and all, to boats or barges, and so proceed down the river +Han as far as Yo-ju. There the river would be left, and they would +proceed by road to Su-won, and so to the port of Asan, where there were +enough Korean troops to enable the two parties combined to keep the +rebels at bay until reinforcements could arrive from Seoul. + +Accordingly Frobisher was not at all surprised when, at midnight, the +palanquin bearers arrived at the house where he had been confined under +guard, and made signs for him to step into the litter. He did so, +affecting great debility and pain, and was soon being carried at a rapid +rate through the narrow, evil-smelling streets, strewn with garbage and +the putrefying carcasses of dogs, cats, and rats, down to the bamboo +wharf where the force was to embark. Several barges, equipped with +large, square sails made of matting, could be dimly made out by the +starlight riding in mid-stream, and in these the cargo had been placed, +while two large flat-bottomed boats were moored alongside the landing, +ready for the conveyance of the men. + +Great haste was displayed in getting the troops on board, which rather +surprised Frobisher, until, under cover of the shadow cast by one of the +sails, Ling found time to whisper that the rebels had made a forced +march, and were even then close to the town. Another spy in the service +of the Government had brought the news an hour previously, and no time +had been lost in arranging to beat an immediate retreat. The northern +gates had been shut and barricaded, so as to delay the pursuit as long +as possible; and the commander of the force had already begun to sink +the remainder of the craft lying in the river, that they might not be +used by the rebels. + +Frobisher was watching the process of sinking one of these, when +suddenly he became aware of a commotion in the distance, gradually +becoming louder and more insistent until he recognised it for what it +was--the clatter and tramp and shouting of a large body of men. + +In a moment the air was vibrant with shouted orders, warnings, and +instructions. The men who had been told off to sink the river boats +were instantly recalled; and the little fleet hastily pushed off and got +under way at the precise moment that the rebels reached the northern +gate and, finding it shut, proceeded to attempt to batter it down. +Frobisher, lying in his palanquin, listened to the tumult with feelings +of the utmost joy and relief. There were plenty of boats still +uninjured and afloat in the stream; and if the pursuers could but break +down the gate quickly enough, secure the remaining craft, and come in +pursuit, it was quite on the cards that he would be rescued, and thus +avoid making acquaintance with that torture chamber, the idea of which +persistently haunted him. + +The Korean officer was clearly a man of considerable courage and +resource, for in the face of this sudden new danger he remained +perfectly cool, giving his orders clearly and concisely; and before a +favouring slant of wind the little fleet drew away in good order from +the shore, and began to glide quickly downstream before wind and +current. + +Looking behind--for he was placed in the high stern of one of the boats, +where his view was unimpeded--Frobisher saw a glimmer of light spring up +from the direction of the gate, which presently brightened to a lurid +glare as the wind fanned the flames. Unable to batter down the stout +gate as quickly as they desired, their pursuers had evidently collected +a quantity of combustibles, and had started to burn it down; and a few +minutes later their yells of triumph, floating down the wind, indicated +that they had succeeded in the attempt, and that they had entered the +town. It would therefore be now only a matter of minutes before they +discovered that their prey had escaped them by the skin of his teeth; +and unless the rebels were content to leave matters at this juncture, +they would soon secure possession of the remaining boats and start down +the river in pursuit. + +The officer in command of the Government troops was evidently fully +alive to the danger of the situation, for he continually shouted orders +and exhortations for speed to the various boats comprising the little +squadron. And presently Frobisher observed that, finding their progress +unsatisfactory, the crews had got out the long oars customarily used for +forcing the craft upstream against the current, and were employing them +as sweeps. With this additional power the boats began to slide through +the water more rapidly, and Frobisher began to fear that, unless the +pursuers were very quick indeed, they would fail to overtake them, even +now. + +By this time, however, he could plainly perceive the flicker of torches +moving about the wharves and piers of Chhung-ju, and presently a few of +those same lights appeared on the bosom of the river. The rebels had +evidently rowed out in small boats, and were towing the barges left +anchored in mid-stream to the shore. A moment before a sharp bend in +the river shut off his view of the town, the Englishman saw, to his +great satisfaction, the dark loom of matting sails, as the pursuing +force drew away from the banks. + +It was now a race of Korean against Korean; and it remained to see which +party would win it. The troops, with their prisoner and the captured +arms and ammunition, had managed to secure nearly an hour's start, and +what with wind, current, and sweeps, were making downstream toward the +main channel of the river at a speed of about four knots an hour; and of +course, as soon as the main stream of the Han was entered, the current +would become stronger and would sweep them along still more rapidly. +Also, the fleet arriving first in the river would obtain the advantage +of the increased rapidity, and might very easily be out of sight before +the pursuers arrived there; and, if that happened, it was not unlikely +that the latter might abandon the chase as hopeless. + +It soon became evident, however, that the rebels were not going to be +thrown off so easily; for, as the fleet emerged upon the broad bosom of +the Han and began to turn westward, Frobisher perceived that the +pursuing squadron was not a very long distance behind, and was +undoubtedly overhauling them rapidly. He was at first at a loss to +understand how this could be, but a few minutes later his quick ear +caught a certain sound floating down the breeze--a steady, monotonous, +throbbing sound, something like--Ah, he had it now! Could it be +possible? + +Yes, undoubtedly it was the throbbing of machinery and the quick, +muffled puffing of exhaust-steam. Evidently the rebels had discovered +something that the troops had overlooked--a small steamer, or pinnace; +had promptly raised steam in her, probably by firing up with plenty of +oil and wood so as to obtain power quickly; and were utilising the craft +to tow their squadron downstream, which, when once the boats had been +put in motion, would be a much quicker method of progression than the +use of sails and sweeps alone. + +In any case, the rebels were quickly overhauling them; and before +another hour had passed, Frobisher, continuing to watch the race with +absorbed interest, saw a streak of flame cut the rearward darkness, and +almost immediately he heard a vicious hum close above his head, followed +shortly afterwards by the whiplike crack of a distant report. They were +well within range, then; and it was clear that the pursuers must be +armed with modern rifles, for a smooth-bore would not have sent a bullet +nearly so far. + +There was instantly an outburst of excitement among the soldiers; +muskets and rifles were hastily unslung and loaded, and a sharp fire was +opened over the sterns of the various craft. But apparently only very +few of the weapons employed were equal to the range, for Frobisher could +distinctly see that the missiles were falling short, by the little +spirts of foam which shone white in the moonlight where the bullets +struck the water and ricochetted off. A moment later a much bigger +flash burst from the bow of the little steamer, which could now be +plainly made out as a small craft driven by a screw, and had the +appearance of a launch that might have at one time belonged to a +battleship; and the next moment a perfect storm of bullets came hurtling +close overhead. + +Things were beginning to get rather too warm for the prisoner where he +was, he felt; especially as certain screams and cries from those about +him indicated that the volley had been excellently directed. He +therefore determined to seek shelter without further delay--for he had +no wish to be killed by his own party--and hastily dragged himself into +the shelter of the lighter's low bulwark. + +The soldiers, encouraged by their officer, responded gamely to the +attack upon them, and opened a well-sustained fire on their opponents, +who by now had drawn within range, even of the muskets. From his new +position Frobisher could see the splinters flying aboard several of the +pursuing boats, while an occasional yell or scream showed that some at +least of the Korean bullets were finding their billets; but several +stark, motionless forms lying about the deck of the lighter showed the +superior marksmanship and weapons of the rebels. + +The latter were now beginning to steal up alongside, though about a +hundred yards still separated the combatants, and the firing became +general on both sides. Indeed, so determined and persistent was the +fusillade, that there was a continuous roar and rattle of sound; while +the silvery sheen of the moonlit night was reddened by the glare of the +rifle-flashes. + +Before coming to the East, Frobisher had believed, in common with many +other people, that the Koreans were a cowardly and effeminate race, +always more eager to avoid than to engage in a conflict--a race which +brought about its ends by cunning and treachery rather than by force of +arms. But, whatever the characteristics of the nation as a whole might +be, he could not fail to admire the vigour and energy with which both +sides were conducting this already sanguinary little battle on the +waters of the Han. + +To ensure that there should be no lack of ammunition the soldiers had +adopted the same expedient as Frobisher's at the camp. They had opened +up several of the captured cases of ammunition, and had thrown their +contents into one big heap in the middle of the lighter's deck, so that +every man might the more easily help himself; and the prisoner +congratulated himself that he was at some distance from the pile, for he +had no desire to repeat his experience of a few days previously. + +The two squadrons were soon running downstream level with each other, +the steam pinnace having reduced speed so that she might not pass the +Koreans; and both fleets were gradually edging closer and still closer +together. As they did so, the volleys of musketry became ever fiercer +and fiercer, until the air fairly vibrated with the sound, threaded with +the shrieks and groans of the wounded and dying. + +Scattered everywhere about the decks could be seen the forms of men who +had been struck down; and the splintered, chipped decks were already +deeply stained with blood. And although the action was general +throughout the two fleets, it appeared as though the hottest part of the +fire was being directed against the particular boat in which the young +Englishman lay a prisoner. + +Frobisher soon found that, at such close range, his position under the +lee of the low bulwark was anything but secure, since the +nickel-jacketed bullets which the rebels were using were already +drilling holes clean through the thick planking and passing out through +the opposite bulwark. He therefore again painfully removed himself, +taking up a new position with his back against the stout mast of the +barge, with it between himself and the point from which the volleys were +coming. From this new position he made a fresh survey of his +surroundings, and assured himself that if matters went on like this much +longer, there would be none left alive on board to defend the craft, and +her capture would be certain. He rubbed his hands with satisfaction at +the thought that, perhaps, another hour might see him safely aboard the +rebel squadron. + +But where, meanwhile, he wondered, was Ling? If he were really sincere +in his desire to show his gratitude, the time was at hand for him to do +so. The number of able-bodied men on board was growing less every +moment; and if Ling could only be persuaded to bring the Englishman his +two revolvers, loaded, he and the Korean might be able to obtain +possession of the craft, and steer her over to the shelter of the other +squadron. But alas! Frobisher had not far to look in order to discover +the whereabouts of the man he was thinking of. + +Ling was close at hand, reclining in a half-sitting posture with his +back against the bulwark. His hands were spread open on the deck, his +musket having fallen from the nerveless fingers; his head was tilted +back until his high, conical hat had fallen off; and there, plainly +visible in the moonshine, was a great patch of coagulating blood on his +throat, showing where a bullet had drilled him clean through the neck. +Ling would never speak again in this world, and his career, whether for +good or for evil, was closed for ever. + +It was useless, therefore, for Frobisher to look for help in that +direction; so if he were to escape at all he had only himself to rely +upon. Unfortunately he was still much too weak from the effects of his +wound to be able to deal with the situation singlehanded; and there +were, as yet, quite enough of the barge's men remaining alive to +overpower and murder him in a moment if he were foolish enough to +attempt any such thing. + +At this instant there occurred a fresh outburst of firing from the +Korean boats, followed, a second later, by a loud booming report in the +direction of the rebel squadron that caused the very atmosphere to +vibrate and the barge to quiver as though she had struck a rock. +Frobisher painfully hauled himself to his feet and staggered to the +bulwarks to ascertain what had happened, and a sufficiently +disheartening spectacle met his eyes. Several shots from the last +volley had evidently penetrated the plating of the steam launch's +boiler, causing it to explode, blowing the frail sides of the little +craft asunder and killing nearly every man of her crew. The Englishman +was just in time to see her disappear below the surface of the river in +a great cloud of steam, and to hear the shrieks of her wounded and dying +people as the engulfing waters swirled about them, the cries of +execration from the rebels, and the exultant shouts of the Koreans; and +he realised that his last hope of escape was slipping away from him. + +Thrown into confusion by the loss of the steamer, the entire rebel fleet +came to a standstill, involuntarily brought to an anchor by the sunken +launch, which rested on the river bottom, still attached to the hawser +by which the squadron was being towed. And as the hawser happened to +consist of chain cable instead of rope, and as it had been made fast +with a complicated system of hitches, that it might not slip, it was +likely to be some time before it could be cast off and the boats set +free to pursue once more. + +But the troops were not to escape without further punishment, after all. +Maddened by this sudden wreckage of their hopes, the rebels again +seized their rifles and poured a concentrated fire into the nearest +vessel of the enemy, which chanced to be the boat containing Frobisher +and his fortunes, she being last in the line; and that parting volley +did more damage than had been sustained during the whole of the fight. +The aim was good, and the bullets swept the decks of the barge like a +tempest of hail, sending every man who was not under cover into +eternity. Once again, also, the folly of leaving loose piles of +ammunition exposed was demonstrated; for, penetrating the thin bulwarks +as though they were so much paper, several of the shots ploughed into +the heap of cartridges, exploding it and scattering death and mutilation +all round. + +When the smoke of the explosion cleared away, it was seen that there +were scarcely half a dozen men left alive; and if the boat next in line +had not very promptly responded to the frenzied hails of the survivors, +and at once put back to take them on board, with their prisoner, every +man would have been lost; for they had scarcely transferred themselves +to the deck of the other craft before Frobisher's barge, with a large +hole blown in her bottom by the explosion, heeled over and sank, taking +her dead and wounded to the bottom with her. + +The fight was now virtually over, and only a few more long-distance +shots were exchanged before the Korean fleet was out of range, leaving +the rebel squadron behind them in a state of hopeless confusion. Late +that same afternoon the town of Yo-ju was reached, and the men and cargo +were disembarked without any signs of the reappearance of the rebels. +In fact, the latter had given up the chase, thoroughly disheartened, +after the destruction of the steamer, and had reconciled themselves to +the loss of the arms. + +Fortunately for them, the Englishman, Drake, had not been paid in +advance, and the money was therefore still intact and available for the +purchase of another consignment; so, with true Oriental submission to +fate, they retraced their steps to Yong-wol, and subsequently sent a +messenger to Drake, informing him that the convoy had been attacked and +overpowered, the whole of the cargo captured, and the young white man in +command either slain or made prisoner. + +Frobisher, very much alive, but still weak from his wounds, arrived in +due time at Asan, closely guarded by a file of soldiery, and was carried +direct to the fort at the mouth of the river. + +Here he was immediately haled before the officer in command of the +garrison and closely questioned, through an interpreter, as to his +connection with the matter of bringing arms to the rebels. But he had +already foreseen that this would happen, and had decided upon his line +of conduct; so he steadfastly refused to supply the required +information, even when threatened with the naked sword which the +official, in a towering rage, drew and flashed before his eyes. + +Seeing that this demonstration produced no effect upon the intrepid +young Englishman, Sung-wan--for so the officer was named--gave a few +curt orders to the men who were guarding him, and Frobisher was hurried +from the room, conducted down several long, gloomy corridors, and +finally thrust into a large cell. This, as soon as his eyes became +accustomed to the semi-darkness, he could see was furnished with several +instruments of a horribly suggestive character; and it did not take a +man of his intelligence long to realise that he had at last made the +acquaintance of that supremely diabolic institution--a Korean +torture-chamber. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +IN THE PRISON CELL. + +"By Jove!" exclaimed the prisoner to himself, as his eyes gradually took +in his dreadful surroundings, "I'm sadly afraid that all this means the +end of Murray Frobisher, and a mighty unpleasant end it promises to be. +No escape possible either," he went on, carefully making a tour of the +apartment, and at intervals tapping on the walls with an iron tool which +he had picked up, in an endeavour to obtain some idea of their +thickness, and so to judge as to the possibility of digging himself out, +if he were left alone long enough. But the results were disheartening, +to say the least of it. Every spot where he tapped gave back a dull, +solid sound, indicating that the walls were quite unusually thick, and +that escape by means of excavation or anything of that kind was +absolutely out of the question. The room was somewhat peculiarly +shaped, being evidently situated in one of the angles of the fort. The +wall containing the thick, oaken, iron-studded door through which he had +been thrust was evidently enormously thick, while the chamber itself was +some fifteen feet wide by about thirty-five feet long, the end wall +opposite the door being curved somewhat in the form of an ellipse, +meeting in a blunt angle exactly opposite the door. And high up in this +angle, about eight feet above the floor, was a small, iron-barred +window, which might, but for the bars, have been large enough to permit +of the egress of a man of ordinary size. + +The total height of the chamber was about ten feet, and the walls were +almost entirely covered with weird and terrible-looking instruments. +Some of these Frobisher recognised through having read about them in +books, but of others he could not possibly guess the use. Their shapes +and forms were, however, so dreadfully suggestive that he felt it to be +a mercy that he was ignorant of the more subtle and refined forms of +Oriental torture, otherwise he would soon lose his reason in +contemplation of the frightful uses to which those instruments could be +put. + +Also, strewn about the floor, in such profusion as to leave little room +for anything else, were larger implements, whose use Frobisher was +fortunately unable to guess at; while in the two corners of the room +there were piles of variously-shaped knives and swords which he guessed +the torturers were wont to employ in the discharge of their ghastly +business, among which he recognised the long, razor-edged weapon used +for administering the terrible "death of the thousand cuts", also a +sword with a saw, instead of smooth edge, and a big, broad-bladed, keen +knife or short, heavy sword, used upon those victims who were lucky +enough to be sentenced to a quick death by beheading. To Frobisher it +seemed that merely to immure a prisoner in such a ghastly museum was in +itself an act of torture which might easily drive a less well-balanced +man than himself mad within a very few hours. + +One thing that rather astonished him was the fact of those swords being +left lying loose in the cell. Surely, rather than submit to the tender +mercies of a Korean torturer, any prisoner, however weak or timid, would +arm himself with one of them and die fighting, or even put an end to his +own existence, rather than have his life wrung from him inch by inch and +minute by minute in agony indescribable! At any rate it did not take +Frobisher a moment to determine that when the end should come he would +take the long weapon used for the "thousand cuts" and, standing in the +middle of the chamber where he could have a clear sweep for the sword, +fight his enemies to the death. + +He strode over to the corner and drew the weapon he had selected out of +its scabbard. It had a long handle, permitting two hands to be +employed, and the blade was made of very highly-tempered steel, as stiff +and springless as an English razor, and as keen. It was about four feet +in length and quite two inches wide, and the steel at the back was fully +a quarter of an inch thick. There was a very slight curve in the blade, +and the point was sharply curved round, similar to the points found on +the old Japanese swords; and in the hands of a powerful man like himself +it would undoubtedly prove a very terrible weapon. Indeed, it was so +heavy that Frobisher wondered how it could be possible with so ponderous +a blade to carry out the particular form of execution for which it was +designed. But it would serve his purpose admirably, the sailor told +himself; and he sheathed the weapon and placed it at the far end of the +chamber, where it might be ready to his hand if necessity arose for him +to use it. + +The next step in the examination of the cell was to get a glimpse, if +possible, out of the little window, high up in the wall, to learn +something concerning the whereabouts of his prison and how it was +situated. Then, in the somewhat improbable event of an opportunity +offering for escape, he would not be handicapped by ignorance with +regard to his surroundings. + +To this end he hunted about for something wherewith to construct a +platform, and presently managed to collect together a pile of +instruments, pieces of ancient furniture, and odds and ends of lumber +which, piled together, enabled him, assisted by his great height, to +bring his eyes to the level of the bottom of the window; and having +climbed up, using great care not to upset the pile in so doing, +Frobisher seized the iron grating protecting the window and, thus +supporting himself in position, looked out. + +Narrow as was the window on the inside, the view which the young +Englishman was able to obtain from it was quite extensive, for the +embrasure which formed the opening was splayed widely outward on both +sides, in a manner frequently seen in old English castles in the +construction of the "arrow slits" in the walls; and the first thing he +noticed was that he had been correct in his estimation of the thickness +of the walls. They were at least six feet thick, and there was +therefore no hope whatever of being able to break out through them. + +The fort itself was situated on the right bank of the river; and, +judging from the open country in its neighbourhood, must be at some +little distance from the town of Asan itself. Indeed, as Frobisher +afterwards ascertained, the building was situated on a small peninsula +of land jutting out into Prince Jerome gulf, and was therefore nearly +four miles distant from the town. The window embraced a view of part of +the gulf, including the entrance, and a strip of jungle-clad country +running right down to the water's edge; while beyond these two points +the outlook was restricted by the outer edges of the splay in which the +window was built. From the same cause, also, Frobisher was unable to +see the ground close enough to the wall to judge whether the fort was +surrounded by a moat or a dry ditch of any description, although from +the general appearance of things he surmised that it was. + +By estimating the angle at which his line of sight was cut off by the +outer edge of the sill, he calculated that he must be confined in a room +situated on the second story of the fort, and that there would +consequently be a considerable drop from the bottom of the window to the +ground, without taking into consideration the probable existence of a +ditch of fifteen or twenty feet deep running round the base of the +walls. + +In any case, even if the iron bars could by some means be removed, it +did not appear as though it would be possible for him to squeeze his big +body through the opening, so the question of the depth of the drop +outside was hardly worth worrying about. His one and only means of +egress seemed to be the door by which he had entered, and to that he now +turned his attention, with the view of ascertaining whether any hope lay +in that direction. + +As has been mentioned, the door was constructed of timber very much +resembling oak, and its inner surface was reinforced by stout iron +straps some three or four inches wide, at least half an inch thick, and +extending across the whole width of the door. The round heads of bolts +studded at intervals along the whole length of the straps indicated that +similar iron bands existed on the other side of the door, and that the +straps, inside and outside--of which there were no less than seven +pairs--were connected together, thus clearly indicating the immense +strength of the door. It was thus hopeless to think of cutting a way +out through it; the only manner in which it could be passed was by +opening it in the usual manner. + +Frobisher therefore set to work to examine the lock, to discover whether +there existed any possibility of picking it. It was an old-fashioned +piece of mechanism, and, luckily, the iron case was on the inside of the +door, the great keyhole being placed near the centre. Now for a piece +of stout wire, the stouter the better! The young Englishman proceeded +at once to hunt about among the various machines and instruments in the +dim corners of the chamber in search of what he required. For some time +he was unsuccessful, and he had reluctantly arrived at the conclusion +that the search must end in failure, when his eyes happened to fall upon +the very thing he needed. + +Standing at the far end of the apartment, in that part of it enclosed by +the circular portion of wall, was a sinister-looking machine, and to the +gearing of one of its handles was attached a short piece of iron rod +which he thought he might disengage without much difficulty. Forthwith +he applied himself to the task, with such success that, half an hour +later, he found himself in possession of what he required. True, it was +somewhat stouter than it should have been for his purpose, but this was +one of those occasions upon which he found his exceptional strength very +useful, and after a few experiments he succeeded in bending it to the +shape he wanted. + +He was experimenting with the bent rod in the lock when, fortunately, +his quick ear caught the sound of footsteps hurrying down the +stone-flagged corridor toward his cell. + +Snatching the wire out of the lock, he hastily dropped it into the +nearest available place of concealment, and sauntered toward the +opposite side of the chamber. There would be no time, he knew, to take +down and redistribute the pile of articles he had used to enable him to +look out of the window, so he was compelled to leave them as they were, +trusting that, in the dim light, the visitor, whoever he might be, would +not particularly notice the arrangement. A moment later there was a +sound of keys rattling outside, the lock clicked loudly, and the door +opened and closed behind a man carrying a lamp, which he set down on the +floor just inside the room, after carefully locking the door again. + +The thought instantly flashed through Frobisher's mind that perhaps +after all there would be no need for him to go on with the manufacture +of his skeleton key; for was not the actual key of the door in the room +at that very moment? True, it was in the possession of another man; but +unless he happened to possess fire-arms, it would be queer indeed if a +desperate prisoner could not overpower him, tie him up somehow, and +secure the key to obtain his liberty. Frobisher's eyes glistened at the +thought, and his muscles braced themselves for a spring. But at the +critical moment the idea occurred to him that the other was in his power +anyhow, and that he could secure the key later on, just as well as now; +and that, meanwhile, before he acted hastily, it might be well to hear +whether the fellow had anything to say. Perhaps this was an official +come to set him at liberty, or perhaps--Well, he would wait a little, at +all events, and see what developments ensued. + +Having locked the door and pocketed the key, the visitor picked up the +lantern and advanced into the room, holding the light high and glancing +keenly round until his eyes fell upon Frobisher, whereupon he gave a +short grunt of satisfaction and hung the lantern on a convenient peg. + +By the additional light thus afforded, the Englishman was able to +examine his visitor more closely, and to estimate his chances of success +if things came to a rough-and-tumble fight for possession of the key. + +The stranger was tall, almost as tall as Frobisher himself, but not +nearly so heavily built, and appeared to be about fifty-five to sixty +years of age, so that the young Englishman did not anticipate any +serious difficulty in mastering him. He was very richly dressed in +garments of fine silk, elaborately decorated with embroidery, and wore +round his neck a heavy gold chain, the centre of which was studded with +a single enormous ruby. As a head-covering he wore a round Chinese cap, +which was ornamented by a single magnificent peacock's feather, fastened +to the cap by a brooch of solid gold set with another huge ruby. + +The man's whole appearance was indeed imposing and magnificent in the +extreme, and Frobisher instantly guessed that he was in the presence of +a very important official indeed. This man, he told himself, could +surely not be a Korean. No Korean ever attained to such a commanding +stature, no Korean had ever been known to display so haughty a bearing, +so dominant a personality; and as his eyes slowly travelled from the +details of the man's costume to his face, the prisoner recognised that +his visitor was indeed not a Korean, but a Chinaman, and a Chinaman of +the highest grade, too--without doubt, a mandarin. There was no +mistaking the thin, ascetic, high-bred face, the prominent cheek-bones, +the almond-shaped eyes; and the long but scanty moustache scarcely +concealed a strong, resolute-looking mouth, the lips of which were, +however, rather too thin, lending an expression of cruelty and +relentlessness of purpose which was anything but reassuring to the +prisoner. + +For a few moments the two men stood gazing at one another, each taking +the other's measure. Then the Chinaman spoke, using excellent English. + +"I am the Governor of this fortress of Asan," he began coldly, "and have +just been informed of your presence here. You would have been brought +before me on your arrival, but it chanced to be the hour of my afternoon +rest. Who and what are you?" + +"My name is Murray Frobisher," answered the Englishman, "and I was +formerly a lieutenant in the British Navy." + +"Ha!" exclaimed the Governor. "You say `formerly'. I take it, then, +that you are no longer in your country's service, and that it is not +known to your Government that you have turned gun-runner in order to +supply arms to rebels against their lawful sovereign?" + +"You are correct in both suppositions," answered Frobisher. "You tax me +with gun-running; and I plead guilty to the charge. I certainly was +bringing arms to the rebels, as you term them; but my conscience is +quite clear upon that point. It is well known that the Korean +Government has been treating its subjects in a most outrageous manner; +and if some of them with more pluck than the rest have made up their +minds to put an end to such tyranny, more power to them, say I, and may +somebody else be more fortunate than myself in providing them with +weapons wherewith to uphold their liberties and rid themselves of the +rulers who are oppressing them." + +The Chinaman looked at Frobisher for a moment, and then gave vent to a +harsh, sneering laugh. + +"Well spoken, my young friend!" he mocked. "You have told me something +that I wanted to know; and now perhaps you will answer a few more +questions. I would very strongly advise you to do so, since it may save +you a good deal of--inconvenience, shall I say?" + +"You may ask what you please," retorted Frobisher, "but I do not promise +to answer." + +"I shall ask the questions, nevertheless," said the Governor; "and if +you will not speak now, other means of obtaining replies can doubtless +be found. First of all, what ship brought those arms; who was her +captain; what quantity of arms and ammunition did the consignment +consist of--some have been lost in transit, I understand--and, finally, +how many more shiploads are being sent out here from your country?" + +Frobisher laughed, but made no reply. + +"Did you hear me?" demanded the Governor, and there was deadly menace in +his voice. + +"Quite distinctly," answered Frobisher coolly. "But surely you cannot +have already forgotten that I gave you to understand clearly, scarcely a +minute ago, that I will tell you nothing whatever. And when I say a +thing, I mean it." + +"Soh!" remarked the Chinaman. "Well, you shall have to-night to think +matters over; but if you have not altered that stubborn mind of yours by +morning, you shall make the acquaintance of some of these little +playthings"--indicating the various machines and instruments with a +delicate, long-taloned finger. "There are some here which are probably +new to you, but we, in this place, understand their use well. I will +leave you this lantern, so that you may study them carefully during the +night, and decide what you prefer to do." + +With an ironical bow, the Governor then turned toward the door, his +fingers seeking the pocket where he had placed the key. + +This was the moment for which Frobisher had been waiting; and with a +spring he hurled himself at the retreating figure of the Governor. But +that individual was not to be caught so easily. He must have glimpsed +the prisoner's face out of the corner of his eye as he turned, for he +was round again in a moment, and, dodging the Englishman's furious leap, +thrust a hand inside his jacket, and before Frobisher could get to grips +with him, he found himself confronted with the muzzle of a heavy +revolver, pointing straight at him, the Governor's forefinger already +crooked round and pressing the trigger. + +"Not this time, my friend," smiled the Governor sardonically. "One step +farther, and I shoot to wound--painfully. Do you want an immediate +taste of what is in store for you to-morrow, or--" And, leaving the +sentence unfinished, the Chinaman slowly backed to the door, leaving +Frobisher glowering helplessly in the middle of the room. + +With his back against the door and the pistol still levelled, the +Governor felt behind him, inserted the key, and turned the lock. Then, +with one swift movement he was outside; the door slammed, the key +grated, and the prisoner was alone once more. + +"Well," he murmured, half-amused, despite his anger and disappointment, +"the rascal was too smart for me that time. But,"--here he lifted the +executioner's sword from its place in the corner--"things will be a +little different to-morrow, if that man is foolish enough to trust +himself here again alone." + +Frobisher waited until the sound of his visitor's footsteps had died +away along the corridor, and then, congratulating himself upon the fact +that that worthy had left the light behind him, re-possessed himself of +his piece of iron rod, and with the assistance of the lantern set to +work upon the lock again, in the hope that he might be able to complete +his skeleton key and let himself out before the Governor returned to +carry out his threat. But this was a more difficult matter than he had +anticipated; and after about two hours of ineffective tinkering he was +compelled to acknowledge himself defeated. + +With a bitter objurgation he flung the useless and twisted rod into a +corner, and, not being able to find anything else that would serve his +purpose, made up his mind that he would have to await developments, and +rely upon his own strength of arm to get himself out whenever the +Governor or somebody else should visit the cell. Meanwhile, if he were +to be in good form for a possibly strenuous morrow, it was necessary +that he should sleep, seeing that nobody had thought it worth while to +provide him with any food; so, unsheathing the sword, with the help of +which he proposed to effect his deliverance, he flung himself down at +the far end of the chamber, laying the weapon beside him, and had +scarcely touched the floor before he was fast asleep. He had been more +worn out and weary than he had at all suspected. + +It seemed as though he had just closed his eyes, when he was awakened by +a thundering crash of sound, apparently close at hand. The chamber in +which he was confined quivered perceptibly with the shock; while, right +upon the heels of the concussion, came the noise of a distant explosion. + +"A heavy gun, by Jingo!" ejaculated Frobisher, springing to his feet; +"and whoever fired it is using this place as a target! That shot must +have struck close outside here. What is in the wind now, I wonder? +Anyway, if they are attacking this fort, they must, in a certain way, be +friends of mine, for they are certainly the enemies of my enemies within +the walls. Pound away, boys!" he exclaimed cheerfully, apostrophising +the unseen gunners; "pound away! If you don't kill me first, you may +perhaps make an exit for me through that wall." + +At that moment he heard the sound of voices raised in alarm, the +shouting of orders, and all the indications of a suddenly-awakened and +thoroughly-alarmed garrison. Men were rushing about here and there, the +rattle of arms sounded distantly through the iron-bound door; and +presently, from the battlements, apparently directly over his head, +there boomed forth the crash of the Korean garrison's answering gun, +followed almost immediately afterwards by still another tremendous +shock, accompanied by the rumble and rattle of falling masonry as +another shot from the attacking force struck full upon the fortress +wall, this time seemingly just above him. The foemen gunners seemed to +have waited for the flash of the gun on the battlements, and aimed for +that, and they appeared to be making pretty good practice. + +The young Englishman looked at his watch--which had somehow escaped the +fingers of his captors, and which he had kept wound regularly--and found +to his astonishment that it was close on half-past four o'clock in the +morning, and that therefore daylight could not be very far distant. It +would not be long before he could climb up to his perch at the window, +and see who the attackers were. Meanwhile the explosions had increased +from the exchange of single shots to a general cannonade on both sides; +and now the very atmosphere was vibrating with the deafening +concussions, as the guns on the battlements roared and the heavy conical +shot from the attacking party plunged against the thick masonry of the +walls, toppling down great masses of stone, mortar, and debris at every +hit. + +The gunners were evidently directing their fire mostly on that portion +of the building wherein Frobisher was confined, and he told himself that +it would require but little more of their attention before the walls +became so shattered that the shot would come plunging right into the +cell. He began to speculate on what would then happen first--whether he +would be blown to pieces or smashed into shapelessness, or whether an +opening would be made by which he might be enabled to escape. If only a +shot would strike directly upon the iron bars of the window, perhaps it +would enlarge the aperture sufficiently to allow him to crawl through. + +Looking up at the window, as the idea entered his mind, he saw that the +sky was already flushed pink, and knew that there would therefore be +light enough outside to enable him to see what was going on; and he at +once climbed up on the pile which he had collected, and, hauling himself +up to the opening, looked out. + +At the edge of the jungle he observed half a dozen big field-pieces +drawn up in line, and he could see the gunners busily loading and +reloading from the piles of ammunition placed beside each gun; while +behind, on the slightly-rising ground, and partly concealed by the +jungle, it was possible to make out a large body of riflemen who, now +that the light was increasing, were preparing to take their part in the +attack. There was no doubt as to the identity of the attackers, for +Frobisher could now distinguish several flags similar to those flown on +the boats of the rebel squadron a few days previously, during the fight +on the river. That particular force had evidently been joined by +another contingent, and the two combined had decided to make another +attempt to recapture the all-important cargo which now reposed within +the walls of the fortress of Asan. + +But suddenly, as the interested Englishman watched, he heard a loud, +shrieking, whirring sound, somewhat resembling the very rapid exhaust +from a locomotive, and a flash of flame leaped out close alongside one +of the guns, followed by a loud explosion and a great cloud of smoke and +dust. And when this cloud had cleared away, he saw that one of the +besiegers' guns had been temporarily put clean out of action, for the +right wheel was blown completely away, and the gun itself was lying on +its side, half-buried in the sand; while, as for the crew who had been +working it, so far as he could ascertain they had been blown completely +out of existence, for there was no visible sign of them. + +That high explosive shell had obviously not come from the fort; where, +then, had it come from? And what new surprise had fate in store? + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +SAVED BY A HAIRBREADTH. + +The furious fusillade directed against the fort at once slackened, after +the explosion of that shell amongst the guns; while the fire from the +fort redoubled, the rounds of solid shot, grape, chain, and shrapnel, +with withering volleys of small-arm fire, sweeping through the rebel +ranks like hail, and playing awful havoc among the closely-packed masses +of men only partially concealed by the jungle. But the besiegers, as +Frobisher had already had an opportunity of observing, were not easily +to be discouraged, and after the first shock of surprise had subsided +they quickly pulled themselves together again. + +Another gun's crew came leaping out from the cover of the jungle and +gathered round the wrecked field-piece; pieces of timber, empty +ammunition-boxes, and even small branches of trees were secured and +placed alongside the gun; and several more men seized the piece and +lifted it up until it was partly supported upon its remaining uninjured +wheel. The pile of material which had been collected was then built +solidly up in place of the wrecked wheel, and the fresh gunners began to +serve the weapon as coolly as though its original crew had not been +blown into eternity a few minutes previously. There could be no doubt +that these Korean rebels were showing themselves to be a remarkably +brave and efficient body of men. + +While the wrecked gun was once more being made serviceable, the +Englishman observed that two of the other guns were being slewed round +until their muzzles pointed seaward, and he at once surmised that this +must be the direction from which that devastating shell had come. But +crane his neck as he might, although he could see a portion of the sheet +of water forming Prince Jerome Bay, he could not see the whole of it. +The entrance was clear, however, and it was therefore obvious that the +vessel from which the shot had been fired--for vessel it must be--had +contrived to enter the bay unobserved, and must now be cruising about +somewhere near the south shore. + +Frobisher was very anxious to obtain a sight of her, for he greatly +desired to get some idea of what her nationality might be. She might +belong to any of the fleets of the various Powers that maintained +squadrons in Chinese waters at that time; or she might be either a +Chinese or a Japanese war-vessel. Any man-of-war would consider herself +at liberty to interfere, in the event of a battle taking place on Korean +soil, if only for the protection of the foreign inhabitants, whose lives +might be imperilled in consequence of the hostilities; but Frobisher +could not help thinking that the captain of the man-of-war was taking +matters with rather a high hand in deliberately firing on one of the +parties concerned, without first offering that party the opportunity to +come to a peaceful arrangement. Such high-handed action did not appear +like that of a European naval officer, and therefore the most obvious +conclusion was that the vessel must be either Chinese or Japanese. + +Even as Frobisher looked, however, the question answered itself, for +moving slowly into his field of vision there appeared the bow of a +cruiser, quite close inshore; and as she gradually revealed her whole +length, her guns flashing continuously meanwhile, the Englishman saw +that the Dragon ensign was flying from her peak, and that she was +therefore a Chinese man-of-war. China, then, had at length decided to +take a hand in the game, and her efforts were to be directed against the +rebels. Knowing as he did the terms of the Tien-tsin convention of 1884 +between China and Japan, the words "international complications" at once +suggested themselves to Frobisher's mind, and, despite the awkwardness +of his own position, he could not help rubbing his hands gleefully. +Matters were rapidly developing; and if he could but escape from his +present unpleasant predicament there might be an excellent chance for +him to see active service again, either in the Chinese or the Japanese +Navy--he cared very little which--for that was what things would +evidently come to, sooner or later. Japan was herself too much +interested in Korea to permit China to play out her own game there +alone. + +Frobisher had little leisure, however, for the contemplation of possible +diplomatic action on the part of the Chinese or Japanese, for he had now +other things to engage his attention. To his astonishment, as he +watched, he saw that the ship which had just steamed into view was not +alone; she was followed, close astern, by another cruiser of her own +size and class, also firing heavily with her broadside batteries, and +also flying the Chinese flag. A third and fourth vessel--gunboats +these--followed in her wake; and, bringing up the rear, there were three +hired transports which appeared to be crowded with men. + +So this was no chance appearance of a single cruiser at a critical +moment; it was evidently part of a preconcerted scheme--some arrangement +previously made between Korea and China whereby the latter country was +to lend her assistance for the crushing of the rebellion, a task which +the Korean Government had apparently decided to be beyond its +capabilities. + +The Chinese squadron had been steaming exceedingly slowly when it had +first come into view, and Frobisher could now see, from the flash of +white water under the ships' sterns, that their engines were being sent +astern; and a few seconds later the entire fleet came to an anchor, +their cables flying out through the hawse-pipes with a roar which was +plainly audible at the fort. The four men-of-war anchored stem and +stern, broadside-on to the shore, while the three transports took up +their berths about half a mile farther seaward, the ships themselves +being screened from the rebel fire by the steel hulls of the men-of-war. + +Fully recovered now from their first surprise, the rebels resumed their +cannonade most pluckily, two of the field-pieces being directed against +the fleet, while the remaining four retained their original position, +and poured a well-directed and concentrated fire on the fort. It was +apparently the intention of the rebel commander to reduce and take +possession of the fort, if he could, before the Chinese troops should be +enabled to effect a landing, so that he might have some shelter behind +which to hold out until he could summon more rebel troops to his aid. + +But the commandant of the garrison had evidently no intention of letting +the fort slip through his fingers, now that assistance was so close at +hand; and from what Frobisher had already seen of him, he felt sure that +his visitor of yesterday was the exact type of man who would blow the +building into the air, with himself and all that it contained, rather +than surrender, even to an overwhelming force. The guns from the +battlements crashed out anew, and although their fire was not nearly so +accurate as that from the rebel pieces, yet, in the long run, weight of +metal was bound to tell; and, while the shot was solid and had not +therefore the devastating effect of the percussion shell fired from the +war-ships, it began to be apparent that some of them at least were +getting home, and that their effect was already becoming very galling to +the rebels. The latter, now harassed almost beyond endurance by the +combined fire of the fort and the ships, brought up, about midday, a +company of sharpshooters armed with the latest breech-loaders, which +they had somehow managed to secure; and by means of well-directed +volleys, contrived to keep the men of the fort from their guns to such +an extent that the fire from that building dwindled almost to nothing, +so that one more of the rebel guns was released to be trained on the +anchored cruisers, when the effect of the increased cannonade soon +became apparent in that direction also. + +Now and again Frobisher saw flashes of fire leap up on board the +men-of-war, for it appeared that the rebels were also possessed of a few +percussion shells; and he further observed that the ten-inch gun in the +bow turret of the foremost cruiser had been put out of action entirely, +thus giving a good deal of relief to the men who had been exposed to its +fire. The weapon had been struck full upon the muzzle at the precise +moment when a shell was leaving it, and the combined explosion had torn +a length of about four feet off the end of the gun, and had lifted it +clean out of its bearings, so that it now pointed skyward, its under +side resting on the edge of the turret and threatening to crash down on +deck outside at any moment. The ruddy orange tint of the light and the +length of the shadows told that the sun was near his setting, yet up to +this time no effort had been made to land any of the men from the +transports. But now Frobisher observed that boats were being lowered +from the steamers, and that soldiers were beginning to clamber down into +them, while the war-ships redoubled their fire, with the evident purpose +of putting the rebel guns out of action, and so making it the easier for +the troops to effect a landing. + +And now at length that terrible and continuous cannonade began to have +its effect, especially as the garrison of the fort had begun to imitate +the rebel tactics and were now harassing the foe with rifle fire. The +garrison, being sheltered by the parapet of the battlements, were able +to fire at leisure and without much danger to themselves; so that, +although they were not such good marksmen as their opponents, the mere +weight of their fire eventually began to tell upon the unfortunate men +in the open, who had nothing but the fringe of jungle to protect them. + +The field-piece which had previously been put out of action was now +struck a second time by a fragment of flying shell, and collapsed once +more on to the sand; and so fierce was the rifle and shell fire that was +now being directed upon the little band of gunners that, although they +made the most valiant and desperate efforts to repair the damage, they +were driven away from the spot time after time, and were at last +compelled to abandon their efforts. Then a second field-piece was blown +completely off its carriage by one of the solid shot from the fort, and +a few seconds afterwards a third gun was dismounted and its crew +shattered to pieces by a shell from one of the Chinese gunboats. + +Stubbornly, however, the rebels still clung to their position, and, +again swinging round the two pieces with which they had been playing on +the ships, they resumed the bombardment of the fort, in the hope of +battering in a breach through which the place might be carried by storm, +or compelling its surrender before the approaching reinforcements could +arrive from the fleet. + +So absorbed was Frobisher in the little drama that was being enacted +before his eyes that, even when the muzzles of the rebel guns were +trained on what appeared to be the very window out of which he was +peeping, the idea never once occurred to him that he was in a position +of considerable danger, and that he would be well advised to climb down; +so that it was not until he saw the flashes of flame leap from the +pieces as they were all fired simultaneously that he realised the full +extent of his temerity. + +Then, even as he flung himself backward off the support on which he was +standing, there came a terrific concussion, followed by a rumbling roar +as an avalanche of stone went crashing to the ground below; while the +very building itself, massive as it was, quaked as though the whole +edifice were on the point of crumbling to pieces. Frobisher, dazed and +half-stunned by the tremendous shock, and nearly blinded by the shower +of dust and mortar that came pouring in upon him, found himself lying on +his back on the floor, surrounded by a pile of instruments and machines, +blocks of stone, and other debris, until it seemed nothing short of a +miracle that he had not been crushed to pieces. + +As it chanced, however, he had not received so much as a scratch, and +found, as he picked himself up, that nothing worse had befallen him than +the acquisition of sundry fresh bruises. And as he was already a mass +of contusions from head to foot, he felt that one or two more made very +little difference. + +He was just about to climb up again to his point of vantage--for he was +intensely interested in learning the outcome of this stubborn little +fight by the sea-shore--when he happened to glance upward in order to +ascertain whether there were any more loose blocks of stone likely to be +dislodged and fall on him. As he did so he caught sight of another ray +of daylight shining into the gloom of his prison. Upon investigation he +saw that the last three shots from the rebel guns must have been so well +aimed as to have struck practically the same spot, for, sure enough, +there was a ragged hole in the wall, slightly above the window and a +little to the left of it, apparently at the junction of the ceiling of +his cell and the floor of the chamber above, just big enough for him to +thrust his head through. Also, what was more to the point, it was +evident that very little effort would be needed to pull down more of the +shattered masonry, and so enlarge the hole sufficiently to enable him to +crawl through. + +But, he decided, it would be sheer suicide for him to attempt to escape +at this particular juncture. The mere appearance of his head through +the hole would be enough to attract the entire fire of the rebels, since +they would naturally take him for one of the garrison; and there was +also the very probable chance of his being seen by the riflemen on the +battlements, who would be able to pick him off with the utmost ease as +he climbed out. No; it would be necessary to delay the attempt until +after dark, trusting that meanwhile everybody in general, and the +Governor in particular, would be much too busy to pay him a visit of +investigation and inspect the damage done. + +He therefore placed himself at the window once more, and soon saw that, +even during the short interval of his absence, matters had altered +considerably. Another rebel gun had been dismounted, leaving only two +remaining, while of these one had had its carriage very badly damaged. +Also, several more shells from the war-ships must have fallen among the +riflemen, for the dead and wounded were now lying scattered about in +heaps upon the sand, while the fire from the men in the jungle had +dwindled very considerably. + +The boats, too, had by this time pushed off from the sides of the +transports and were heading--twelve of them altogether, crowded with +men--in three lines, "in line ahead", as Frobisher would have phrased +it, for the shore. Each of the leading boats was a steam pinnace whose +work it was to tow the rest, and in the bow of each pinnace the +Englishman was able to make out a small swivel-gun, with the gunners +standing by ready to open fire as soon as the boats drew within range. +It could not now be long before the end came, for, when once the boats +had landed the troops, the rebels would be hopelessly outnumbered; and +it seemed evident that Frobisher's hope of being rescued by the latter +was doomed to disappointment. + +By this time the dusk had closed down sufficiently to enable Frobisher +to distinguish the trains of small sparks left behind by the fuses of +the time-shells which were now bursting thickly over the jungle, the +idea of the Chinese evidently being to drive the men concealed there out +into the open; and the plan succeeded admirably, although not quite in +the manner anticipated. + +Frobisher had watched shell after shell fall among the brush and reeds, +and had seen group after group of men come reeling out from cover, only +to be mowed down by the rifle fire from the fort, when suddenly he +perceived a small tongue of flame shoot upward from the seaward corner +of the jungle--the corner which was, unhappily for the rebels, right to +windward of them; and although a number of men immediately rushed to the +spot and did all in their power to trample or beat out the flames, it +was of no avail. The fire spread with appalling rapidity, and five +minutes after that incendiary shell had fallen the whole of the outer +edge of the jungle was a continuous sheet of flame, the roar of which +was plainly audible to the imprisoned spectator. + +Great masses of dense smoke were driven upward and forward through the +jungle, and presently the hidden rebel soldiery came streaming out, +driven forth by the flames and smoke; and so swift had been the advance +of the fire that the clothing of some of the last to escape was actually +smouldering. + +Darkness was now falling rapidly, and, sorry as he felt for the rebels +in their defeat, the young Englishman could not but admire the weird +magnificence of the scene displayed before him. A section of thick +jungle, fully a quarter of a mile long and a hundred yards wide, was one +roaring, crackling mass of fire. The flames were leaping forward at the +rate of many yards a minute, while they must have attained a height of +fully thirty feet. Clouds of dense smoke billowed upward, their under +surfaces vividly illuminated by the ruddy reflection of the leaping +flames. Even the sea itself, for a mile round, was brilliantly +illuminated by the glare, and the three little fleets of boats, which +were now approaching the shore, with jets of flame spurting from the +muzzles of their swivel-guns, appeared to be floating in liquid flame. + +Here, there, and everywhere could be heard the explosions of ammunition +as the flames reached the loose piles of cartridges which each man had +placed beside himself while firing on the fort; and, with the continuous +flash and explosion of the shells as they plunged into the earth, the +black silhouettes of the men and guns upon that background of smoke and +flame, and the deep, orange glow of the reflected flames in the sky, the +scene so indelibly impressed itself upon Frobisher's memory that he is +not likely to forget it as long as he lives. + +The fire greatly assisted the garrison and the men in the boats, for it +afforded them ample light to direct their volleys accurately, and also +to choose the most favourable spot at which to effect their landing; and +it soon became perfectly clear that all hope of success on the part of +the rebels was at an end. Yet, even now they would not admit, to +themselves, much less to their enemies, that they were beaten. Slewing +round their two remaining guns, and collecting their scattered and +sadly-depleted forces into one compact body, they abandoned the attack +on the fort, and directed the whole of their energies to the task of +preventing the troops from landing from the boats; enduring the +persistent volleys poured into their ranks from the fort with the most +stoical resignation. The gunners pointed and elevated their pieces as +coolly as though they were firing for practice at a target, and the +riflemen loaded, and fired their volleys at the word of command as +steadily and as accurately as though there were no foemen returning +their fire, and no remotest possibility that every man of them would be +shot or cut to pieces within the next quarter of an hour. + +And, had their numbers not been so dreadfully reduced during that +fierce, all-day struggle, it is quite possible that they might have won, +after all; for the guns were so well served, and the rifle volleys +directed with such deadly aim, that the boats and their crews were +beginning to suffer severely. Already two of the towed boats had been +sunk, and had been cut adrift so that they should not delay the others; +and so terrible was the punishment inflicted by their enemies that the +landing party could not afford to stop to pick up their crews. The bay +was known to be swarming with sharks, and it was not therefore probable +that very many, even of the unwounded, would reach the shore alive. + +One of the swivel-guns, too, mounted aboard the steam launches, had been +struck and hurled overboard by a well-directed shot, and Frobisher could +distinguish many a limp and lifeless form hanging over the boats' +gunwales, with arms trailing helplessly in the water. + +But the Chinese were no less obstinate and determined than their +opponents. They had set out with the intention of landing, and they +meant to carry out their resolve. The three steamers were still puffing +bravely onward, and moment by moment the distance between their bows and +the beach became less. + +Then, suddenly, high above the crackling of flames, the rattle of rifle +fire, and the crashing explosions of the guns, the young Englishman +heard the clear notes of a bugle pealing out. It was evidently the +command to fix bayonets, for the flash and glitter of steel could be +seen as the Chinese drew them from their scabbards and fixed them to +their rifles. A second call pealed forth, and the towropes were cast +off, oars splashed into the water, and, with a wild exulting yell from +their occupants, the boats dashed for the shore, the men in them hurling +themselves into the shallow water as the keels ground into the beach. + +And now the time had plainly come for the rebels to make their last +stand. They were hemmed in on three sides--on one side by the fire, +which was now raging furiously; on the opposite side by the cannon and +rifle fire from the fort; and on the third by the men from the ships, +who were now forming up in line on the beach. The only avenue of escape +left to them was in the direction of the town, nearly four miles +distant. But if they chose to retreat in that direction they could +scarcely avoid being cut to pieces by their pursuers; there seemed, +therefore, to be nothing for them but to remain where they were and +fight until they were overwhelmed by superior numbers, killing as many +of the enemy as possible before they died. And this was evidently what +they meant to do. + +The two remaining field-pieces were brought close together, their +muzzles pointing seaward, and all the ammunition-boxes belonging to them +and to the wrecked guns were brought up and placed behind them. Then +the survivors from the day-long struggle formed up, three deep, on +either side of the guns, the first line lying down, the second kneeling, +and the third standing, so that the rear-rank men should not fire into +their comrades in front when the volley firing commenced. The gunners +loaded their guns to the very muzzle with solid shot--case, chain, +grape, and whatever else they could find--and then took up their +positions behind the pieces, waiting for the command to fire. + +For a few tense seconds the two bodies of men remained motionless, +forming a tremendously impressive tableau. There was the line of +uniformed Chinese soldiery, their bayoneted rifles held at the charge, +their officers standing in front and on the flanks with drawn swords; +and on the other side was the little body of rebels, smoke-grimed, +blood-stained, ragged and weary, but with indomitable resolution written +all over them. Then the Chinese bugles again sounded, the officers +shouted a word of command, and the landing party, with a wild yell of +defiance, charged headlong up the beach, their swords and bayonets +flashing in the lurid light of the flames. But they had scarcely +covered half a dozen yards when the rebel guns crashed out, and their +contents went hurtling through the closely-packed ranks, leaving wide +lines of dead and wounded in their track, while immediately afterward +came the rattling report of volley-firing as the rebels discharged their +rifles. The Chinese troops seemed to be literally smitten to a halt +before that awful storm, almost as though they had charged up against a +solid wall, while the cries, shrieks, and groans that uprose into the +still evening air thrilled Frobisher with horror. + +The check, however, was but momentary. The troops instantly rallied, +and before those cruel guns, or even all the rifles, could be reloaded, +the Chinese were among the rebels, the cold steel got to work, and a +scene of sanguinary, relentless, hand-to-hand fighting ensued, the +memory of which was to remain with Frobisher for many a long day. +Before the end was reached he could no longer bear to look on, but, +climbing down from his perch, seated himself on the floor and covered +his face with his hands. + +For another ten minutes the fearful sounds continued unabated, and then +silence gradually fell; and a little later the moon rose over a scene of +carnage such as had seldom been witnessed even upon the blood-stained +soil of Korea. Of the rebels not a single man remained alive. + +So completely overwhelmed was Frobisher by the horror of what he had +witnessed, that he sat motionless and so utterly oblivious to his +surroundings that he never heard the grating of the key in the lock of +his cell door, never heard that door open and close, and never knew that +he was not still alone until he happened to glance wearily up, and +beheld the Governor gazing down at him with a sardonic smile; while two +other men, with masks over their faces, stood at attention but a few +paces from him. One of them held a coil of stout rope in his hand, and +Frobisher stared at it apprehensively. It was then too late to put into +practice his resolves of the night before. The sword with which he had +meant to do so much execution was out of reach; and he knew that the +slightest movement to secure possession of it would mean a disabling +wound from a bullet of the revolver which the Governor held suggestively +in his hand. And he could not afford to take the risk, since with such +a wound all chance of escape would be at an end; although, as +appearances went, chances of escape appeared to be singularly scanty +just now. The prisoner felt instinctively that a momentous crisis was +at hand. + +"Well, Mr Frobisher," presently exclaimed the Governor, speaking in his +perfect English, "have you seen fit to change your mind since I last had +the pleasure of seeing you? You will of course be aware by this time +that you cannot hope for help from your friends outside--they have been +very effectually wiped out, to the last man--and I really think you +would be well advised to fall in with my suggestions." + +"Sir," returned Frobisher, "I have already stated my final decision; and +no amount of argument you can bring to bear will make me alter my +resolution. You may do whatever you please, since you have the power, +but I assure you that you will draw no information out of me." + +"Very well," retorted the Chinaman; "you have spoken, and we shall soon +see to what lengths your determination will carry you. I have known +many men who, at the outset, seemed to be quite as resolute as yourself; +but it has invariably happened that, after receiving the attentions of +these assistants of mine,"--here he indicated the masked men in the +background--"they have come to their senses with marvellous swiftness. +As I really need the information I have asked you for in all courtesy, I +have no option but to obtain it by the only other means available, +therefore--" + +He uttered a few rapid sentences in Chinese, indicating certain machines +and instruments by pointing at them. Frobisher shrewdly guessed, from +the man's actions, that he was instructing his assistants to apply some +form of torture to the prisoner; and the young Englishman braced himself +for the struggle which now seemed inevitable. The chamber was but dimly +illumined by a single lantern, which his unwelcome visitors had brought +with them, and by the flickering light of the dying flames from outside; +and of this uncertain light he sought to take advantage, hoping that he +might succeed in securing possession of a weapon of some sort before his +enemies could divine his intentions. + +Availing himself of the fact that the attention of the two assistants +was momentarily diverted from himself to the Governor while the latter +issued his instructions, Frobisher cautiously edged his way toward the +spot where lay the sword which he had already fixed upon as a +particularly suitable weapon, should he need one for purposes of +self-defence; but just as he was in the very act of reaching for the +weapon, the Governor happened to glance toward him, evidently guessed +what his prisoner contemplated, and promptly levelled his revolver. As +the muzzle came up it spouted flame, and Frobisher heard the bullet sing +past his ear, to flatten itself against the massive stone wall. Again +the vicious little weapon was fired; but at the precise instant that the +Chinaman's finger pressed the trigger, Frobisher leaned over and grasped +the hilt of the sword; and again the bullet missed. A third time the +revolver spoke in as many seconds, and Frobisher's arm tingled to the +elbow as the bullet struck the blade and glanced off the steel, luckily +away from instead of toward his body; and at the same instant the two +assistants, recovering from their momentary paralysis, hurled themselves +upon him. + +Standing where he now was, close to the pile which he had reared against +the wall to serve as a platform, the prisoner raised his weapon and +quickly swung it over his shoulder, intending to make a sweeping cut at +his assailants as they came on; but the blade came into violent contact +with the erection behind him and baulked his blow. Nevertheless he was +able to bring the weapon into a position which afforded him the +opportunity to receive the most eager of his adversaries upon its point. +With a smothered groan the man dropped writhing to the ground, while +Frobisher, hitting out with his left fist, caught the second man fair on +the point of the jaw. The man went reeling backwards against the +Governor at the precise moment when that individual again pulled +trigger. The result was another miss, which so utterly exasperated the +Chinaman that he hurled the revolver at Frobisher's head and +incontinently turned and fled, locking the cell door behind him. + +With two of his foes _hors de combat_ and the other fled, the Englishman +felt himself to be master of the situation. + +Keeping his eyes warily upon his prostrate foe lest he should be +shamming and should strive to take him unawares, the young Englishman +now seized the lighted lantern and proceeded to hunt for the Governor's +revolver, which he presently found and thrust into his belt, after +satisfying himself that it still contained two live cartridges. Next he +picked up the coil of rope and bound the prostrate man. + +Hardly had he accomplished this business when he thought he detected the +sounds of voices--that of the Governor and some other--and footsteps +approaching outside his prison door. The next instant he was sure of +it. The voice of the stranger was raised as though in anger or +altercation, while that of the Governor was pitched lower, in tones that +seemed to convey the idea of expostulation, entreaty, and apology. + +There seemed to be a further altercation outside, the stranger speaking +in an angry, authoritative voice; then the lock grated harshly as a key +was inserted and turned, the door flew open, and a man entered, dressed +in Chinese naval uniform, or what passed for uniform in those days, +closely followed by the Governor, whose countenance betrayed a curious +mingling of ferocity, apprehension, and anger. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +FROBISHER'S COMMISSION. + +The Chinese naval officer--who, Frobisher decided, was undoubtedly a man +of high rank and very considerable distinction--looked keenly about him +for several minutes, evidently taking in and forming his own opinion as +to the details of the scene which met his gaze. Then he stared long and +appraisingly at the young Englishman, who thought he detected the ghost +of a smile hovering about the new-comer's mouth as he again glanced at +the forms of the two assistants. Turning to the Governor, the navy-man +sharply addressed what seemed to be a series of questions to him. The +Governor replied, making what Frobisher guessed to be a long and +elaborate explanation. Finally, with a gesture expressive of anger and +impatience, excited apparently by the unsatisfactory character of the +Governor's explanation, the stranger cut him short and turned to +Frobisher. + +"Sir," he exclaimed, touching his cap as he stepped forward, and +speaking almost as excellent English as the Governor's own, "permit me +to introduce myself. I am Admiral Wong-lih, of the Imperial Chinese +Navy; and I deeply regret that it should have become my duty to offer +apologies, on behalf of my illustrious master, to an Englishman who has +been unfortunate enough to undergo such treatment as you have suffered +at the hands of a countryman of mine." Here he turned and glowered at +the Governor, who bowed deeply, probably to hide the chagrin and +annoyance that showed themselves only too plainly in his yellow face. + +"My name," returned the Englishman, "is Murray Frobisher; and I was, +some time ago, a lieutenant in the British Navy. I came out here for +the purpose of delivering a cargo of arms and ammunition to the Korean +rebels at a certain Korean town. Owing to the treachery of a native in +my employ, I was betrayed into the hands of the Korean regular troops, +and brought here a prisoner. The situation in which you found me was +the result of his Excellency's desire to obtain further information +respecting the rebels and their arrangements. Of such information, I +may tell you, sir, I possess very little, and under any circumstances I +should not have felt myself at liberty to divulge even that little. I +should like to add that I by no means range myself on the side of the +rebels, for, as a matter of fact, I know too little of the circumstances +of the case to judge between them and the Government, although, from +what I have already seen, my sympathies, such as they are, are on the +side of the insurgents. I am in no way connected with the insurgent +forces; and when captured I was merely acting the part of agent of +another private individual in convoying that caravan across country. +But of course, when an attempt was made to take that property out of my +hands, I had no option but to try to defend it. That, sir, is the full +truth of the matter; and I desire to place myself under your protection +as an officer of the Chinese Navy, that I may not again be subjected to +the kind of treatment which I have suffered since my arrival here." + +"I thank you," returned the officer, "for your voluntary explanation +with regard to your connection with the rebel forces; which explanation, +I may mention, differs very considerably from the statement made to me +by his Excellency here. At the time that that statement was made it +struck me as being somewhat faulty, and therefore I determined to +investigate matters for myself--a course which I am now very glad I +adopted. I was informed by his Excellency, when I enquired whether any +prisoners were confined here, that there was but one, yourself; and that +you were merely undergoing temporary imprisonment as a result of your +being captured in arms, so to speak, against the Korean Government; and +it was not until I entered this chamber and saw--what I saw--that I +dreamed of the occurrence of any such atrocity as has been practised on +you. Again I offer you my most heartfelt apologies." + +"Which I most cordially accept, in the spirit in which they are +offered," said Frobisher, extending his hand, which Wong-lih grasped and +pressed in a friendly fashion. + +Then, turning to the Governor, the admiral icily remarked, still in +English: + +"I will detain you no longer, your Excellency. I desire to have a +little private conversation with this gentleman; and when I require your +attendance again I will send for you. Pray leave us." + +"Your Highness's commands shall be obeyed," replied the Governor, +bowing; and with a sullen scowl on his brow the man turned and left the +room, giving the impression that he would gladly have slammed the door +behind him, had he dared. + +"Highness!" thought Frobisher to himself, during the short pause that +ensued. "I seem to be suddenly getting among very important +personages--with a big `P', too. This particular prince must be quite a +celebrity in his own country, I should judge, by his behaviour. The +Governor seemed to be a man of considerable importance, I thought; but +even he has to curl up and eat humble pie when this man speaks to him." + +"Now, Mr Frobisher," continued the admiral, "I trust that you will +excuse my claiming your attention for a few minutes longer, for I should +like to have a little conversation with you, and this appears to be the +only room in the fortress where we can talk without being overheard. +You informed me, just now, that you are an ex-naval officer. Would you +object to informing me of the reason why you are no longer in the +Service?" + +"Not at all," replied Frobisher. And thereupon he proceeded to give the +admiral a circumstantial account of the accident which led to his +dismissal from the Navy. When Frobisher had finished his recital, +Wong-lih pulled his long moustache thoughtfully for a few moments +without speaking; then he said: + +"Well, Mr Frobisher, I am bound to admit that I think you have been +very harshly treated. I do not consider that the fault lay with you at +all, but with the men who ought to have been on the look-out aboard the +steamer which ran you down. There was never any question, I presume, as +to your efficiency as a seaman?" + +Frobisher flushed slightly. "None whatever, sir," he answered. "I have +always been considered a quite capable officer, I believe; and, previous +to the accident of which I have spoken, my skill as a seaman was never +once called in question." + +"I am glad to hear that," was the admiral's reply, "for I have a +suggestion to make which I trust may meet with your approval. I suppose +I may take it for granted that you are open to an offer of employment in +your own vocation?" + +"Well," returned Frobisher, hesitatingly. "I scarcely know how to +answer that question. You see I signed on under--under--" + +"You may safely continue, Mr Frobisher," smiled the admiral. +"Everything you may say to me here shall be considered as absolutely +private." + +"Under Captain Drake, of the _Quernmore_, then," Frobisher continued; +"and although I did my best to carry out his orders, I failed, and he +will consequently be a very heavy loser. My failure cannot, I think, be +considered my fault; and, as I only signed on for the voyage out here, I +suppose I may now consider myself a free agent, especially as I have not +yet drawn any pay for my services. But I feel that it is perhaps my +duty to go back to Sam-riek, to see Captain Drake and explain matters; +for he may be waiting there for me, expecting my return." + +"Of course I do not know Captain Drake, or how he would be likely to act +under the circumstances," rejoined Wong-lih; "but I feel sure that by +this time he will have learnt of the capture of the consignment--news +travels fast out here, you know; and knowing that you had fallen into +the clutches of the Korean troops, he will, to put it bluntly, expect +never to see you alive again. Nor would he ever have done so, but for +the fortunate circumstance of the arrival of my squadron here on this +particular day. This being so, it occurs to me that Captain Drake would +not be at all likely to risk a long stay at Sam-riek in the very forlorn +hope of your returning, but would get away from the place as quickly as +possible. I should not be at all surprised if his vessel were to be +found in Chemulpo harbour within the next few days. In any case, if you +really wish to communicate with him you can write him a letter, and I +will engage to get it delivered to him, if his ship is still in these +waters. How would that suit you, Mr Frobisher?" + +"The arrangement will suit me admirably, sir," replied Frobisher, +"though I cannot quite see why I should not endeavour to rejoin Captain +Drake. You mentioned, however, I remember, something as to my being +open to accept other employment. Possibly that may have some bearing +upon the matter." + +"It has everything to do with it," said the admiral, "as I will +endeavour to show you presently. But, first of all, I must ask you to +listen to me for a few minutes while I try to give you an insight into +the trend of recent events out here; for unless I do so, you will be +unable to understand what I am `driving at', as I believe you English +call it." + +"Pray proceed, sir," was Frobisher's reply. + +"Very well then. You are of course aware that rebellion has been rife +in Korea for some months past, hence the endeavour of the insurgents to +procure arms; while the Korean Government has been making every effort +to put down the rebellion without the necessity of asking for outside +assistance or intervention. The attempt, however, has not been a +success, for the rebels are making headway all over the country; to such +an extent, indeed, that the Korean Government has at last been obliged +to apply to my Imperial master, the Emperor, for assistance. That +application arrived some weeks ago; but it was only a few days ago that +the necessary arrangements could be completed for armed intervention on +our part. It was necessary to get together troops, transports, and so +on, and to recall some of our men-of-war to act as convoy; and all this +naturally took time. + +"The preparations were finally completed, however, and four days ago I +embarked the troops and left Wei-hai-wei for the port of Asan, where we +now are, and which was reported to me as being a centre of disaffection, +a hotbed of rebellion. But I most certainly never anticipated, when I +left, that I should have the pleasure of rescuing a fellow sailor from a +most serious predicament. However, to continue. By the convention of +1884 at Tien-tsin, between China and Japan, it was agreed that, should +either country have occasion to send an armed force into Korea, the +sender should inform the other country of the circumstance, giving full +particulars of the reason, the strength of the force sent, and any other +information deemed necessary. This was done by cable, before I left +Wei-hai-wei, and the Japanese reply arrived by cable, also before I +left. It was curt in tone to a degree, and intimated briefly that Japan +intended to send a guard to Seoul for the protection of her ambassador-- +as though we ourselves could not afford him the necessary protection-- +and hinted very strongly that she might consider it advisable to send an +armed force of her own--to see that we do not run away with the country, +presumably. + +"Little enough, you will say, to cause misgiving on our part; but the +fact remains that relations between China and Japan have been very +strained for some time past, and our Council feels that this action on +our part will bring matters to a head, especially in view of the veiled +threat that Japan may perhaps find it necessary to land an armed force +herself. Matters look very ominous, Mr Frobisher, in the opinion of +nearly all our leading men, so we are naturally eager so to order things +that, if trouble should arise between the two countries--as I, for one, +feel certain it will--we shall not be entirely unprepared. It is most +unfortunate, however, that we are at present extremely short of naval +officers; indeed, if war were to break out to-morrow it is an absolute +certainty that several of our men-of-war would be unable to put to sea, +for want of capable officers to man them. Crews sufficient we have, but +officers--" + +"Surely you are not serious, sir?" exclaimed Frobisher. + +"But I am, indeed, sir," replied Wong-lih. "And now you will see +whither this long story of mine is leading, and why I asked you if you +would be ready to accept employment. Stated very briefly, the situation +is this. If you will agree to my proposal, I can secure for you the +position of captain on board a very fine new cruiser of ours, which, at +present, we cannot send to sea for the reason I have just mentioned. I +cannot actually make the appointment myself, but I can give you passage +to Wei-hai-wei, whence you can easily reach Tien-tsin, where the Council +is now sitting; and on my recommendation there would be no hesitation on +its part about giving you the post--quite the reverse, indeed. There +would be no unpleasant conditions imposed upon you; you would not be +required to become a Chinese subject, or to do anything, in short, that +would affect your allegiance to your own glorious Queen--whom may Buddha +in his mercy preserve! All that would be required of you would be an +oath to serve faithfully and to the best of your ability while in the +Chinese service. Now, I have said my say; let me have your opinion and +decision, for I have already spent more time in this fortress than I +should have." + +For some moments Frobisher remained in deep thought. Undoubtedly, this +offer of Wong-lih's opened up a most rosy vista of the future. Captain +of a fine new cruiser, with the prospect of a naval war in the near +future--what more could any Navy man ask for? There would be chances in +plenty to win honour, fame, renown; and his name might even go down in +history if he had any luck! It was a tempting bait, indeed, that +Wong-lih held out; and, being at a loose end, the Englishman would have +been more--or less--than human if he had not jumped at it. Besides, why +should not he? His own country had rejected his services; another +country, apparently, had need of them: so why should he not sell his +sword to that country? There was no reason at all, so far as he could +see; and his mind was made up in less than a minute. + +Turning to Wong-lih, he held out his hand with the simple words, "I +accept"; and by so doing, altered the whole course of his existence, and +opened up for himself a vista of such dazzling brilliance that, could he +but have glanced into the future, even his steady, somewhat unemotional +brain might have been very nearly turned. But before this could be +realised he was to pass through scenes and experiences which were to +leave their mark indelibly upon him. + +The admiral returned Frobisher's grip with great heartiness. + +"I am rejoiced to learn your decision, Mr Frobisher," he said, bowing +courteously; "and I feel sure you will never have cause to regret it. +For such a man as yourself, the Chinese Naval service, at the present +moment, offers almost unlimited scope; and there is no reason at all why +you should not, in the course of a few years, rise to the highest +position in it. We urgently need good men just now, for I am sorry to +say that bribery, corruption, and treachery are frightfully prevalent in +both the Army and the Navy; and my heart sometimes misgives me when I +think of the revelations that are bound to be made when we come to +hand-grips with Japan--as I feel confident we soon shall. + +"But I must not continue in this strain, or you will be refusing the job +with thanks. I suppose there is nothing to keep you here? I mean, you +will be able to accompany me back to my ship and make the voyage to +Wei-hai-wei with me? I return almost immediately, for my duties +consisted simply in convoying the transports here, and looking into +matters at Asan sufficiently to enable me to make a report on my return; +and that I have already done; so that I am prepared to weigh as soon as +it is daybreak. I shall be honoured, also, if you will consider +yourself my guest while on board the _Hai-yen_, my flagship." + +Frobisher bowed his thanks. "The honour is mine," he said, "and I shall +have great pleasure in accepting your kind invitation. Also, as I have +absolutely nothing but what I stand up in, my preparations are not +likely to occupy much time," and he laughed. "But," he continued, as +Wong-lih turned toward the door, "there is one thing which I think we +have both forgotten, and which may prove an insuperable objection to my +joining the Chinese Navy." + +"And that is?" enquired the admiral, raising his eyebrows. + +"That I have practically no knowledge of the Chinese language," replied +Frobisher. "To be of any real use as captain of a cruiser it seems to +me that a thorough acquaintance with Chinese is an absolute necessity." + +"If that is your only objection," exclaimed Wong-lih in a tone of +relief, "you may dismiss it at once. I had not overlooked the fact that +you might be ignorant of Chinese; but we shall do for you exactly what +we are doing in the case of Captain Foster of the battleship +_Chen-yuen_, who is also an Englishman. We shall provide you with an +efficient interpreter, whose sole duty it will be to remain constantly +at your side and translate your wishes and commands into Chinese; so, +you see, there will be no difficulty at all on that score. Now, if you +are quite ready, shall we go? I have no time to spare, and, moreover, +the atmosphere of this place is anything but agreeable." + +As he spoke, the admiral opened the heavy door and, courteously signing +to the Englishman to precede him, allowed Frobisher to pass out into the +stone-flagged corridor. Thence they followed the route by which the +Englishman had been brought on the previous day, until they came to the +room in which he had been cross-examined by the commandant of the fort; +and there they found the latter, with the Governor and several other +officials, all of whom respectfully rose to their feet upon the +admiral's entrance. + +With a somewhat curt gesture Wong-lih directed them to be seated; and +then ensued a rather lengthy conversation in Chinese, the principal part +of which was borne by the admiral, who seemed to be asking questions and +issuing instructions. Then, rising to his feet, he dismissed the little +group and requested Frobisher to follow him. + +"Before we leave, sir," exclaimed the Englishman, suddenly remembering, +"I should like to ask a favour. When I was captured by the Korean +troops I had in my possession a pair of rather valuable revolvers, which +I prize very much, apart from their intrinsic value, from the fact that +they were given me by a very dear friend. I feel convinced that the +officer who seized them has not allowed them to pass out of his hands; +and, if he happens to be in the fort, I shall be very much obliged if +you will request him to return them to me. Also, if the jacket that was +taken from me has been preserved, I should like to have that as well. I +may perhaps be permitted to mention, too, that I have not tasted food +for fully twenty-four hours, and am feeling the need of a meal." + +"My dear sir," exclaimed Wong-lih, in tones of genuine concern, "what +can I have been thinking of not to have enquired if you were hungry! My +only excuse is that I was so full of the matter we have just been +discussing, that the first rules of hospitality escaped me for the +moment. If you will remain here for a few minutes I will myself see +that food is served to you. I will at the same time make enquiries +about all your property; and if it is indeed here it shall most +certainly be returned to you. I will be with you again very shortly." + +With these words the kind-hearted admiral left the room, returning +presently with Frobisher's pistols in one hand and the jacket in the +other, bringing also the welcome information that a meal was being +hastily prepared, and would be served with the utmost expedition. + +Half an hour later Frobisher, feeling a new man and quite himself again, +followed Wong-lih out of the fort and down to the beach, where the +admiral's own boat was now waiting to take him on board. On the way +thither it was necessary to pass over the scene of the day's battle, and +although it was night and the only illumination came from the moon, and +the lantern which the admiral's coxswain was carrying, there was light +enough to reveal many of the horrors of the past day's fight, and +Frobisher was more than glad when that blood-stained field was left +behind and they came to the margin of the clean, wholesome sea. + +Here they found the officer in command of the troops who were to remain +in Korea and to assist the Government in stamping out the rebellion. +They were, it afterward transpired, first of all to occupy the town of +Asan, and operate against the insurgents, with Asan as their base, until +further instructions were received or other developments arose; and the +officer was then waiting to hold a short consultation with Wong-lih with +reference to his future course of action, so that the admiral would be +in a position to report fully to his Government upon his return to +China. The transports, which had also been fitted up as store-ships, +were to remain behind in Prince Jerome Bay, with one of the gunboats to +protect them, while the two cruisers and the other gunboat were to +proceed to sea immediately. + +The general plan of campaign had evidently been already arranged, for a +quarter of an hour later the officer and Wong-lih saluted each other in +farewell, and the Army man returned to the fortress, where the troops +were quartered for the remainder of the night, while the admiral entered +his barge, and, with his latest recruit in the stern-sheets beside him, +was pulled swiftly away to the _Hai-yen_. + +Once on board, the admiral conducted Frobisher to a handsomely-furnished +cabin, of which he was to have the exclusive use during the voyage, and +also, with his characteristic kindness, presented him with a complete +Chinese Naval captain's suit in perfectly new condition, which by a +lucky chance proved to be a very passable fit. Of course Frobisher was +not as yet entitled to wear it, but Wong-lih was so certain that the +proposed appointment would be promptly confirmed that he had no qualms +in donning it. + +It was by this time not very far off daylight. Frobisher therefore +decided that, tired though he felt, he would not turn in just yet, but +would wait for sunrise in order to watch the squadron get under way. +Wong-lih also had no intention of retiring during the short time that +still remained before they were ready to leave, so he invited the young +Englishman into his own spacious and luxuriously-fitted quarters in the +stern of the ship, where the two remained smoking, talking, and drinking +coffee, until the sound of the morning gun from the fort, followed by +the report of one of the twenty-four pounders on deck, announced that it +was "official sunrise", and that the hour had arrived for them to take +their departure. + +With the admiral's permission Frobisher followed him on deck and up on +to the bridge, where a yeoman of signals was already waiting to hoist +the necessary flags as a signal to the other ships to weigh and proceed +to sea. Thick, greasy columns of smoke were rising from the funnels of +all three craft, proving, to the Englishman's experienced eye, that the +coal they were using was quite unsuited to Naval requirements; while a +white feather of steam rising from their steam-pipes showed that there +was already full pressure in their boilers. After a comprehensive look +round, the admiral spoke a few words to the signalman, and a moment +later a string of parti-coloured flags soared aloft to the cruiser's +yard-arm. + +Instantly the shrill clamour of boatswains' whistles was heard from each +ship, and next followed the measured "clank-clank-clank" of iron cable, +as the steam-capstans got to work and began to haul the vessels up to +their anchors. For a few seconds the clatter subsided as the strain of +"breaking out" the anchors came upon the cables, then it started again +with a rush; and presently the dripping, mud-bedaubed anchors made their +appearance under the bows, and were catted and promptly stowed. + +Then, slowly at first, but with gradually increasing speed, the +_Hat-yen's_ screws revolved, the decks quivered, and the ship began to +slide through the water, her bows turning toward the entrance of the bay +as she did so. The other cruiser fell into line astern of the flagship, +and, with the gunboat bringing up the rear, the squadron headed for the +open sea in line-ahead formation, sped upon its way by the salutes of +the fort and the remaining gunboat, to which the _Hai-yen's_ guns +replied. + +Wei-hai-wei is only a matter of some two hundred miles from Asan; and at +midnight the squadron found itself entering the Chinese harbour, where a +number of twinkling lights betrayed the presence of other ships +belonging to the Navy. The anchors were let go just opposite the fort, +and both Frobisher and the admiral went below to enjoy a well-earned +rest and refresh themselves in readiness for the duties that awaited +them on the following day. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +ON THE ROCKS. + +Bright and early the next morning Frobisher met Wong-lih on the +quarter-deck of the _Hai-yen_, and the admiral announced his plans with +regard to both his own affairs and those of the Englishman. He +mentioned that he would be detained for some days at Wei-hai-wei making +arrangements for the repair of the ships--each of which had been more or +less damaged by the rebel fire during the fight in Prince Jerome Bay-- +and getting a new ten-inch gun mounted in the _Mai-yen's_ forward +turret, to replace the one which had been dismounted on the same +occasion. This, he estimated, would occupy about a week; and, when this +work had been put in hand, there were several minor duties in the +dockyard which he reckoned would occupy him for another week, making +about a fortnight before he would be able to get away to Tien-tsin to +make his report in person. + +It would therefore be necessary for him to send a messenger with +dispatches to the Council, giving an outline of what had taken place; +and he gave Frobisher the choice of accompanying the flag-lieutenant who +was to carry the dispatches to Tien-tsin--with a letter from himself to +the Council recommending his appointment--or of remaining in Wei-hai-wei +until he, the admiral, was ready to go to Tien-tsin and personally +present his protege to the Council. + +To this Frobisher made reply that, if it suited the admiral equally +well, he would much prefer to accompany him to Tien-tsin; for he was +extremely anxious to secure the appointment as captain of the cruiser, +and knew--from what he had already learned of Chinese officialdom--that +he would have a far better chance with Wong-lih by his side as sponsor, +than he would as the mere bearer of a letter of recommendation from the +admiral. It was accordingly so arranged; and he spent the intervening +time in looking round the port, arsenal, and dockyard of Wei-hai-wei, +picking up all the information he could with regard to Chinese Naval +matters, and also managing incidentally to acquire a small--very small-- +smattering of the Chinese language, which was afterwards of considerable +use to him. + +On a certain afternoon, Wong-lih drove up to the hotel where Frobisher +was staying, and announced that his duties were now completed, and that +he was ready to start for Tien-tsin. There was, luckily, a +dispatch-boat in the harbour which had just arrived at Wei-hai-wei from +Chemulpo, on her way to Tien-tsin; and the admiral had decided to take +passages in her for Frobisher and himself. The Englishman therefore had +only to pack the few belongings which he had purchased in the town; and +five minutes later the curiously-assorted pair were being conveyed in a +rickshaw, drawn by a Chinese coolie, down to the dock, where the +_San-chau_, dispatch-boat, was lying. + +The voyage from Wei-hai-wei to Tien-tsin is only a short one, of some +three hundred miles, but the course lies across the Gulf of Chi-lih, +notorious for its dangerous fogs at this season of the year and the +typhoons which, at all times, are liable to spring up with only the +briefest warning; and about two hours after they had left port, and were +passing the bold headland beneath which stands the city of Chi-fu, it +began to look as though they were in for one of the latter. + +Wong-lih and the captain of the dispatch-boat held a short consultation +as to the advisability of running into Chi-fu harbour for shelter; but +as the roadstead was somewhat open, it was finally agreed to push on, at +top speed, and endeavour to get clear of the Shan-tung peninsula and the +Miao-tao islands before the storm broke. Otherwise, they might find +themselves in rather an awkward situation. + +Steam was therefore ordered for full speed--about seventeen knots--and +the _San-chau_ began to move more rapidly through the water, at the same +time altering her course so as to pass outside the islands instead of +through the Chang-shan-tao channel, as had at first been intended. + +The sun set luridly in the midst of a blaze of wild and threatening +cloud, and the light breeze which they had so far carried with them +suddenly died away to nothing, leaving the surface of the sea like a +sheet of oil, through which the _San-chau_ drove her bows as through +something solid. The air felt heavy and damp, and so devoid of life +that Frobisher found it difficult to supply his lungs with sufficient +air; and although the weather was intensely cold, the atmosphere still +felt uncomfortably oppressive. + +About two hours later, while the ship appeared to be steaming through a +sheet of liquid fire, so brilliant was the phosphorescence of the water, +there came, without the slightest warning, the most dazzling flash of +lightning Frobisher had ever beheld, followed almost on the instant by a +deafening peal of thunder, indicating that the centre of disturbance was +almost immediately overhead. So dazzlingly bright was the flash that +almost every man on deck instinctively covered his eyes with his hands, +under the impression that he had been blinded; and several seconds +elapsed before any of them were able to see again distinctly. + +As though that first flash had been a signal, the air at once became +full of vivid darting lightnings, so continuous that an almost +uninterrupted view of the sea, from horizon to horizon, was possible, +and the man on the look-out in the bows was therefore enabled to give +timely warning of the approach of a white-capped wall of water of +terrible aspect. So rapid was its rate of travel that the steamer's +skipper had barely time to make a few hasty preparations to meet it, and +to shout to the men on deck to "hold on for their lives", when, with an +unearthly howl and roar, the storm was upon them. The wall of water +crashed into and over the _San-chau_ with a power that made it appear as +though she had struck something solid; and for a few moments Frobisher, +clinging to the bridge rail beside the captain and Wong-lih, could see +nothing of the deck of the ship, so deeply was she buried in the wave. +The wind, too, wrestled with and tore at ventilators, awning stanchions, +and the boats slung from the davits, until he momentarily expected to +see the latter torn from their lashings and blown overboard. + +The canvas dodgers round the navigating bridge, which they had not had +time to remove, were ripped from their seizings and blown away to +leeward, where in the glare of the lightning they showed for a few +moments like white birds swept away on the wings of the wind. The men +themselves, thus exposed to the full fury of the blast, were obliged to +cling to the bridge rails for their very lives, to avoid being torn from +their hold and whirled overboard; and when the first lull came their +muscles felt as though they had been stretched on the rack, so severe +had been the strain. + +Then, as though the wind had taken a breathing space to recover fresh +energy, the hurricane burst upon them again, almost more furiously, if +that were possible, than at first; and Frobisher knew instinctively +that, so far from making headway, the _San-chau_ was being driven back +over the course she had just covered, at a rate of probably five knots +an hour, in spite of the fact that her engines were going full speed +ahead at their utmost capacity. Anxious glances were cast ahead and +astern--ahead to ascertain whether there were any signs of the typhoon +breaking, and astern in momentary dread of sighting the distant loom of +the land toward which, as all knew, they were being slowly but +inexorably driven. + +Suddenly the skipper, who had been peering eagerly to windward under the +broad of his hand, turned to Wong-lih and spoke a few rapid sentences in +Chinese, at the same time pointing in the direction towards which he had +been looking. The admiral's eyes followed the outstretched finger, and +Frobisher also glanced in the same direction. The captain had +apparently seen, or believed he had seen, something strange away to the +westward. + +A moment later Frobisher knew what it was. Far away, on the edge of the +horizon, appeared a small spark of light which shot rapidly up into the +sky, where it hung for a few seconds and then burst into a +mushroom-shaped cluster of red stars that gradually floated downward +again, fading from view as it did so. + +"That," shouted Frobisher excitedly to Wong-lih, "is a rocket, sir. +There's a ship away there which has been less fortunate than ourselves; +she's evidently in distress; and, from her position, I should say that +she has probably been driven on to the Miao-tao rocks." + +"Without doubt," returned Wong-lih, "that is the fact of the matter; and +there are probably many poor fellows perishing away there, almost before +our eyes, while we are utterly unable to help them. If a vessel has +really gone ashore on those rocks I fear that her crew is doomed; for no +ship could long survive in this weather. Get my telescope," he added, +in Chinese, to a quartermaster who happened to be on the bridge at the +moment; and when the man reappeared with the glass, Wong-lih brought it +to bear upon the spot where the rocket had appeared, which he was easily +able to do with the assistance of the lightning, still blazing almost +continuously. + +"By Kin-fu-tzi!" exclaimed the admiral, a few seconds later, "that craft +is very much nearer than I thought from the appearance of her rocket-- +not more than seven miles away, at the utmost. She is a two-masted, +one-funnelled steamer, and, I'm almost certain, is a man-o'-war. Now, +what should she be doing just there? Have the Japanese sent a vessel +over here for scouting purposes, or is she one of our ships? She looks +very much like--and yet she cannot be, surely,--the ship I intend you to +have, Mr Frobisher--the _Chih' Yuen_, the new cruiser which we have +purchased from Great Britain, and which only arrived out here a few +weeks ago. But I do not understand what she is doing there, if it is +she; for, as I told you, we had no captain in our whole service to whom +we cared to entrust her, which was one of my reasons for asking you to +take service with us. I cannot understand it at all," and he began to +gnaw his moustache perplexedly. "But perhaps," he continued, "I may be +mistaken. I must be mistaken; it cannot possibly be the _Chih' Yuen_." + +At this moment another rocket went soaring up into the night sky, +followed by another and another; and then the distant boom of a +signal-gun came to their ears, borne on the wings of the hurricane. + +"May the spirits of their ancestors protect them!" exclaimed Wong-lih +piously. "We, alas, can do nothing! She will be lying fathoms deep in +the gulf by morning." + +But, as though in answer to the admiral's prayer--so suddenly did the +change take place--there came a lull in the furious wind, and the three +men on the bridge were able to spare a hand to dash the spray from their +eyes before the gale struck them again. This time, however, the wild +outburst lasted only a few minutes, then ceased as suddenly as before; +the thunder was less loud, and the lightning was far less vivid and +terrifying. Then the black pall of sky above them began to break up +into isolated patches, and a few minutes later the moon and stars showed +intermittently between the rifts; the storm was dying away almost as +quickly as it had sprung up. But, unfortunately, as soon as the wind +dropped the sea began to rise, until within a very short time there was +quite a heavy swell running. + +The captain of the dispatch-boat lost not an instant in heading his ship +direct for the spot from which the rockets had been seen to rise. The +vessel's search-light was brought into action, and the skipper told off +a man to sweep the sea ahead with its powerful beam, so that the exact +position of the wreck might be located at the earliest possible moment; +for during the last few minutes no rockets had been sent up, which was a +very sinister sign. + +With the cessation of the wind the heavy sea did not very greatly +interfere with the _San-Chan's_ speed, and she raced through the water +on her errand of mercy at the rate of fully eighteen knots, the bearings +of her engines smoking as the oil from the cups dripped upon their +heated surfaces; and it was not more than half an hour before the man at +the search-light found his object and kept the beam playing on her. She +was then only a few miles ahead, and stood out, a great mass of silver +in the rays of the search-light, against the black background of the +night, with the sea breaking over her. Through the telescope her people +could be seen running about her decks, and steam was still blowing off +through her waste-pipes, so, apparently, the water had not yet reached +her engine-room. Frobisher noticed that no effort was being made to get +the boats out; but this might be because of the heavy sea running. + +At all events, the craft was still above water; and there was little +doubt that her crew could be saved, even though they might not be able +to save the ship. + +In another quarter of an hour--speed having been meanwhile reduced so as +to lessen the danger of their running aground--the _San-chau_ arrived +abreast of the other craft, which proved indeed to be a cruiser, and +laid off at a distance of about half a cable's length, her screw +revolving slowly, so as to keep her from drifting down upon the wreck. +Then, seizing a megaphone, Wong-lih hailed, and asked the stranger's +name. + +A man in a drenched Naval uniform similar to that which Frobisher was +wearing leant over the rail of her navigating bridge and gave a lengthy +reply, which the Englishman, of course, could not understand; but from +the expression on the admiral's face he could see that the news was not +at all of a satisfactory character. When the other officer had finished +speaking, Wong-lih ground out a few tense words that sounded +suspiciously like a Chinese execration, and, turning to Frobisher, +exclaimed in tones of the deepest annoyance:-- + +"This is most unfortunate indeed, Mr Frobisher. As I almost suspected +the moment I discovered that yonder craft was a cruiser, she is the +_Chih' Yuen_, the ship to which I intended you to be appointed. And now +look where your future command lies! So surely as either Admiral Ting +or I are out of the way, something of this sort inevitably happens. +It's those mandarins again, of course, who are at the bottom of the +whole trouble. That fool aboard there who calls himself the captain +tells me that, shortly after I sailed, Prince Hsi, who considers himself +an authority on Naval matters, decided that the guns in the fore +barbette of the _Chi' Yuen_ were of too small a calibre, and in my +absence he managed to prevail upon the Council to send her to +Wei-hai-wei to be docked and have her 9.4's replaced by 12-inch guns. +Twelve-inch guns in a ship of her size! The man is mad! But I know his +game. His intention was to have sold the 9.4's, replacing them with a +couple of old, out-of-date 12's which I happen to know are lying in the +yard, and pocketing the difference. + +"That is the sort of thing that goes on in my unhappy country all the +time, Mr Frobisher--theft, bribery, corruption, all manner of petty +chicanery, especially in matters connected with the Army and Navy; and +then they expect us unfortunate officers to do our work with any old +material that the high officials have not thought it worth while to +pilfer! It is heart-breaking. There, in order to replenish the pockets +of Prince Hsi, lies one of the finest cruisers in our Navy, wrecked, and +likely to be lost entirely if it comes on to blow again. But," he went +on, still more excitedly, "she shall not be lost. I will get her off, +and she shall go to Wei-hai-wei to be repaired in dock--but not to have +her guns exchanged. Those in her shall remain there; and his Highness +can look elsewhere for something to fill his coffers." + +Again seizing the megaphone, Wong-lih entered into a long conversation +with the temporary skipper of the _Chih' Yuen_, during which he +ascertained that the vessel had fortunately struck only very lightly; +and, as she had been considerably sheltered from the seas by the part of +the reef through which she had somehow managed to blunder before +striking, she had not bumped to any extent, and was making but little +water. It was therefore to be hoped that her bottom was not so badly +injured as Wong-lih had at first anticipated, and that, at the rising of +the tide, it might be possible, with the assistance of the _San-chau_, +to get her safely off again. The admiral intimated to her captain that +he would stand by all night, and would commence salvage operations as +soon after daylight as the state of the tide would permit. Meanwhile +steam was to be kept in the boilers, and the pumps were to be kept going +continuously, so as to free the ship from water by the time that morning +dawned. + +High tide, Admiral Prince Wong-lih ascertained from his almanack, was at +about seven-thirty on the following morning; so before daybreak all +hands were mustered and preparations put in hand for running a hawser +across to the _Chih' Yuen_. The sea had gone down during the night +until, when the first streaks of daylight came stealing up out of the +east, it was almost as calm as on the previous afternoon before the +storm. + +Frobisher was one of the first among the officers to turn out and go up +on deck, and he occupied the time until breakfast very pleasantly in +watching the cruiser's boats running out kedge-anchors. Everything +being then in readiness, and both ships being under a full pressure of +steam, the crews went to breakfast; and directly that was disposed of, +the _San-chau's_ boats were sent across to the cruiser with a light +steel hawser, Wong-lih accompanying them in person, to see that "that +fool of a captain" did not make any mistakes this time. The light +hawser having been taken aboard the _Chih' Yuen_, the towing hawser, +also of steel, was bent on to the end still on board the +dispatch-vessel, and was hauled from her through the water on board the +cruiser. + +As soon as this was done, the ends of the steel hawser on board both +craft were backed by several thicknesses of best Manila hemp, in order +to procure the necessary elasticity and guard against the wire-rope +parting when the terrific strain should be put upon it. After this the +hemp portion of the tow-rope was secured to bollards on the +quarter-decks of both craft, the slack of the hawsers attached to the +kedge-anchors was taken up, the skippers stood by their respective +engine-room telegraphs, and, at a signal from Wong-lih, the _San-chau_ +went slowly ahead until the towing hawser was taut. Steam was then +given to the after-winches aboard the cruiser, to which the +kedge-hawsers were led, the screws of the _Chih' Yuen_ were sent astern +at full speed, while the _San-chau_ went ahead with every ounce of steam +her boilers could supply to the engines. + +The great steel cable vibrated until it fairly hummed with the strain, +the _Chih' Yuen's_ winches bucked and kicked until Wong-lih, on the +cruiser's bridge, momentarily expected them to break away altogether, +and the white water foamed and roared under both vessels' quarters as +the screws whirred round. For several minutes it seemed as though the +attempt was doomed to failure, and that all the cables would part +without the cruiser budging an inch; but quite suddenly, as Frobisher +watched, keeping the cruiser's mast in line with a pinnacle of rock +about a quarter of a mile behind her, he detected a slight movement. +The vessel's mast appeared to vibrate, as though the cruiser herself +were pulsing with life, and then it slowly, very slowly, moved backward, +until mast and pinnacle were a little out of line. + +"She moves! she moves!" he shouted, waving his cap in his excitement; +and then, like a vessel gradually sliding off the stocks when being +launched, the _Chih' Yuen_ gathered way, and a few moments later she +slid bodily off the rock with a plunge that caused the _San-chau_ to +roll as though in a heavy sea, overrunning her kedge-anchors before her +_momentum_ could be checked. + +She was afloat again, however, and Frobisher breathed a sigh of +thanksgiving. He had set his heart on commanding her, and he would have +been bitterly disappointed if so fine a ship had been lost to him and +the Navy through the despicable cupidity of a mandarin and the +incompetence of a Chinese so-called sailor. + +Wong-lih remained aboard the cruiser for another hour or more, until he +had satisfied himself that the leaks resulting from her strained and +buckled plates were not so serious but that they could easily be kept +under by the pumps; and then, having signalled for the first lieutenant +of the _San-chau_ to come aboard and take charge of the cruiser, in +place of the incompetent captain, he ordered the latter to accompany him +back to the dispatch-boat under arrest, as a preliminary to his +appearance before a court martial at Tien-tsin on the charge of +stranding his ship. + +Wong-lih and the captain having boarded the _San-chau_, steam was rung +for, and presently the two ships proceeded on their respective voyages, +dipping their flags to each other as they parted company. + +"It was most fortunate that we saw those rockets last night," observed +Wong-lih, when he and Frobisher were again standing together on the +_San-chau's_ bridge. "Had we not happened to be on the spot at the +moment, the Navy would have lost the _Chih' Yuen_, without a doubt. As +it is, I fear she is rather badly damaged, and it will probably mean a +few months in dock for her before she is fit for service again--which is +all the more deplorable, because we may need her at any moment. At a +crisis like this every vessel counts, especially in such a small navy as +we possess. I am afraid you will not be joining your ship just yet, Mr +Frobisher; but I have not the least doubt that, when we reach Tien-tsin, +some congenial service will be found for you which will keep you +occupied until the _Chih' Yuen_ is repaired. There is plenty of work, +and very few officers to do it; so you need have no apprehension +whatever on the score of non-employment." + +"I thank your Highness," answered Frobisher. "I am rejoiced to hear you +say that, for I confess I felt very sore when I saw my ship, or what was +intended to be my ship, cast away on the Miao-tao reef." + +Twenty-four hours later the _San-chau_ steamed past the Taku forts, +flying the admiral's flag to announce that Wong-lih was on board, and +received and answered a salute from the batteries; and shortly afterward +the anchor was dropped in the middle of the river, opposite the handsome +city of Tien-tsin, upon which Frobisher now looked for the first time. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +THE PIRATES' LAIR. + +It was about midday when the _San-chau_ anchored off the port of +Tien-tsin; and Wong-lih suggested to his young protege that they should +lunch aboard before going ashore to the Navy Buildings, which were at +that time situated in the "Street of many Sorrows"--an ill-omened name, +indeed, as after-events were to prove. + +They were nearing the completion of the meal when there came a knock +upon the cabin door, and the sentry announced that a messenger had +arrived with a letter for "his Highness, the most honourable Admiral +Prince Wong-lih". The admiral opened and read it, wrote a brief reply, +and then explained to Frobisher that, the arrival of the _San-chau_ +having been observed, and his own presence on board disclosed by the +fact of his flag flying from the fore-topmast head, the Council, then +sitting in debate at the Navy Buildings, had sent to say that they would +be glad to see him on a matter of importance as soon as he could make it +convenient to come ashore. + +"Further developments in Korea, I suspect," observed the admiral, +frowning. "I pray that no open rupture between ourselves and Japan may +occur just yet; for we are utterly unprepared. We must put off the evil +day as long as possible, even if we have to humble ourselves before them +for a month or two; for it would be absolutely suicidal for us to engage +in a war with Japan at the present moment. Our ships are good; our men +are excellent fighters; and to the outsider it would naturally appear +that all the advantages are on our side: but alas! men, however brave +they may be, cannot fight to win under the command of inefficient +officers, and with arms, ammunition, and stores that may fail them at +any moment. Ah me! ah me!" + +"You feel, then," said Frobisher, "that war is inevitable?" + +"I am sure of it," replied the admiral. "Perhaps not to-day, or +to-morrow; but war there certainly will be before many months are past. +I only wish I could bring the realisation of this fact home to some of +those officials who are content to wait and wait, spending the country's +money, if not on themselves personally, at any rate upon things on which +it ought not to be spent; until the time comes, all too suddenly, when +they will awake to the fact that they have procrastinated too long, and +that their country is at the mercy of the enemy." + +"Let us hope, sir," replied Frobisher, cheerfully--for he had begun to +have quite a strong liking for the cultured and patriotic Chinese +gentleman and sailor, and was sorry to find him taking so pessimistic a +view of the situation--"that matters are not so bad as you imagine, and +that China will issue from the coming struggle more powerful than +before." + +"We will, indeed, hope so," said Wong-lih, rising. "But I greatly fear +that our hope will be unfulfilled. However, an end to these dismal +forebodings of mine, Mr Frobisher! I am growing old, and am on that +account more liable, perhaps, to look on the dark side of things. Let +us go ashore now, and see what it is that the Council wishes to talk +about. I will seize the opportunity to introduce you to the officials +composing it, and we will get your commission made out and signed, so +that you may be ready for service whenever called upon." + +With these words Wong-lih went up on deck, followed by Frobisher, and +the two men, entering the _San-chau's_ gig, were pulled ashore. + +Frobisher was very favourably impressed by the handsome appearance of +the various public buildings, and was quite astonished at the size and +magnificence of those devoted to the Navy Department, when he and his +companion finally halted before the wrought-iron gates which gave +admittance to the grounds surrounding them. + +Wong-lih, exhilarated at the near prospect of a discussion upon his +favourite subject, the Navy, ran up the steps leading into the building +with the activity of a boy; and in a few minutes the two men found +themselves in a beautifully-furnished antechamber, whither they had been +conducted to wait for the summons to present themselves before the +all-powerful Council. Frobisher himself felt just a trifle nervous at +the prospect, but Wong-lih's countenance was transformed by a happy +smile, while he actually sniffed the air from time to time, like an old +warhorse scenting battle. + +Presently a door, opposite that by which the two had entered, opened, +and a gorgeously-dressed attendant stepped up to Wong-lih and saluted, +saying something at the same time in Chinese. + +"Come along, my young friend," smilingly exclaimed the admiral, as he +rose to his feet; "the moment of your ordeal has arrived. Present a +bold front, my boy; there is nothing to be nervous about, I assure you." + +He led the way, through the door which the attendant respectfully held +open, into another chamber--or rather hall, so large and lofty was it-- +where Frobisher saw a group of Chinamen, nine in number, seated round an +oval table on which a quantity of official-looking documents were lying. +So far as it is possible to tell any Chinaman's age from mere +observation, they were all elderly men, with the exception of one +individual, who was obviously quite young, and who was seated at the +right hand of the one who was clearly the chief official present. + +He was a man of perhaps thirty, or possibly younger still, with a very +yellow skin, a long, very thin, drooping moustache, and brilliant, +coal-black eyes, deeply sunken in their sockets, out of which they +glared with an emotionless, steely glitter that reminded Frobisher most +unpleasantly of a snake. There was also in them something of the deadly +malevolence that all snakes' eyes seem to possess, and the Englishman +could barely repress a shudder of disgust as he found those eyes fixed +on his, for he felt as though he had suddenly come in contact with some +noxious reptile. + +As they entered, the Council, with the exception of the man just +referred to, rose and bowed solemnly to Wong-lih, who returned the bow +ceremoniously. He and Frobisher were then signed to seat themselves, +after which the Councillors resumed their seats. + +Commencing with the old man at the head of the table, each of the +members of the Council in turn questioned Wong-lih, and a long +conversation in Chinese ensued, which Frobisher was of course unable to +understand. He occupied himself with looking round the room and +admiring the wonderful carving and the priceless tapestries on the +walls, and was quite taken by surprise when he suddenly heard Wong-lih's +voice calling his name. + +He was then introduced to the Council collectively, and a number of +questions were put to him in English, with which tongue he was beginning +to think every Chinaman must be familiar, so many had he already +encountered who were able to speak it almost as fluently as himself. +Like many of his fellow countrymen, he had up to now imagined that the +Chinese were a barbarous race, knowing nothing of anything that happened +outside their own country. + +Apparently he soon satisfied his examiners as to his nautical +attainments; and presently he found himself in possession of a parchment +which set forth the fact that Murray Frobisher was appointed to the +Chinese Navy with the rank of captain; and he was informed that he was +to take command of the _Chih' Yuen_ as soon as she was ready for service +again. Until that time he was to consider himself on the staff of +Admiral Wong-lih, who would find employment for him in the interim. +After this little ceremony a further lengthy discussion took place in +Chinese, and it was not until late in the evening that he and his +sponsor were able to get away and return to the ship. + +Arrived there, they proceeded to the cabin where Wong-lih had taken up +his quarters, and here Frobisher received an account of what had +occurred at the meeting. + +"It seems," announced the admiral, "that a dispatch has been received +from our Minister in Tokio, informing us that the Japanese, although +they have sent an escort for their Minister at Seoul, have decided to +delay for a time the dispatch of a large armed force to Korea, and to +await further developments. This is grand news, for it gives us a +little longer in which to make our preparations; but our Minister also +advises us to be on our guard, for Japan means to force a quarrel, +sooner or later. Now, as regards yourself, news has recently been +brought that the river merchants of the Hoang-ho have been greatly +troubled lately by the excesses of a band of pirates, who are believed +to have their head-quarters somewhere near the place where the old bed +of the river leaves the present channel--that is, not far from the +village of Tchen-voun-hien, three hundred miles from here. I wish you +to take command of the gunboat _Su-chen_, and proceed in her to this +place. You will investigate the matter thoroughly; and, if the stories +are anything approaching truth, you will hunt down that band of pirates, +and destroy them and their head-quarters. No quarter must be shown, Mr +Frobisher; those criminals must be dealt with severely. + +"The interpreter I mentioned to you shall be attached at once to your +person, and I shall be glad if you will enter upon your new duties +immediately. Oh, by the way, I have also had news of your friend, +Captain Drake. He was told of what had happened by a survivor from your +party; and he came round here in the _Quernmore_ to demand that we send +an expedition to rescue you. He appears to be very much attached to +you. + +"Of course he was told that such a course was not to be thought of, +besides being quite useless; and he appeared to be very much cut up at +the news, so I am told. He accepted a contract from the Navy Department +for the supply of a cargo of arms, ammunition, and guns, and left in his +ship for England only a week before our own arrival here. When he +returns, should you not be here yourself, I shall of course inform him +of your rescue, and so ease his mind. + +"Now, Captain Frobisher, I have little more to say. Get away as soon as +you can. Your crew is already aboard; and, if you need any stores or +ammunition, indent for them in the usual way; they will be duly +supplied. But there, I need not tell a British Navy man how to do his +business. Good-bye, my boy, and Heaven grant you a safe return!" he +concluded, affectionately. + +The two men clasped hands, Wong-lih buried himself in a mass of papers, +and Frobisher departed to bed to refresh himself in readiness to +commence his duties early on the following morning. His last thought, +as he dropped off to sleep, was that he was now Captain Frobisher, of +the _Chih' Yuen_; and that it would not be his fault if he did not make +her name famous in Chinese Naval history. + +He awoke in the morning, however, utterly unrefreshed, for he had slept +badly. A vague feeling of foreboding and a strong presentiment of +disaster had oppressed him throughout the night, and his dreams had been +haunted by a thin, yellow face, with long, attenuated, drooping +moustache--a face out of which peered a pair of eyes, glowing like flame +and with hideous possibilities of evil shining in their black depths. +The face was the face of Prince Hsi, the youngest member of the Council. + +The splendid, keen, invigorating air of a Chinese morning soon blew the +cobwebs away from Frobisher's brain, and half an hour after leaving his +bed he was smiling to himself at his own folly in allowing Prince Hsi's +evil countenance to affect him to such an extent as to spoil his rest. +The man couldn't help being born with a face like that; and perhaps an +ugly exterior might in reality hide a very kind and gentle soul. By the +time that Frobisher had arrived at the wharf where the _Su-chen_ was +lying, he had completely forgotten the existence of "the man with the +snake's eyes", as he afterwards came to call him. + +The interpreter promised by Wong-lih had duly presented himself to +Frobisher on board the _San-chan_ that morning, and the Englishman very +soon began to find the man's services invaluable. With his assistance, +the _Su-chen_ was easily located, and Frobisher at once boarded her and +made himself known, and read his commission to her officers and crew +through the medium of Quen-lung, the interpreter. A very quiet, decent +set of men they seemed to be, to all appearance. They gave him such +information as he asked for, quickly and without hesitation; and, so far +as he could learn on such brief acquaintance, seemed thoroughly +conversant with their duties. He made enquiries about the amount of +water and provisions that was aboard, satisfied himself that there was a +sufficiency to serve them for the expedition, and then went into the +question of the quantity of ammunition remaining on board. + +This did not at all satisfy his requirements; for he found that, +although there appeared to be plenty of small-arm ammunition, there was +very little belonging to the machine-guns and the guns in the batteries; +so, taking Quen-lung with him, he made his way to the magazines, taking +his requisition book with him in his pocket. + +It was then that he obtained his first insight into the subtle ways of +Chinese Naval officialdom. He knew perfectly well what kind of +ammunition he required, and how much of it, but he seemed utterly unable +to find anybody who possessed the necessary authority to issue it. He +was sent from one official to another, all of them gorgeously dressed +and very eager to give every assistance; yet when the moment arrived for +the stores to be actually given into his hands--well, they were +heart-broken to give the honourable captain so much trouble, but would +he be pleased to obtain the approval of his Excellency the honourable +Somebody Else, whose signature was also needed before the ammunition +could be removed. + +At last, so disgusted did Frobisher become at all this delay and +prevarication that he went back to the _Su-chen_, selected some twenty +of the strongest members of his crew, and himself took them up to the +magazine with a number of hand-wagons which he had collected, under much +voluble protest, _en route_. Then, having found the required pattern of +cartridge, he ordered his men to load the cases on to the wagons, and, +amid the intensely-shocked expostulations of the outraged officials of +the Ordnance Department, who were quite unaccustomed to fill a +requisition in less than a month, the several indents were wheeled down +to the gunboat by the Chinese sailors, who already began to show the +respect they felt for a man who knew what he wanted, and got it. + +The task was finished at last, and that afternoon the _Su-chen_ dipped +her ensign to the _San-chau_, on board of which Admiral Wong-lih had his +quarters, steamed down the river Pei-ho, past the Taku forts at its +mouth, and out into the open sea on her way to the mouth of the +Hoang-ho, some three hundred miles up which lay the village of +Tchen-voun-hien, at or near which the pirates' lair was said to be +situated. During the hundred-mile run across the gulf of Chi-lih, +Frobisher set his men to clean ship thoroughly, overhaul and polish the +guns, and make things in general a little more shipshape than they had +been since the time when the _Su-chen_ left her builders' hands on the +Thames. + +Frobisher was fortunate in the moment when the gunboat arrived off the +mouth of the Hoang-ho, for the sea was smooth, and the usually dangerous +bar at the mouth of the river was passed with ease. But there were many +reminders, in the shape of broken spars, and in some cases fragments of +hulls, projecting out of the water, to show that the sea was not always +in so gentle a mood, and that many other captains had been less +fortunate. The bar at the mouth of the Hoang-ho is indeed one vast +graveyard, both of men and ships. + +Frobisher anchored a few miles up the river, and spent a whole day +exercising his men at cutlass and small-arm drill, to smarten them up a +little and prepare them as far as possible for the cut-and-thrust work +which, he felt sure, the task of exterminating the pirates would +ultimately involve. Early on the following morning the voyage upstream +was continued, the _Su-chen_ making not more than about six knots an +hour against the strong current, the result, evidently, of heavy rains +up-country, for the river--well named the "Yellow River"--was thick and +turbid with mud, which had been washed off the surface of the land by +the floods. + +Mile after mile the _Su-chen_ crept along, and the low, flat, +uninteresting banks slipped gradually astern. A few junks were passed, +but they were all too far away for Frobisher to communicate with them, +as they were well in under the land, while the gunboat was obliged, on +account of her draught, to keep more or less in the centre of the river. + +One afternoon, however, there came from the man whom Frobisher had +posted in the foretop, to give warning of rocks or shoals, a shout that +there was a dismasted junk about a mile ahead which appeared to be +trying to intercept the gunboat. She seemed, the look-out reported, to +have been on fire, as well as having lost her mast, for he could plainly +make out through his telescope the black patches where her deck and +bulwarks had been charred. There were only two men on deck, he added, +and these men were doing all they could to attract attention, waving +something--he could not quite make out what--above their heads, and +leaping about excitedly. There were other dark-coloured patches about +the deck, but at that distance it was not possible to say whether they +were the result of fire, or of something else. Frobisher, however, who +had carefully listened to a report of the details from the interpreter, +had the conviction that there had been some happening on board that junk +other than that of mere fire, and that he was shortly to receive +evidence with his own eyes of the activities of the pirates whom he was +going to exterminate; for he felt certain that the dark stains were not +those of fire, but of blood. + +As soon as the unwieldy craft, which was progressing solely by the force +of the current, approached to within a quarter of a mile of the +_Sit-chen_, Frobisher rang his engines to half-speed, so that the +gunboat barely made headway against the current, and thus awaited the +junk's arrival. The gunboat was skilfully manoeuvred alongside her, and +the crew, with ropes and grapnels, soon secured her, and assisted the +two men who formed her sole complement up on deck. Here Frobisher, +after giving them some refreshment, of which they were plainly in great +need, questioned them through the interpreter as to the cause of their +present condition. + +It was precisely as he had expected. The junk had, it seemed, sailed a +few days previously from Tchen-tcheou, a town about six hundred miles +from the mouth of the river, with a valuable cargo of sandalwood +intended for Tien-tsin; but on passing the spot where the old bed of the +river used to lie before the channel was diverted, she had been attacked +by no fewer than five large and heavily-armed junks, crowded with men. +Before the crew could even place themselves in a position for defence, +the junk had been seized and the men cut to pieces by the ruthless +pirates. The two men standing on the _Su-chen's_ deck had escaped as by +a miracle, for, after taking all her cargo out of the junk and throwing +dead and wounded overboard, the leader of the pirates had indulged his +humour by binding the two survivors and laying them on the deck, +afterwards firing the junk and setting her adrift. The men had secured +their freedom by one of them gnawing the other's bonds loose, and they +had then managed to extinguish the fire. + +But--would not the honourable captain take his ship up the river, and +wipe the pirates out, lock, stock, and barrel? Frobisher informed them +that such was his intention; and, after asking the two men whether they +would accompany him as guides, and receiving their assurance that they +desired nothing better, he set the junk adrift again, since she was +absolutely useless, and continued his journey. + +At nine o'clock the next morning one of the two new men, who had been +looking keenly ahead for a few moments, came up to Frobisher and pointed +out what appeared to be a large, square, stone-built castle, or fort, +standing some distance back from the river bank, upon the top of a knoll +of rising ground. + +"That," he announced, "is the pirates' head-quarters. There is a little +bight just at the junction of the old and the new channels, and it is +there that they lie in ambush with their junks. Now, sir, you can +perhaps see their masts standing up behind that low bank yonder?" + +Frobisher looked, and counted, indeed, five masts. They were, then, +evidently those belonging to the pirate junks which had attacked the +Chinese merchantman on the preceding day; and the fort on the hill, +yonder, was the pirates' lair which he had been specially dispatched +from Tien-tsin to destroy. He rubbed his hands gleefully and gave +orders to clear for action; then, with his telescope fixed unwaveringly +on the fort, he leant over the bridge rail, watching, while the +_Su-chen_, her engines working at full pressure, stemmed the muddy tide +on her errand of retribution. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +TCHEN-VOUN-HIEN. + +The _Su-chen_ was about five miles away when the fort first came into +view, and for about a quarter of an hour she steamed ahead without any +sign of life or of alarm becoming perceptible in the vicinity of the +pirates' head-quarters. Frobisher was beginning to hope that fortune +was so far favouring him that perhaps the freebooters might have set out +on some buccaneering expedition inland upon this particular morning, and +that he might thus be able to land, seize and destroy the junks, and +occupy the fort during their absence; at the same time preparing an +unpleasant little surprise for the pirates when they returned. + +But his hope was doomed to disappointment. Still keeping his eye glued +to the telescope, he suddenly observed a flash and a puff of white smoke +leap out from a corner tower of the fort, and a few moments later the +dull "boom" of a fairly-heavy gun made itself heard. At the same moment +a tiny ball soared aloft to the head of the flagstaff on the +battlements, which ball presently broke abroad and revealed itself as a +large yellow flag of triangular shape, the apex of the triangle, or fly, +being circular instead of ending in a point. There was also a design of +some description embroidered on the flag in the favourite Chinese blue, +but what the design represented Frobisher could not imagine. He had +never beheld anything like it in his life, so he turned to Quen-lung, +who was, as usual, standing alongside him, and, handing him the +telescope, told him to take a look at the piece of bunting and say what +the decoration on the flag was intended to represent. + +Quen-lung obediently placed the eyepiece to his eye, and a few seconds +later Frobisher observed the man turn pale and stagger backward, almost +dropping the telescope as he did so. The man's eyes were dilated, his +face turned the colour of putty; his lower lip had dropped, and his +hands were trembling as though palsied. He presently recovered himself, +however, and the colour gradually returned to his face. Frobisher asked +what ailed him. + +"Oh, sir," he answered, "turn back; turn back before it is too late. I +have read the design on that flag, and know we can never hope to succeed +against those who fight under its folds. I may not say--no man who +knows may tell what those characters signify; but the men who belong to +the Society that flies that ensign have never been conquered, and not a +single one among them has ever been captured, although troops have been +sent against them time after time. No one has ever returned alive to +tell what happened; and we can only guess. They have sworn enmity +against the whole human race, and their numbers are always being +increased by the addition of men who have wrongs to redress, or believe +themselves to have been injured by their fellows; and it is said that +they always put their captives to death in an unspeakably horrible +manner, although no witness has ever returned to tell the tale. I am +sure that, if the admiral had known who the people were whom he wants to +destroy, he would never have sent the expedition at all." + +Frobisher looked the man up and down for a few seconds, as though he +thought that the fellow's mind had given way. Then he said, sternly: + +"What child's talk is this, Quen-lung? Do I hear a man speaking, or is +it a boy, frightened by a bogy? What are you dreaming about, that you +tell me I had better return without attacking these pirates? I am most +certainly going to attack them, and my orders are to exterminate the +whole crew of them; so you will very soon be able to disabuse your mind +of the belief that they are invulnerable, as you seem to suppose. You +say that no man has ever escaped them; but there are two men on board +now to contradict that statement--the men we rescued from the junk. No, +no, my good man; you've been listening to some old woman's tale and +allowed it to frighten you. You'll see that you will be quite all right +as soon as the fighting begins; you will do your part as well as the +best of us." + +This he said in the hope of infusing a little backbone into the man, who +was shaking like a leaf; but his words had no effect. Quen-lung was +terrified, there was no doubt of that, and it seemed to Frobisher that +his terror arose not so much, from fear of the pirates themselves as +from some supernatural power which he appeared to attribute to them. + +"Well, master," he said resignedly, "if you insist on attacking them, +you must; but you will not win. I know it; I can see it!" And without +another word he walked to the other side of the deck and leant over the +bulwarks, his chin resting on the palms of his hands, staring moodily +down into the muddy water. + +By this time the _Su-chen_ had approached to within a distance of about +a mile from the fort and the small bight in the river, inside which lay +the five junks, and Frobisher determined to try a sighting shot at the +building, to accustom the men to a changing range. He therefore ordered +the men to load the four-inch gun forward, bring it to bear on the +square tower from which the pirates' signal-gun-had been fired, and +discharge it when ready. + +The gun was loaded and trained, and the gunner laid his finger on the +firing key; there was a deafening report, the boat quivered from truck +to keelson, and Frobisher, watching, saw the shell strike and burst full +on the centre of the tower, in which a ragged hole immediately +afterwards appeared. + +"Good shot!" he ejaculated, laying down his telescope. "Let us try a +few more of the same kind, men. That will soon show those fellows that +we mean business. Where's their invulnerability now, Quen-lung--eh?" + +His words were drowned by a terrific discharge from the fort, the whole +eastern front of which seemed to break out into flame and smoke, while a +perfect storm of shot, shell, and small-arm missiles swept the ship, +striking down men, ripping up planking and bulwarks, cutting rigging, +and generally doing a tremendous amount of damage. + +From all over the decks came the cries and groans of wounded men, +mingled with execrations from the unwounded who had seen their friends +shot down. Frobisher himself, when he had wiped the blood out of his +eyes which had flowed into them from a small wound on his forehead +caused by a flying splinter, was astounded to observe the amount of +damage and the number of casualties that had resulted from that one +discharge. The pirates had somehow managed to get the range to a +nicety, and every shot had come aboard. There were no less than nine +men killed and wounded, and the crew of the four-inch gun were all down. +Unconquerable or not, the pirates were certainly marvellously clever +gunners, and their weapons must be both heavy and modern. + +At the same moment Frobisher observed a movement among the masts of the +junks; and presently, to his amazement, he saw that they were coming out +from behind their shelter, evidently with the intention of fighting him +from the river as well as from the shore. Well, he would make short +work of them, anyway. They were only made of wood, and a few +well-directed shots between wind and water should send the whole fleet +to the bottom in short order. With this end in view, he ordered every +gun that could be brought to bear to be fired at the junks, meaning to +clear them out of the way before turning his attention entirely to the +fort; for he could see that they were crowded with men, and it might be +rather awkward for his ship's crew if they managed to get alongside. +The gunboat's sides were low, and it would be an easy matter to board +her from craft standing as high out of the water as those junks. + +The men sprang to their posts with alacrity, and soon the duel was in +full swing. The junks were, like the fort, very heavily armed--much +more heavily than Frobisher had in the least anticipated--and their +accurately-aimed shot came ripping and tearing through the _Su-chen's_ +wooden bulwarks and sides with terrible effect. In addition to solid +shot the pirates were using shell, and the air was soon full of flying +pieces of metal, which struck men down in every direction. Only inside +the iron casemates did there seem to be any protection from that deadly +storm, and there the Chinese sailors were serving their guns coolly and +with excellent aim. Shot after shot struck one or other of the junks, +and Frobisher could see them actually reel under the impact; but so far +no shot had been lucky enough to strike below or on the water line, and +so sink any of them. + +The _Su-chen_ was now, he considered, quite close enough to both fort +and junks; he therefore rang for half-speed, at which the vessel just +held her own against the current, the junks themselves having anchored +in order to avoid being swept down under the _Su-chen's_ guns. + +So the battle went grimly forward. Frobisher soon discovered that his +big body was being made a target for small-arm fire, and was shortly +obliged to leave the bridge, in order to avoid being shot. He therefore +took up his post in the forward starboard casemate, from which position +he could observe the enemy and at the same time encourage his crew to +greater efforts. This he was obliged to do by signs, for at the +beginning of the battle Quen-lung had vanished, and Frobisher was unable +to catch a glimpse of him anywhere. He had doubtless sought the +seclusion of his cabin, in the hope that there he might find safety, +oblivious of the fact that the enemy were using such large and powerful +guns that the wooden sides of the gunboat offered little more protection +than he would have obtained out on deck. Frobisher determined to go and +find him, when he could spare a moment or two from the matter in hand, +bring him up on deck, and thus teach him, by the most practical of +methods, how to stand fire without flinching. + +At present, however, he had more than enough to occupy him, without +thinking of Quen-lung. The fort had brought all its guns to bear on the +_Su-chen_ directly the gunboat became practically stationary, and it, as +well as the junks, was making such excellent practice that Frobisher at +length began to realise that he was in a very warm corner indeed, out of +which it would tax his skill to the utmost to extricate himself, to say +nothing of carrying out his expressed intention of destroying the pirate +stronghold. There was, of course, still time to retire, to return to +Tien-tsin and bring reinforcements, explaining to the admiral that one +small gunboat was utterly inadequate to undertake so important an +enterprise as this was proving to be; and this would doubtless have been +his wisest plan. But this particular Englishman happened to be one of +those who do not know when they are beaten, and the mere idea of retreat +never so much as entered his mind. + +He therefore went about from gun to gun, cheering and encouraging the +men, sometimes training one of the weapons himself, and all the while +impressing upon the crew--as well as he could by signs--the necessity +for holing and sinking the junks as speedily as possible, and so +reducing to some extent the severe gruelling to which the _Su-chen_ was +being subjected. + +At last his constant exhortations began to have their effect. A +well-directed shell from the four-inch gun--laid, as it happened, by +Frobisher's own hands--struck the junk at the end of the line nearest to +the gunboat full upon the water line, and exploding, blew a hole in her +nearly a yard square; while from the interior of the smitten junk arose +a chorus of screams, groans, and yells, proving that the flying +splinters of the shell had done other work as well. Those on board the +_Su-chen_ saw the water pouring into the pirate vessel in a very +cataract; she heeled farther and farther over, and in less than a minute +after the shell had struck, righted herself for a second, and then +plunged below the surface, carrying with her the greater portion of her +crew. + +"Hurrah, boys!" shouted Frobisher, "that's one gone. Repeat the dose +with the next fellow, and we'll soon put the whole crowd of them out of +business!" + +The rousing cheer with which his men responded to words which they could +not possibly understand, but the meaning of which was sufficiently +clear, was answered by a yell of rage and defiance from the pirates, +accompanied by another furious bombardment from their guns and +small-arms; and Frobisher, gazing at the havoc caused by the discharge, +and the bodies with which his decks were strewn, realised that the +destruction of that one junk had but animated the pirates to fresh +exertions, and that the victory was not yet even half-won. + +Realising that it was imperative to silence the fire from the junks if +success was to be obtained at all, he signed to the gunners to load and +direct all their pieces upon the next junk, firing together, in the hope +that the combined discharge might effect the desired result. And so it +did. The missiles all struck the craft almost on the same spot, and a +few minutes later she, too, took herself and her crew to the bottom, +leaving only three junks to deal with--and the fort, which was blazing +away merrily and doing a good deal of damage, though not so much as the +junks, the gunners on board which appeared to be specially-trained +marksmen. + +The enthusiasm of the Chinese sailors at this second stroke of luck was +immense, and they threw themselves into their work with unabated energy, +despite the fact that fully a quarter of their comrades were lying dead +or wounded around them. + +The cries of the wounded for water were dreadful, despite all that could +be done to help them. Frobisher had already told off as many men as he +could spare to carry water, but it seemed impossible to quench the poor +wretches' thirst; their cry was always for more, even though they had +drunk but a moment previously. The unwounded men appeared to be quite +indifferent, however, both to their own comrades' sufferings and their +own chances of death or mutilation, and went on serving the guns as +calmly as though they were at target practice. Frobisher realised then, +as numbers of white men have realised since, that the Chinese soldier +and sailor, properly trained and properly led, constitutes some of the +finest fighting material in the world; and that, if a leader ever +arises, capable of drilling and controlling the vast mass of material +which China contains, it will be a very bad thing indeed for the white +races. A properly-drilled, well-trained, well-armed, and capably-led +army of perhaps fifty million fighting men would be invincible; an +invasion of Europe by such a force could not possibly be withstood. +That dreadful day is, however, far in the future, let us hope. + +Frobisher now turned his attention to the third junk, still carrying out +his plan of sinking them one at a time, and determined to lay and fire +the four-inch gun again himself, in the hope of repeating his former +successful shot. The shell and cartridge were rammed home and the +breech closed and screwed up, and having trained the gun, he pressed his +finger to the firing key, springing back directly afterward to avoid the +recoil. But to his astonishment there was no report: the weapon did not +discharge. He therefore set and pressed the key again, but once more +there was no result. It was evidently a miss-fire. The young man knew, +of course, that sometimes a cartridge will "hang fire", and that many a +gun's crew have been blown to pieces by prematurely opening the breech, +but he forgot all about that now in his anxiety, and unscrewed and +opened the breech-piece immediately. Nothing happened. There were the +marks of the percussion-pin upon the primer of the cartridge, but the +ammunition had failed to explode. + +Hastily calling for another cartridge, he withdrew the faulty one and +thrust in a fresh one, closing the breech and repeating his first +operation; but again the cartridge failed to explode. Something was +seriously wrong somewhere--but what? Was it the powder that was faulty +or damp, or the primer that was ineffective? It was impossible to say +without examination. Another cartridge and still another were tried, +and every time the result was the same, until Frobisher began to feel +seriously alarmed. + +Encouraged by the cessation of fire from the _Su-chen_, the junks had +redoubled their own, and the gunboat was rapidly becoming as riddled as +a sieve, while men were falling fast in every direction. The ship's +funnel was as full of holes as a cullender, the shrouds of the foremast +were cut to pieces on both sides, the mainmast had long since been shot +away, and the wooden deck-houses were mere heaps of splintered wood, +while the bulwarks were in a perfectly ruinous condition. Clearly +something must be done, and done quickly, or the _Su-chen_ would be sunk +beneath their feet. + +Ordering his men to leave the four-inch for the time being, and to blaze +away with the smaller pieces and machine-guns, Frobisher ran below to +the magazine to try to discover what was wrong. He found the men there +passing out shell and cartridge quite calmly, unaware that there was +anything wrong on deck, and of course taking no precaution to examine +the stuff before sending it up the hoist. + +Frobisher's first action when he got to the magazine was to examine the +outside of the brass cases, and he soon saw--or thought he saw--what was +the matter. When the _Su-chen's_ ammunition had been overhauled at +Tien-tsin, cartridge for the four-inch was one of the sizes of which +there was a shortage, and Frobisher had had a fresh supply put on board. +That fresh supply, he had observed at the time, was stencilled with +Chinese characters in red paint, while the old stock had been stencilled +in black; and he now observed that all the cartridge being passed up +carried the black stencil, and was therefore old stuff--how old he did +not care to think. He at once told the men by signs not to send up any +more black-marked cartridge, but to use only the red-marked; and then, +for the second time that day, he received a shock. + +The four-inch gun had been fired more frequently than any other gun, and +the whole of the fresh supply of cartridge of that size had been +exhausted. There was not a single charge left! How bitterly he blamed +himself for not having hove every scrap of the ship's old ammunition +overboard, and filled up entirely with new! But it was no time for +regrets now; the only thing to do was to rectify matters, if possible; +and if not, to make the best of them. Perhaps it might be the primers +that were faulty, he thought, and if so, the situation might yet be +saved, for there was a supply of new primers on board. + +Seizing one of the cases in his arms, he rushed on deck with his load, +and there, under cover of one of the casemates, drew the load, +exercising the utmost care, that the powder might not be exposed to any +flying sparks. Then, springing to the gun, he thrust in the empty case, +slammed the breech shut, and pressed the key. + +There was a loud, smacking report, and a little thread of smoke curled +up from the muzzle of the gun. The primers, then, were in good order, +so--good heavens!--it must be the powder that was wrong, and Frobisher +felt the beads of sweat gather on his forehead. He would make quite +sure, though. + +Running back to the casemate, he snatched a handful of powder, spread it +thinly on deck, well away from the load, and placed a lighted match to +it. There was no flame or puff of smoke, no explosion--nothing! The +match simply burnt up and went out. Then the _Su-chen's_ captain took a +pinch of the stuff between his fingers and put it in his mouth, tasting +it. A moment later he spat it out on deck with a cry of horror and +amazement, for what had passed for powder in all those old cartridges +was nothing but granulated charcoal! Then Frobisher recollected +Wong-lih's accusation of peculation on the part of mandarins and other +high officials who filled their pockets at the expense of their country, +and how the admiral had said that it would be a bad thing for China if +she had to go to war under conditions such as then obtained. + +This, then, was one of the results of such peculation. Some contractor +or official had been paid to provide powder, and he had provided +charcoal, pocketing the difference. + +Frobisher ground his teeth and muttered several very bitter things. +Here he was, engaged with a vastly superior force, handicapped most +horribly for want of ammunition--for possibly the rest of the supply, +intended for the smaller guns, was in the same condition. What would +have happened if he had not had the forethought to examine superficially +the contents of the magazine at Tien-tsin, and order a fresh supply on +his own responsibility, he hardly dared to think. There would +undoubtedly have been not a single cartridge capable of being +discharged, and the _Su-chen_ and her crew would by this time +undoubtedly have been the prize of the pirates. And all this that some +pampered mandarin or contractor might have a supply of unearned money +wherewith to buy luxuries that he neither deserved nor needed. It was +disgraceful! + +But there was nothing to be gained by repining, he reminded himself. +Fortunately the cartridge for the smaller guns seemed to be holding out +satisfactorily; and while Frobisher had been investigating the matter of +the larger cartridge his men had made so good practice with them and +their rifles that the third junk was already in a sinking condition. +Even as he looked she disappeared like her consorts to the bottom, in a +swirl of broken water, dotted with the forms of struggling pirates. + +The one big gun being now useless, and the _Su-chen_ herself in a very +parlous condition, it was obviously out of the question to think of +attempting to conclude the fight by means of the light guns and +small-arms alone; the ship would not float long enough for that. Some +other plan of action must therefore be adopted, and Frobisher gave his +attention to the idea for a few minutes. Then he resolved upon a scheme +which, though extremely hazardous, seemed to offer the best, if not the +only, hope of success. It was a case of either destroying the pirates +or being destroyed himself together with his crew; and of the two he +naturally preferred that the sufferers should be the pirates. To +explain his intentions it would be necessary, however, to call in the +assistance of the interpreter, otherwise he could never hope to make the +men comprehend exactly what was required--and his every hope of success +hinged upon this. + +He therefore went in search of Quen-lung, whom he eventually found, +after a prolonged hunt, hiding, in an almost fainting condition, +underneath the bunk in the first lieutenant's cabin, and dragged him +forcibly on deck. He was obliged to give the terrified man a stiff dose +of raki to bring him to a condition to understand what was being said to +him; then, the fellow finally coming in some degree to his senses, +Frobisher explained to him the plan of campaign, and ordered him to +translate it to the men. + +There being now but two junks left, it was the Englishman's intention to +run the _Su-chen_ up stream and in between them, firing as she went. +Then boarding parties, headed respectively by himself and the first +lieutenant, were to leap on to the decks of the junks, drive the crews +overboard--not below--cut the cables, fire the vessels, and send them +adrift down stream with the current. The _Su-chen_ would then be free +to turn her entire attention to the fort. She would anchor in the berth +vacated by the junks, and endeavour to silence the fire of the fort with +her remaining guns. If this could be done, a landing-party was to be +thrown ashore who would carry with them a number of powder-bags for +blowing in the gates; after which the idea was to enter the fort and +carry it by storm. If the guns could not be entirely silenced, then as +much damage as possible was to be done, and the assault was to be +attempted in any case. + +The men signified their comprehension of the plan with a cheer; then +rifles were loaded, bayonets fixed, cartridge-pouches refilled, and +cutlasses brought up from below and belted on. Frobisher gave the word, +and the _Su-chen_ went ahead at full speed for the junks. The men on +the latter at once understood the move, and did their utmost to prevent +it coming off, but all to no purpose. The gunboat crashed in between +them, grapnels were hove aboard each junk, and the two parties of +boarders, with Frobisher and the lieutenant at their head, scrambled up +on the decks of the junks, where a desperate hand-to-hand struggle at +once commenced. + +The pirates, knowing that they could expect no mercy, showed none, and +no quarter was given on either side. Frobisher, at the head of his men, +strove to cut his way forward, driving the pirates ahead of him and +overboard; but he soon realised that this was going to be an exceedingly +difficult task. The desperadoes were splendidly armed, and seemed not +to know the meaning of the word fear. Men found revolvers flashing in +their very faces, and spoke no more in this world; the air scintillated +with the gleam of whirling steel and vibrated with the hoarse shouts of +the combatants and the cries of wounded men; while, to add to the horror +and confusion of the scene, the guns of the fort opened fire murderously +upon friend and foe alike. + +Twice the pirates had given way slightly, but each time they had +recovered their ground, and however many of them were killed, others +seemed to appear from nowhere to take their places; and so the fight +raged with unabated fury. Frobisher picked out a man who appeared to be +one of the chiefs, and made herculean efforts to reach him; but time and +again a whirlwind of men swept in between him and his prey, so that the +fellow seemed unapproachable. + +Then, suddenly, there arose a roar of exultation from the pirates, and, +turning, Frobisher saw the other boarding party give way, and, seemingly +struck with panic, go tumbling back on board the _Su-chen_, defeated. +Frobisher, forgetting that he would not be understood, shouted to his +men to redouble their efforts, and to those on the gunboat to go back +and try again. + +But there was worse to come. The Englishman was at the head of his men, +plying his cutlass with terrible effect, when he felt a slight jar, and +looked round just in time to see a man on board the _Su-chen_ throw off +the last grapnel, and the gunboat begin to gather sternway down the +stream. He uttered a shout of rage, and strove to hew his way to the +side of the junk; but even as he did so, he realised that he was too +late. There were already fathoms of water between junk and steamer, and +the bitter conclusion was forced home upon him that he had been deserted +by his crew, and left alone with a mere handful of men in the midst of a +crowd of howling, murderous pirates. The end of all things for him +seemed very close at that moment. + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +THE PATHWAY OF GLASS. + +Desperate as the situation undoubtedly was, Captain Frobisher was not +the man to yield without a struggle. He was cornered, and he knew it. +Nothing short of a miracle could extricate him from the position in +which the momentary panic of the other boarding party had placed him by +the withdrawal of the _Su-chen_; but he determined that, if he was to +die, he would not die alone. + +With this resolution, he renewed the fight with even greater desperation +than before, if that were possible; and so formidable a foe did he +become that, for a few seconds, the pirates in front of him wavered and +all but broke. His tall, strong figure, as he advanced bareheaded, with +set teeth and gleaming eyes, and that long ruddily-gleaming strip of +steel which played here, there, and everywhere with the swiftness of +light, made up a spectacle sufficiently awe-inspiring to terrify any +man, one would have thought; but many of the pirates were themselves +almost as big and strong as Frobisher, and were thoroughly accustomed to +desperate, hand-to-hand fighting. Their hesitation was therefore but +momentary, and the next instant they had closed round him like a pack of +hungry wolves, snarling and spitting curses at him, and even striving to +pull him down with their hands. + +Gaining the opportunity of an instant's breathing space, Frobisher +glanced quickly behind him to discover how many of his men were left to +him, and was horrified to find that, out of the forty men who had +followed him on to the deck of the junk, but ten remained on their feet, +while of those ten, fully half were bleeding from more or less severe +wounds which would quickly put them _hors de combat_. There was +therefore not the smallest possibility of cutting a way through the +dense throng that surrounded them and leaping over the side into the +water, as he had at first thought of doing; and there seemed nothing to +be done but to sell his life and the lives of his followers as dearly as +possible--for he was quite resolved to die rather than fall alive into +the hands of the pirates, having already heard something of the tender +mercies of the Chinese to their prisoners. + +Unhappily for Frobisher, however, he was unable to control circumstance, +and, not having eyes in the back of his head, he was unaware of what was +happening behind him. He did not know that a few seconds later his +followers were all cut down and slain, and that he remained fighting +alone, without a single protector at his back, and with his enemies +swarming all round him. Neither did he observe the chief, whom he had +been trying to reach unsuccessfully ever since the beginning of the +fight, made a brief signal to his men not to strike. + +Consequently he was not a little astonished when he suddenly felt +himself seized round the neck and body by half a dozen pairs of arms, +which pinioned his own and left him helpless. In an instant his cutlass +was wrenched from his grasp and he was hurled to the deck, where more +men immediately flung themselves upon him, holding him firmly down, so +that he found it utterly impossible to move a limb. + +Thereafter the business of binding him was comparatively easy, and he +presently found himself swathed from head to foot in coils of rope, +until he resembled a mummy rather than a living man. + +His captors then rolled him contemptuously out of the way against the +shot-riddled bulwarks, and proceeded to take account of their +casualties. Where Frobisher had made his final stand the dead lay +thickest, and he noticed with grim satisfaction that there were very few +wounded men to be seen. His men and he had fought well, and he had +nothing with which to reproach himself. The pirate chief scowled +heavily as he scanned the result of the fight; but although he had +unquestionably paid dearly in men for his victory, he had no compunction +in ordering the more severely wounded to be hove over the side. +Probably there were no facilities for doctoring them, and the chief +perhaps thought they might as well die now as later on, and so save him +a good deal of trouble in transporting them to the shore. + +Just then the other junk bumped heavily alongside, and her men came +aboard, reporting that their craft had been so badly damaged that she +was in a sinking condition. Indeed her crew had hardly transferred +themselves before she disappeared beneath the muddy waters. + +The fourth junk safely accounted for, Frobisher comforted himself with +the assurance that, with any sort of luck at all, the _Su-chen_ ought to +be able to make her way back to Tien-tsin, short-handed though she must +undoubtedly be; and, once there, he knew a report of the failure of the +expedition would be speedily carried to Wong-lih, provided the admiral +happened to be still there. The latter would then be quite certain to +send a rescue expedition up the Hoang-ho to recover any prisoners the +pirates might have taken, or to avenge them if slain. Happily for the +Englishman's peace of mind, he did not know that, although the _Su-chen_ +did eventually reach Tien-tsin in safety, she arrived too late to catch +the admiral, who had left to visit some of the Southern Chinese ports +and inspect the men-of-war on that station, and was not expected back, +unless specially sent for, for at least a couple of months. And it was +certain that none of the Chinese officials at Tien-tsin would consider +the fact of Frobisher's capture and probable murder at the hands of the +pirates as sufficient to justify the exertion of dispatching a messenger +to recall Wong-lih, or even to give him news of the result of the +expedition. So, although he did not know it, there was little prospect +of rescue for Murray Frobisher, for some time, at all events. + +The business of disposing of the dead and badly wounded men having been +completed, the pirate chief, whose name--from the number of times the +word was used when he was being addressed--Frobisher guessed to be +Ah-fu, issued a few brief orders in barbarous-sounding, up-country +Chinese; and the survivors of the fight got up the anchor, and slowly +poled the junk back to her berth behind the small headland where the +fleet had been lying on the arrival of the _Su-chen_. Observing that, +in his bound condition, nobody seemed to consider it necessary to stand +on guard over him, and being anxious to learn as much as possible +respecting his present surroundings--with a view to future escape if he +were left alive long enough--Frobisher contrived to bring himself into a +kneeling position, after which he had not much difficulty in struggling +to his feet, and was thus able to look over the side and see what was +going on. + +By the time that he had executed this manoeuvre the junk had left the +main stream of the river and had entered the bight where the pirate +fleet was accustomed to be concealed; and, at the far end of this, about +a quarter of a mile from their present position, Frobisher distinguished +a small wharf, some two hundred feet in length by about thirty wide, and +standing about eight feet out of the water, toward which the junk was +being steered. This was no doubt the jetty where the pirates unloaded +the loot stolen from captured prizes, and whence they took aboard their +own stores of ammunition, provisions, and water. There was quite a +number of bamboo and thatch huts scattered about at the shore end of the +jetty--evidently store-houses--while a stream of flashing, sparkling, +crystal-clear water, tumbling down a narrow gully and cutting a tiny +channel for itself across the sand to the river, was without doubt the +source of the pirates' water supply. + +Frobisher noticed that at the end of the jetty a number of the men from +the fort had collected, apparently awaiting the arrival of their +comrades of the maritime department; and as the junk came alongside, +these individuals clambered aboard, and a vociferous conversation +ensued, during which fierce glances and threatening gestures were +directed toward the Englishman, who knew instinctively that the new +arrivals were strongly urging that he should be put to death, as some +sort of a sacrifice to the memory of the dead pirates, in whose +destruction he had played so large a part. Indeed, it seemed at one +moment as though he were to be slaughtered as he stood there, bound and +helpless; for the new-comers surged forward, knives and swords gleaming +in their hands, pushing the junk's crew backward until the whole crowd +had gathered in a circle, with Frobisher in the centre. Frobisher +expected death at any moment, and he was at a loss to understand why the +junk's men seemed reluctant to let the others have their way, seeing +that they themselves had been eager enough to put an end to him but a +short time previously. Presently he noticed that Ah-fu had disappeared +from the deck, and guessed that the men were merely waiting for him to +return before allowing the people from the fort to have their way. + +Presently the pirate chief reappeared, and was immediately surrounded by +an eager, gesticulating crowd, who pointed to Frobisher and handled +their blades in sanguinary anticipation. But, holding up his hand for +silence, Ah-fu said a few words to his followers which produced an +immediate and remarkable effect. Sheathing their weapons, they broke +out into shouts of laughter, and began to discuss with one another the +details of what they evidently considered an excellent joke; and +Frobisher, knowing something of the Chinese pirates' idea of amusement, +felt that he would infinitely have preferred being killed on the spot to +being kept alive to provide sport for these barbarians. Quen-lung had +certainly been right when he had prophesied disaster as the result of +attacking the "Unconquerable"--as Frobisher afterwards found was indeed +the name of the sect to which the pirates belonged--although what reason +the man had had for being so sure, the young Englishman was utterly +unable to guess. + +The matter having evidently been settled entirely to the pirates' +satisfaction, Frobisher's legs were unbound, so that he could walk, and, +closely guarded by two men carrying long, broad-bladed knives, he was +led down the sloping gangway to the wharf, followed by the rest of the +crowd talking and laughing hilariously. Thence he was taken up the +hill, a distance of a quarter of a mile, to the fort. + +On reaching his destination he was amazed to note the enormous strength +of the building, and the consequently small amount of damage that had +been done by the fire of the gunboat. With the exception of the hole in +the tower, and a few splintered and starred "splashings" where the +missiles had struck, very little actual injury seemed to have been +inflicted, notwithstanding the excellent practice of the _Su-chen's_ +gunners. The walls, he decided, must be enormously thick, thicker even +than those of the fortress of Asan, which were stout enough to withstand +anything less than heavy gun fire. + +He was not permitted to examine the appearance of the building very +closely, for, observing his hesitation, the two guards prodded him +vindictively with the points of their knives, and pushed him before them +through the massive stone gateway, which was protected by a strong +portcullis at either end, as well as an iron double door between, strong +enough to turn rifle bullets. Frobisher now realised that even if he +had succeeded in sinking all the junks and reaching the gate of the fort +his difficulties would only have begun, and that his plan of blowing in +the gates with powder would have been completely frustrated by the +existence of the outer portcullis. These men certainly knew how to +protect themselves, and were determined not to be captured if human +ingenuity could prevent it. + +Once inside, Frobisher found himself in a spacious courtyard, round +which the fort was built. The windows of the different chambers looked +inward, thus allowing the outer walls to be entirely used for gun +embrasures, rifle loopholes, and even arrow-slits, so varied were the +weapons to be found in this robber stronghold. + +Still in charge of the two guards, at a command from Ah-fu the prisoner +was marched through a doorway in the wall exactly opposite the main +gateway, and was hurried through corridor after corridor--all of them +only dimly lighted by small openings in the outer wall--until he became +utterly confused and lost even the remotest idea of his bearings. After +a walk of about five minutes the guards halted before an iron-bound +door, which, upon being opened, disclosed a flight of steps. Down these +steps he was hurried, finding himself, when at the bottom, at the +entrance to another long passage, which looked as though it had been +hewn out of the solid sandstone, for there were no joints visible in its +walls. + +Removing a lantern from a hook, one of the men lighted it, and the +journey was continued for quite ten minutes in a perfectly straight +line, thus confirming Frobisher's impression that he was in an +underground passage leading from the fort to some other structure at a +considerable distance, probably constructed to afford a means of escape +in the extremely unlikely event of the fort ever being captured. At the +far end of this passage there were several iron-bound doors--a +circumstance which Frobisher noted for future reference; and it was +through one of the middle ones that he was conducted, arriving at once +at the foot of another flight of stairs, similar to those at the other +end, and finally at a large, square, stone cell, lighted on three sides +by very small windows, high up in the walls--a most dismal-looking +prison. There was a low plank bench covered with straw and presumably +intended for a bed, two stools, and a bucket, these few articles +constituting the entire contents of the chamber. + +Frobisher's arms were now unbound, and he was thrust inside, the guards +holding themselves in readiness to frustrate any attempt at escape. But +the prisoner was by this time far too stiff and numb after the +constriction of the ropes to make any such attempt; it was as much as he +could achieve to stagger to the apology for a bed, upon which he flung +himself at full length. He was utterly exhausted, and his body had +scarcely touched the straw before he was fast asleep, in which condition +he remained for nearly twenty-four hours. + +When he awoke he found that a coarse meal had been left for him, while +the bucket had been filled with water; so he made a hearty meal, and +then proceeded to examine his cell by the light of the declining sun. +His search, however, was fruitless: there was nothing out of which he +might construct a key, as he had done at Asan; the windows were scarcely +six inches square; in short, escape appeared an impossibility. + +And now many days dragged out their slow length in dreary monotony; day +after day his custodians brought him a supply of food; but, strangely +enough, the time passed without his being subjected to indignity and +torment for the amusement of the pirates, as he had fully expected might +be the case. Possibly they were absent on some foray, and had postponed +their entertainment until their return. Whatever might be the reason, +however, the days slid past, without molestation to him, and lengthened +into weeks, until, by the notches which he scored every morning on the +edge of his bed, Frobisher found that he had been just thirteen weeks in +confinement. Thirteen weeks!--And, so far as he could tell, no attempt +had been made by the Chinese authorities to rescue him or obtain his +release; at any rate, there had been no sounds of fighting, no report of +guns from the river; and he was being slowly forced to the conclusion +that his very existence had been forgotten, or else that it was thought +not worth while to throw away any more valuable Chinese lives in order +to effect the rescue of so unimportant a personage as an English +mercenary. + +Then, one morning, when Frobisher awoke and commenced to dress--for he +had made a practice of undressing at night, that he might feel the +cleaner and more refreshed next day--he discovered, to his astonishment, +that his boots had mysteriously disappeared during the night. He +searched everywhere for them, but they were nowhere to be found. For +whatever reason--and he puzzled himself to think of a satisfactory one-- +his foot-gear was undoubtedly missing, and there was an end of the +matter. The curious happening vexed him considerably. It seemed such +an idiotic trick to play; and the more he thought about the matter the +more convinced he became that this joke, or whatever it was intended to +be, had a deeper significance than he had at first imagined. + +Since his arrival in China he had contrived to acquire a fragmentary +knowledge of the language, and by its means he endeavoured to ascertain +from the man who nightly brought him food the reason for the apparently +senseless prank; but the fellow either could not or would not +understand, and Frobisher was obliged to give up the attempt. + +The jailer had hitherto been in the habit of closing the iron-bound door +behind him with a slam, rattling the lock after him to make sure that it +was fastened, when he brought the prisoner's food; and this circumstance +had come to be so expected by Frobisher that when, on the evening of the +day on which his boots had disappeared, the man simply pulled the door +to gently behind him and went off about his business without even trying +the lock, the omission immediately attracted the Englishman's attention. + +The man had never before been so careless, and Frobisher could not +decide whether he had been thinking of something else at the moment, and +had succumbed to an attack of absent-mindedness, or whether he had +suddenly recollected something that he had forgotten, and intended to +pay another visit to the cell. Whichever it might be, Frobisher +believed he saw in the circumstance a possibility of escape of which he +instantly determined to avail himself. + +With stealthy footsteps he crept across the stone-flagged floor, +scarcely daring to breathe lest his movements should attract some +inconvenient person's attention. He had, it is true, heard the jailer +walk away down the corridor; but perhaps, playing some stupid joke, the +man had crept back noiselessly, and was even now outside the door, +listening and chuckling to himself at the prisoner's foolishness in +imagining that he would be careless enough to go away leaving the door +unfastened. The mere idea caused the beads of sweat to start out on +Frobisher's forehead; disappointment would be too terrible! + +But he swiftly pulled himself together, and, with fingers that trembled +in spite of himself, he touched the old-fashioned latch and slowly, very +slowly, raised it, pulling the door gently toward him as he did so. + +The door opened, and, scarcely daring to credit his senses, Frobisher +pulled it still wider open, and a moment later was able to look out into +the corridor. There was an antiquated oil lantern hanging at the foot +of the stone stairway, placed there for the jailer's convenience, and by +its light the prisoner was able to see that the corridor was empty. +Then the incident of the door was no trick, after all, and the man had +really suffered a lapse of memory. Twenty-four hours would elapse +before he returned, and Frobisher's absence was discovered, and the +latter hoped by that time to be far away, if he could but find some mode +of escaping undetected from the building. The first and most serious +obstacle in the way, the cell door, was overcome; now to find whether +his luck would still hold, and if he could find another unguarded gate +leading to freedom. + +First of all, however, he must have some covering for his feet. He knew +that he could not walk far barefooted over rough ground; and, if pursued +under such circumstances, capture would be certain and speedy. He +therefore removed his shirt and undervest, and tearing them into strips, +he swathed the wrappings round his feet somewhat after the manner +followed by the Spanish mountaineers. This done, he next had to +ascertain whether the remaining doors between himself and freedom were +locked or unlocked. + +The first door he came to was the one at the foot of the stairs, and, as +might have been expected, this was closed; but it was not locked. The +pirates had clearly pinned their faith on the stanchness of the cell +door. Close to this, in the opposite wall of the passage, were the +other doors which Frobisher had observed when being conducted to his +prison; and it was through one of these that he must pass if he was to +escape at all. The passage itself, he remembered, simply communicated +with the main building of the fort, and to travel by that path was +tantamount to running into the arms of his captors. + +With infinite care he tried the latch of the door on the left. It was +locked. + +Then he turned the handle of the door on the right. That also was +locked; and his heart sank at the thought of the tremendous amount of +labour that would be needed to overcome this obstacle--if it were +possible to overcome it at all, of which he was more than doubtful. + +While he was considering what to do first, his eye caught a faint +glimmer of light shining on something on the wall, and he eagerly +stretched out his hand to it. As he touched it his heart leaped, for +the object was a key--obviously the key of one, or both, of the doors. + +He fitted it cautiously into the lock of the right-hand door and turned +it gently, and with a soft click the wards fell back and the door jarred +slightly open. + +Without wasting a moment, Frobisher pulled it wide and stepped outside, +exulting in his new-found liberty. But, alas! his exultation was only +momentary. An instant later he realised the cruel hoax that had been +played on him, for extending over a distance of many yards in every +direction was a sort of pavement of broken glass, pointed and keen-edged +as a forest of razors. The glass had been so firmly fixed in the ground +that it was impossible to remove it; and Frobisher instantly realised +that his escape that way was most effectually barred. Even with strong +boots on, it would have been a difficult enough matter to traverse that +glass-strewn patch without cutting one's feet to pieces; and with feet +merely protected by thin wrappings of wool and linen, the thing was an +impossibility. + +This, then, was the meaning of the removal of his boots; and, as he +realised the sardonic cruelty of the men who could invent such a device +for tormenting a prisoner, his heart almost failed him. It seemed as +though he were doomed to remain for ever immured in this horrible place. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN. + +PURSUED BY BLOODHOUNDS. + +With a smothered ejaculation of bitter disappointment Frobisher recoiled +a few steps in sheer despair, bringing up rather sharply against the +iron-plated door through which he had just emerged; and the next instant +he realised that he was doubly trapped. Escape was cut off in front of +him by that broken glass, and he had been in such haste to _get away_ +from his prison that he had never thought of removing the key from the +inside of the door, or of taking precautions to prevent the door from +closing behind him and cutting off his retreat, as it had done. + +Retreat, after he was once clear of the walls, had naturally never +entered his mind. But now he would have been glad enough to have been +able to return to his cell unobserved. It would be intensely +humiliating to be obliged to wait there, in the small space between the +door and the glass-sown path, until his jailer arrived, some twenty-four +hours later, to release him. Yet there seemed to be no alternative. + +How careless, how criminally foolish he had been to allow himself to be +trapped by so transparent a device! thought Frobisher. He ought to have +suspected a trap directly he discovered that his boots had been removed, +and he might have known that such jailers as he was dealing with do not +leave cell doors unlatched by accident, or leave keys to open other +doors hanging on walls in conspicuous places, just where an escaping +prisoner would be most likely to see them. How those pirates would +laugh and jeer at him on the morrow, when they arrived and found him +there, shivering with the bitter cold of night in that climate, at that +time of year! The mere thought of such humiliation caused Frobisher to +grit his teeth with anger, and he had almost made up his mind to chance +a quick dash across that cruel barrier, trusting that he would not +injure himself so severely as to make escape absolutely impossible, when +something occurred which caused him quickly to change his mind, and made +him shrink back into the shadow of the door, pressing himself up into +one of the corners, to avoid observation and consequent discovery, if +possible. + +He had caught sight of the figure of a Chinaman emerging from the shadow +of the jungle which surrounded the fort on its landward side. The man's +figure stood out plain and clear-cut in the moonlight, which was so +bright that Frobisher could easily distinguish his every movement, could +even see how the man was dressed; and he wondered what the fellow could +be doing there at that time of night. + +In that part of northern China, especially at that season, men do not +wander about in the jungle at night, or indeed at any other time, if +they can help it, having a very natural objection to being caught and +eaten by prowling, hungry tigers; and it was therefore not a little +strange that this man should arrive at the fort by that way, +particularly as it could be reached much more easily by the road which +the pirates had constructed for their own convenience. It would almost +appear as though the man bad come by this route in order to avoid the +pirates' observation; and the longer Frobisher considered the matter, +the more certain did he become that this was actually the case, and the +more he wondered what the reason might be. + +The man had only stood in full view for a few brief seconds, just long +enough to convince the Englishman that he was real, and not a figment of +his own heated imagination. Then he had stepped back quickly into the +shadow of the jungle, crouching down beside a clump of bamboo, where he +was so well concealed from observation that Frobisher could just +distinguish the outline of his stooping body. Indeed, had he not kept +his eyes on the man the whole time, it would have been impossible to +detect his hiding-place, so well did the colour of his clothing blend +with the vegetation which formed his background. + +The Englishman's heart began to beat with excitement and hope, for a +thousand possibilities at once presented themselves to him. It was +morally certain that the hiding man could have no connection with the +pirates, or he would have come forward boldly and demanded admittance; +and if not a friend of, or connected with the outlaws, he must +necessarily be opposed to them. Ah! if it were only possible to attract +the man's attention without also attracting that of the pirates, escape +should be a simple matter, thought Frobisher. He was already +practically as good as outside the walls, and all that was necessary was +that something should be laid down on the top of the glass over which he +could walk without cutting his feet, and the thing was done; he could be +miles beyond the possibility of pursuit before morning broke, if only +the preliminaries could be put in hand immediately. + +It did not take him long to decide that he would make the attempt to +attract the man's attention. If the latter were a friend, and the +attempt were crowned with success, all would be well, and he would be +free within an hour; while if the man should after all prove to be an +enemy--well, he might as well be discovered and taken back to prison +now, as wait all night in the cold. One thing was quite certain-- +without outside assistance escape was impossible; so he decided to put +his fortune to the test and risk his freedom, if not his life, upon the +turn of the die. + +With this idea, he drew his handkerchief from his pocket and was about +to step forward and wave it, when he saw a movement among the clump of +bamboo, and the next instant the Chinaman rose to his feet and ran like +a deer toward the very part of the fort in which Frobisher's cell was +situated. He ran noiselessly, on his toes, and bent almost double in +the effort to make himself as small as possible. And he did not slacken +speed until he had reached the walls of the fort, where he again +crouched down in the shadow, almost directly under the window of +Frobisher's cell, about twenty yards away from the spot where the +Englishman himself was concealed. + +The latter, in the face of this new move, determined to watch a few +minutes longer before revealing himself, and kept his eyes on the +crouching figure with the greatest interest. Was the man going to prove +friend or foe, rescuer or would-be assassin? Scarcely the latter, the +Englishman thought, for there seemed something strangely familiar in the +man's movements and in his whole appearance; and Frobisher experienced +the sensation of having met, or seen, this man somewhere before, though +under what circumstances he could not for the life of him recall. He +was something of the same build as Ling; but Ling, he knew, was dead, +for he had seen the man's body. Then, again, he might pass at a +distance for Quen-lung, the interpreter; but from what Frobisher had +already seen of that person, he did not for a moment believe that +Quen-lung was at all the kind of man to risk his skin on a midnight +excursion to a pirate stronghold. + +Suddenly Frobisher's attention was disturbed by the sound of a very low +whistle, undoubtedly proceeding from the Chinaman. That whistle was +beyond question a signal of some sort, and was just as certainly +intended for himself. To hesitate longer would have been the height of +folly, for the longer the delay now, the greater would be the danger of +discovery; so, putting his fingers in his mouth, Frobisher replied with +another whistle in exactly the same key and tone as the Chinaman's. The +latter leapt to his feet, took a few steps backward, and looked up at +the window; but seeing nothing there, he proceeded to glance round him +anxiously. + +Frobisher gave another low whistle, and, as the man now turned his head +in his direction, fluttered the white handkerchief. The Chinaman +instantly caught sight of the movement, and commenced to run toward the +prisoner, coming to a sudden standstill as he encountered the outer edge +of the carpet of broken glass. A low exclamation of "Phew!" escaped him +as he understood the meaning of the obstacle, followed by a subdued +execration in English; and on hearing this, Frobisher at once knew who +it was that was risking his life in an endeavour to save him. The man +was none other than Captain Drake! + +How the little skipper had come to hear of his friend's predicament, and +how he had contrived to travel some three hundred miles in disguise +undetected, Frobisher could not guess. All he knew was that at last he +had again a stanch comrade by his side--one who would not forsake him, +even in the last extremity; and in his relief he could scarcely help +shouting aloud for very joy. But fortunately he remembered in time the +absolute necessity for strict silence, and contented himself with +calling in a low voice: + +"That's you, Drake, surely?" + +"It is that same," responded the little man, in a tone as subdued as +Frobisher's own; "but where the dickens are you? I saw something move +just now, but I'm hanged if I can see a thing now." + +"I'm here, just beside this door," replied Frobisher. "I should have +been away an hour ago, if it had not been for this confounded glass." + +"But couldn't you manage to get across, if you take it coolly and walk +slowly?" whispered Drake. "If you plant your feet carefully and balance +yourself well before each step, you ought to be able to do it. But +watch you don't slip; that's where the danger comes in." + +"D'ye think I should not have done that long ago, skipper, if it had +been possible?" Frobisher whispered. "The thing is impossible, because +they have taken away my boots, and the thin wrappings I have round my +feet would be cut to ribbons in half a dozen steps." + +"I might have known," replied Drake. "That's an old game of theirs. +Well, you must be got across somehow, that's clear, and quickly. +There's nobody on guard up above us as yet, but there's no knowing when +they may take it into their heads to post a sentry. H'm!" pulling at +one of the pieces of glass, "the stuff's stuck in too securely to move, +so it's no use thinking of trying to get over the difficulty that way. +And there's neither time nor opportunity to collect anything to lay down +on top of it. There's only one way that I can see, and so let's try +it." + +Without waiting for Frobisher to ask his plan, the little man commenced +the dangerous voyage across the pavement of glass. He had a thick stick +in his hand, and Frobisher saw that he was wearing thick, wooden-soled +Chinese boots. Thus provided, Drake succeeded in making the journey in +safety, and in a few minutes stood unharmed by his friend's side, +shaking his hand as though he meant to pull his arm from its socket. + +"I'm glad, glad indeed to see you again, laddie," he murmured heartily; +"and more than glad to see that those yellow-skinned pirates have not +deprived you of any of your limbs. That is quite a common trick among +the Chinks." + +"And," returned Frobisher heartily, "I don't think I need tell you how +glad I am to see you again. But how did you get to know I was here? I +understood from the admiral at Tien-tsin that you had gone to England +for a cargo of arms and ammunition for the Chinese Government." + +"So I did," replied Drake; "and I carried out my contract, too. I've +only been back in China a couple of weeks. But we must not stay here +yarning; this is much too dangerous a place to be swapping experiences +in. These will keep until later, when we are out of this mess." + +"That's so," agreed Frobisher. "But the question is, how are we to get +away? You saw for yourself what a ticklish matter it is to cross that +glass, even with stout boots on your feet and with the assistance of a +thick stick to help you to keep your balance; and upon my word I fail to +see how I am going to manage the business. You don't propose to carry +me, I take it?" he concluded, chuckling, and giving the little man a sly +dig in the ribs. + +"I would even try that, and succeed too, perhaps," was Drake's reply, +"if there was no other way out. But we can do better than that. I +thought of a scheme directly I came to the edge of the glass-sown patch +and understood the game that the Chinks had been playing off upon you, +but I wasn't such a born fool as to stand there and shout it across to +you, with the chance that some yellow-skin might be up aloft there and +hear me. Besides, I wanted to see for myself whether or not the scheme +would work. And it has, for here I am, safe and sound, and not a penny +the worse for the passage. + +"Now, here it is, just as simple as ABC. You are a thundering big chap, +I know, while I'm a little 'un; but I noticed long ago that your boots +and mine are pretty much of a size, while these that I'm wearing now are +a bit big for me, though they're the best I could get hold of. I just +slip these boots off, and you slip 'em on; then, with the help of this +stick, you make the passage of the glass, same as I've done, while I +stand here to watch you do it, and at the same time keep a look-out. +Then, as soon as you're across, you chuck me back the boots and the +stick, one at a time, and I'll catch 'em--I haven't been a cricketer all +these years for nothing. The rest'll be all plain sailing, and I'll be +alongside you on the right side of the glass in two shakes of a lamb's +tail. Savez?" + +"Excellent!" returned Frobisher in a whisper; "and, as you say, +perfectly simple. Only, you must go first. You surely do not suppose +that I am going to make good my escape, leaving you here to run the risk +of being taken in my stead--" + +Drake kicked off his shoes, with a muttered sailor's blessing on +Frobisher's head at what he termed the latter's "tomfoolery", and, going +down upon one knee, seized first one and then the other of Frobisher's +feet, removed the bandages from them, and then thrust on the boots. + +"Capital fit!" he murmured, as he rose to his feet and put the stick +into his companion's hand. "Now, off you go, my buck, and look sharp +about it, or the pirates will have two prisoners to amuse themselves +with instead of one." + +Recognising that the little skipper was determined to have his own way, +Frobisher forbore to protest further. He stepped carefully out upon the +broad area of broken glass, and, creeping along close under the wall, +was able so effectually to steady himself by it and with the help of the +stick that in a few minutes he had safely negotiated the passage which a +short time before had appeared practically impassable. Then, running +far enough round the outer margin of the glass-sown ground to secure a +clear shot in through the doorway, he threw back to Drake first one +boot, then the other, and finally the stick, and had the satisfaction of +seeing his friend deftly catch each of them. Five minutes later the +little skipper was safely beside him. + +"Thank God we are both out of that hole!" piously ejaculated Frobisher +under his breath, as the pair crept along in the deep shadow of the rear +wall of the fort. "Where away to now?" + +"Into the jungle first, where we can't be seen by any chance look-out up +aloft," answered Drake. "Then, as soon as we are safely hidden, I'll +explain." + +They made the passage across the open and reached the cover of the +jungle in safety, whereupon Drake replaced his boots, while Frobisher +swathed his feet again in the strips of underclothing which he had +brought away with him. These were serviceable enough as foot-gear, and +Frobisher found that they protected his feet much better than he had +anticipated, lasting quite a long time before needing to be replaced by +other strips. + +Having readjusted their clothing, the two men were ready to begin their +long and perilous journey back to civilisation, which Drake gave his +companion to understand would have to be made overland. But before +starting, Frobisher requested Drake to cut him a heavy cudgel, similar +to the one he himself was using, so that, in the event of their +encountering an enemy, they might have something, at least, to defend +themselves with. Drake did so, and, as he handed it to his friend, +plunged his hand into one of his pockets and brought out something which +he also passed over to Frobisher. + +"Why," exclaimed the latter in astonishment, "that's one of my own brace +of revolvers! How in the name of fortune did you get hold of it?" + +"And here's the other," said Drake, showing the butt. "I got them out +of your cabin aboard the _Su-chen_--she got back safely to Tien-tsin, I +may tell you; but how I came to be aboard her, or to get up here, is too +long a yarn to spin now. Let it wait until we are in less danger than +we are in at present." + +"Right you are, skipper!" answered Frobisher; "the yarn will be +interesting enough, I'll be bound. I'm glad you found these revolvers +and brought them along, for they are good barkers, and a man feels a +certain sense of security with one of them in his hand. Now, lead the +way, since you probably know it best." + +Drake took a comprehensive glance at the stars, and then plunged along a +narrow and apparently seldom-trodden path through the jungle, seeming to +find his way by instinct, for the forest was so dense that the moon's +rays seldom succeeded in penetrating it. + +They had been jogging along at a steady four miles an hour for about an +hour and a half, when the fugitives were startled by hearing the distant +boom of a heavy gun, proceeding apparently from the spot which they had +recently left. They at once guessed what it meant, and realised the +danger in which they still stood. Evidently Frobisher's escape had +somehow been prematurely discovered, and that gun had been fired as an +alarm. Instead of having, as they had confidently anticipated, about +eighteen or twenty hours in which to make a good start, they had gained +but an hour and a half; and the pirates would be already on their track. +True, it might take them some time to discover in which direction the +fugitives had headed; but they would assuredly make the discovery sooner +or later, and then it would be purely a question of speed. + +"By Jove, Drake!" exclaimed Frobisher, "we must hurry now. Those +fellows have discovered my absence; and they will lose no time in taking +up the pursuit, you may depend. Do you know of any hiding-place that we +can make for?" + +"I thought of just this thing on my way here," answered Drake, breaking +into a run, "and picked out a spot which will suit us to a T, if we can +but reach it in time. It's an old ruined town, goodness knows how +ancient; nobody lives there now, and there are thousands of ruined +houses and plenty of underground passages where we can hide, if we can +only get there unseen." + +Breath being precious, the pair wasted no more in talk, but saved it all +for the long run before them. Side by side they dashed along at top +speed, sometimes colliding with trees, or stumbling over stones and +creepers, until they were bruised from head to foot, but never once +halting. + +When they were beginning to hope that they might be out-distancing the +pursuit, a deep, bell-like note floating down the wind warned them that +the pirates possessed bloodhounds, and that the dogs were hard upon +their trail. Frobisher took out his revolver and spun the cylinder to +satisfy himself that it was loaded, and then thrust it back into his +pocket. If those dogs came within shot, he would take care that they +hunted no more prisoners. + +"How far ahead now?" he panted, when they had been running for another +half-hour at top speed. + +"About five miles," grunted Drake, who was feeling the strain even more +than Frobisher. "We should be there in about half an hour at this +pace--if we can keep it up. Hope I shall be able to hold out. I'm not +in such good form as I once was. Getting old, too. If I can't keep up, +you push on, lad; and I'll try to keep 'em back with my pistol." + +"Likely, isn't it?" replied Frobisher ironically. "If you can't hold +out, of course I shall stay and face it out with you: but do all you +can; we must not give in at the last moment." + +On and on they plunged, and at last they began to find the jungle +thinning out, so that the going was a little easier, and their pace +consequently increased; but they could tell by the frequent, +deep-throated baying that the dogs were gaining on them steadily. They +dashed out of the forest altogether at last; and away in front of them, +on the right bank of the mighty Hoang-ho, its houses gleaming spectrally +in the moonlight, stood the ruined city that Drake had referred to, not +more than two miles distant--a very haven of refuge, as Frobisher could +easily imagine, if they could but reach it; for it was of considerable +extent, and, once lost in its labyrinthine streets or underground +passages, the pirates might search for them in vain. + +They had not heard the dogs for some minutes, and, hoping that the +pursuit had perhaps been abandoned, Frobisher glanced round. It was +well that he did so. The dogs had also left the forest, and, seeing +their prey in front of them, were running in silence. They were not +more than fifty yards distant, and, grasping his revolver, Frobisher +called to Drake, and together the two men turned to face the beasts. + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN. + +GENGHIZ KHAN'S HOARD. + +Hideous brutes the dogs were, quite unlike the usual breed of +bloodhound, for they were fully as large as young leopards and every +whit as powerful and ferocious. They certainly possessed the drooping +ears and heavy loose jowl of the bloodhound, but their hides were not +smooth-haired, like the Cuban dog's, but rough and shaggy like a wolf's, +with which animal it is quite possible their forebears had been crossed. +Their legs were extremely long, but very massive and powerful, giving +them the power of covering great distances at high speed; and altogether +the appearance of the beasts was sufficient to inspire a very wholesome +terror in any unfortunate person on whose track they were placed. There +were, fortunately, only three of them, and as their masters had not yet +appeared in sight Frobisher and Drake hoped to be able to settle them +with their clubs and revolvers, and reach the shelter of the ruined city +before the pirates could overtake and recapture them. + +No time was to be lost, however, for they were still at a considerable +distance from the nearest buildings on the outskirts of the city, while +the dogs' owners would probably be not very far behind, since they would +be certain to have come on horseback, so as to keep in reasonably close +touch with the hounds. + +Drake drew his revolver from a fold of his voluminous Chinese jacket, +ranged himself alongside his friend, and, without a word, fired his +weapon at the first of the dogs, which by this time was almost upon +them. In his excitement, however, or perhaps because of the strain upon +his muscles from the long and fatiguing flight, he missed; and before he +could fire again the animal had sprung full at his throat, knocking him +down and sending the revolver flying out of his hand. In another second +Drake's throat would have been torn open by the savage, slavering beast, +but Frobisher was either cooler or more fortunate. Whirling himself +round right on top of the dog, he thrust his revolver's muzzle into its +ear and fired, at the moment when the terrible jaws were in the very act +of closing on his companion's throat. + +He had no time to assist Drake to his feet, for the other two brutes +were in the very act of springing as he turned away from the dead dog +and cocked his weapon for a second shot. Strangely enough, this couple +entirely ignored Drake, and confined their attentions to Frobisher, who +only saved himself by making a rapid leap backward, and so avoiding +their first charge. Baulked in their spring, they seemed, like almost +all other savage animals, dazed for a moment, as though they could not +understand why they had missed their prey; and that momentary hesitation +gave Frobisher an opportunity to pull the trigger of his revolver, while +Drake, who had caught sight of his own weapon, half-buried in the sand a +few yards away, executed a quick roll in that direction, and in a second +had the revolver in his hand. Frobisher's bullet struck the creature he +aimed at in the upper part of the near fore leg, and, the heavy missile +shattering the bone like a pipe stem, the brute collapsed upon the +ground with a deep, raucous howl of pain. + +At the same moment Drake raised his revolver and fired as he sat; and +this time his aim was excellent, the bullet striking the hound Frobisher +had just lamed full in the spine, severing the backbone and killing the +creature instantly. The other dog, apparently cowed by the death of its +mates, stood motionless, in a crouching attitude, glaring at each man in +turn, and seemingly undecided which to attack first; and its hesitation +or cowardice was fatal. The two men fired almost together, one bullet +drilling a hole in its skull, and the other smashing in at one side of +its body and out at the other. It did not live long enough to raise +even a whimper, but dropped dead where it stood, a pool of blood +immediately welling out from beneath the carcass. + +"By Jove, Drake!" exclaimed Frobisher, "that shot of yours finished him +off in fine style. But what in the world are you using in that pistol?" +he went on, as he turned the body over and curiously examined a great +hole in the brute's side. "I've seen wounds like this in a man who has +been hit with a piece of `pot-leg' or a handful of nails, but never with +an ordinary bullet." + +Drake winked. "That", he remarked, "is a little device of my own. I +have often noticed that it is a very difficult matter to bring down a +man, especially a fanatical savage, with an ordinary bullet; it goes in +at one side and out at the other so cleanly that the man whom it hits +does not know that he is hit until he is dead, and he frequently manages +to do a lot of damage before he dies. So I invented a little dodge +which I call the `man-stopper'. It consists in simply `rymering' a hole +in the nose of the bullet, with a file tang or anything else that comes +handy; then, when the bullet strikes, the edges of the hole expand and +become `mushroomed', and the man who is hit knows all about it, I assure +you. Of course that sort of thing is not permitted in civilised +warfare, but when fighting savages the trick is used quite frequently. +Indeed, this is the only kind of missile that will effectually stop a +rushing savage. I would advise you to treat your bullets in the same +way as soon as you have time. But these dogs' masters may appear in +sight at any moment; and if they do, before we leave this spot, and +happen to be mounted--as I feel sure they are--they will catch us easily +before we can possibly reach shelter, yonder. And we're scarcely +prepared to fight a crowd." + +"You're right, skipper," agreed Frobisher; "let's get along as fast as +we can." And the two men, thrusting their revolvers into their pockets, +set off at top speed toward the ruined city, not a little refreshed by +their brief halt while fighting the dogs. + +"I wonder," Drake jerked out as they ran, "how the pirates managed to +set those dogs after us? They hadn't any garments of yours, had they? +And I'm sure they had none of mine by which they could lay them on the +scent." + +"They had my boots, confound them!" returned Frobisher, "as I am +beginning to realise to my cost. These wrappings are about worn +through, and my feet are almost as sore as though they had been +skinned." + +"By Jove, yes! I had forgotten them," said the little skipper. + +The two men pounded along over the sand in silence once more, the walls +and buildings of the ruined town standing out more and more clearly +every moment. Only another half-mile or so, and they would be safely +hidden from view among the maze-like streets of the place. But could +they do it in time? Would their pursuers sight them before they could +get under cover? These were the questions which haunted them both. + +"See," Drake presently panted, pointing in front of him, "we are pretty +nearly there now. That opening in the walls is the site of one of the +city gates; and once inside that, we are safe." + +Frobisher took a hasty glance behind him, but the pursuers had not yet +put in an appearance. There was nothing in sight but the three black +dots on the sand, where the fight with the dogs had taken place. + +"Nothing in sight as yet," he gasped encouragingly to Drake, on whom the +pace was again beginning to tell. "Keep it up a little longer; we are +nearly there now." + +A couple of minutes more of hard running placed them almost in the +shadow of the walls, and Frobisher was congratulating himself on their +escape, when suddenly something whizzed past his ear with a shrill, +whining sound, and starred itself out in a splash of metal on the stones +of the gateway, plainly visible in the moonlight. A moment later the +crack of a modern rifle made itself heard. + +"Confound it!" growled Frobisher, looking round, "half a minute too +late, by all that's annoying! Buck up, Drake! Those fellows are in +sight and have spotted us," he shouted. "It will be touch-and-go now, +and no mistake." + +Drake nobly responded to the call, and a few seconds later the two men +plunged through the gateway and were under cover. But, unfortunately, +their pursuers had seen where they had gone, and would not now be at all +likely to give up the chase until they had examined every possible +hiding-place inside the walls. + +Along the first street that the fugitives came to they dashed, then down +a turning to the left, and along another street leading out of it, only +to find that this was a blind alley, and that their way was stopped. + +"Quick--back again!" gasped Drake. "We cannot get out this way. Hurry, +or they'll catch us at the other end." + +"No time," replied Frobisher, breathing heavily. "We must of necessity +go forward now. Here, into this open doorway! This will give us +shelter for the moment, and if they do not sight us they may not try +this street at all." + +Accordingly they dashed into the house indicated by Frobisher, and +vanished from view just as a chorus of yells at the mouth of the street +indicated the arrival of their pursuers, while the clatter of horses' +hoofs told only too plainly that the pirates, even if they had not +actually sighted their quarry, had decided to search that particular +street, at all events. + +"Here they come," whispered the skipper. "We mustn't stay here, or we +shall be caught like rats in a trap. Up this staircase for your life! +We'll get out on the roof, and make a stand there if they decide to +search the house." + +Taking the stone steps two at a time, the fugitives dashed upward, +presently coming to a kind of landing from which several stone-flagged +passages radiated; thence they climbed up another narrow staircase which +led to the flat roof. They went up this last so quickly that Drake, who +was leading, had popped his head up above the level of the parapet +before he realised what he was doing. Luckily, none of the pirates +happened to be looking upward at that particular moment; they were all +riding helter-skelter down the street, evidently determined to see what +lay at the end. Drake counted them before getting under cover again, +and found that there were thirty of them; and that there might possibly +be others searching elsewhere, was a contingency to be kept in mind. + +Frobisher had now also crept out on to the roof through the small +opening, or trap-door, at the top of the stairs, and both men cautiously +peeped over the low parapet. And as they watched, they saw the horsemen +come to a halt opposite the identical house they were in, evidently +discussing matters. Some appeared to think that the men they wanted had +not come that way at all, while others--these the majority--believed +differently, and seemed to want to search every house in the street. At +any rate they had certainly made up their minds to search this +particular dwelling, for they began to dismount outside the doorway. + +"We're bottled at last, I'm afraid," said Frobisher. "What do you say +to our opening fire on 'em now?" + +"Not yet," whispered Drake. "Let's see first if there isn't another way +down. If once they discover our presence here, they will get us for +certain; for we have only six shots left between us. I couldn't bring +any spare cartridge for reloads." + +"Phew!" whistled Frobisher under his breath. "That's bad. We are in a +tight place indeed, then. Come, let's see if there's any other way +down." + +They crept silently away from the parapet toward the back of the house, +and, to their intense gratification, discovered a flight of ruined stone +steps leading down the outside of the wall to a narrow alley in the +rear. Down these steps they at once made their way, then ran at top +speed up the alley and out of the end of it into one of the broader +streets of the city. They had now got a good start, for it would take +some little time for the pirates to ride round, even if they should +chance to catch sight of the fugitives. But no shouts were raised +behind them to indicate that they had been seen, and they sprinted along +over the rough cobbles for all they were worth. There was a large and +very handsome building at the end of this road, and they determined to +make for it, since a structure of that size would surely afford greater +facilities for concealment than a smaller house. + +From its extent, which became more apparent as they drew nearer, +Frobisher conjectured that it was probably the ruins of some ancient +mandarin's palace, or possibly the summer palace of one of the petty +kings of China who ruled in the far-off days when the place was built; +for he could see at a glance that the city had been abandoned for +centuries, and that the buildings themselves were doubtless fairly +ancient at the time of the abandonment. + +So absorbed were both men on the goal they had set themselves that they +dashed past the ends of sundry streets without even glancing down them, +and so failed to realise that they were still in considerable danger +until they heard a series of yells proceeding from one of them. The +enemy had divided forces, and one of these had passed ahead and, +searching the side streets, had seen the Englishmen run past. The +clatter of horses' hoofs told Drake and Frobisher that their pursuers +were close behind, and it did not seem possible now to get clear away. +Without consultation, they at once determined to sell their lives as +dearly as possible, and looked round them for some favourable place +where they might make a last stand. Then, with a muttered exclamation, +Frobisher seized Drake's arm and dragged him into a narrow passage +between two houses, just as the pirates swept into the street. The +passage was in deep shadow, and with one accord both men threw +themselves down at full length, hoping that they would not be seen, and +that the pirates would pass on, imagining their quarry still in front of +them. + +And, luckily, this was just what happened. The pirates never thought of +examining the narrow passage--perhaps they never even saw it. At any +rate they dashed past and turned down another street, which they +evidently considered to be the road the fugitives had taken. The +instant they were out of sight Drake and his companion rose to their +feet and continued their run toward the palace, only a few hundred yards +away now. But they were not yet at the end of their troubles. + +The horsemen, as soon as they had turned down the side street alluded +to, had seen that the fugitives were certainly not in it, or they would +have been in full view, unless indeed they had taken refuge in one of +the ruined houses thereabouts. Some of the pirates suggested searching +these before looking elsewhere, while others insisted that they had +overrun the pursuit, and advised going back at once. The whole band +were noisily discussing the pros and cons when Drake and Frobisher +darted past the end of the street; and, seeing the fugitives, the +pirates wheeled their horses and, with a savage whoop, started in +pursuit again. + +One circumstance, however, gave the Englishmen a little advantage-- +sufficient, indeed, as a matter of fact, to save their lives. While +talking, the horsemen were all bunched together in a little crowd, and +as it happened to be one of the men on the far side of the group who had +been the first to catch sight of the fugitives, he galloped his horse +right through the knot of his companions without a moment's hesitation +or warning, thus throwing the whole company into momentary confusion, +one man being unhorsed, while in another instance horse and rider went +down together. Before the remainder could extricate themselves from the +melde and make a fair start, Drake and Frobisher had obtained a full +fifty yards' lead; and by the time their pursuers had reached the main +street, the fugitives were more than half-way to the palace. + +Once on the straight, however, the horsemen had the advantage, and +overhauled them so rapidly that when the Englishmen were still twenty +yards from the palace steps the foremost of the pirates were so close +behind that Frobisher knew they would be cut off unless something could +be done. He therefore gave a warning cry to Drake, and instantly darted +to one side; and as the first man dashed past, unable to rein up his +horse, the Navy man fired point-blank into the animal, bringing it and +its rider to the earth with a tremendous thud. Drake accounted for the +next two men in quick succession, while Frobisher dropped a fourth; +then, the others having reined up, the better to use their rifles, the +two men took to their heels again and reached the long and broad flight +of steps leading up to the palace entrance in the midst of a hail of +bullets, none of which, fortunately, took effect. + +The pirates wasted no time in reloading, but came on again to the foot +of the steps. Here they were of course obliged to dismount, and some +handed over their horses to others of their number to hold, so that they +were only beginning to mount the steps as Drake and Frobisher reached +the top and darted in through the great doorway. Drake was by this time +dreadfully out of breath, and gaspingly protested that he had come to +the end of his tether; nevertheless he managed to muster sufficient +strength to jog along close behind his friend. At their last +hiding-place they had sought concealment aloft, but Frobisher decided +now to take refuge below, since the palace appeared to be the kind of +structure that would afford a better prospect of escape from the vaults +or cellars. + +Accordingly the younger man kept his eyes open for a flight of steps +leading downward, and, as the pirates were close behind, darted down the +first that met his eyes. This was a narrow, winding, stone staircase +that led downward so far that they appeared to be reaching to the very +bowels of the earth; but the pair eventually came to the bottom, finding +themselves in a long, stone-flagged corridor, extending a considerable +distance, and very dimly lighted by small gratings which evidently +communicated with some chamber above. + +They seemed to have come to the end of their tether at last, however, +for nowhere could they find an opening leading out of the corridor. And +already they could hear the pirates descending the stairs. + +"Come, Drake!" whispered Frobisher; "we dare not remain here. Let's try +to the left; there may be a door concealed somewhere among the shadows. +I wish we had a little more light." + +The other end of the passage was reached without a single exit being +discovered, and there was no time to run back and try farther in the +other direction. + +"This is the end, I guess," said Drake, as the approaching footsteps +sounded nearer. "It's `backs against the wall and fight to the death' +for us now, my friend." + +Suiting the action to the word, the little skipper grasped his cudgel by +the thinner end, took his revolver--with only one shot remaining--in his +other, and flung himself backward against the wall. + +Then a curious thing happened. The solid wall at the end of the passage +yielded to the pressure of the skipper's body, and Drake, still leaning +against it, fell farther and farther backward, until at last he found +himself in a reclining position on the now sloping wall. Then, to +Frobisher's unbounded amazement, the little man disappeared from view, a +dull thud from below announcing the fact that he had dropped a distance +of several feet. In an instant the younger man realised what had +happened. The corridor had a purpose, after all; and the door at the +end was probably secured by a concealed spring of some sort which Drake +must have unwittingly pressed when he flung himself back against the +wall. + +Without losing an instant Frobisher knelt down at the edge of the dark +opening, then turning, allowed himself to slip downward gradually, for +it was obvious that there were no steps; and as his feet touched bottom +he was barely in time to remove his fingers from the sill when the door +swung to above him with a muffled "click." + +The pirates had not reached the foot of the stairs when the door closed, +so that, unless they knew or guessed at and found the secret of opening +it, the fugitives were safe from them, at any rate. But the thought +occurred to Frobisher when the door closed behind him: now that they +were in, how were they to get out again? + +He called softly to Drake, and soon found that that worthy was much more +startled than hurt, although even yet hardly able to realise what had +happened to him. As soon as the little skipper had recovered his +faculties a little he listened, and hearing nothing of their pursuers, +struck a match, a box of which he had fortunately concealed in his robe, +and looked to see whether there was a spring inside the door. He failed +to find one, however, and he and Frobisher exchanged glances full of +apprehension. They seemed to have escaped a swift death for one of +lingering starvation. + +But they had no time to spend in dismal forebodings. They could now +faintly hear the uproar above them in the passage as the pirates hunted +for the door by which their quarry had escaped, and crouched down +together, wondering whether their pursuers would hit upon the spring. +Minute after minute passed, however, and the door still remained closed; +and after about a quarter of an hour the pirates were heard to take +their departure, probably convinced that the fugitives had not gone down +the stairs, after all. + +With a sigh of relief Frobisher turned to Drake and asked him to strike +another light, so that they might get some sort of notion where they +were. Drake did so; and the first thing the light revealed was a great +bundle of torches, evidently placed there in the bygone days for the use +of people whose business took them into this underground chamber. The +two men eagerly lighted one each, and then, taking a few more as a +stand-by, proceeded to explore. + +The enormous chamber which the light revealed appeared to contain +nothing whatever; but there were several passages leading from it--seven +in all, as the explorers counted--and they tried the first they came to, +to ascertain where it led. + +It extended for a distance of about a hundred feet, and then terminated; +nor did there appear to be any door, concealed or otherwise, at the end +of it. Two more passages were explored with the same result; but the +fourth, or middle passage of the seven, was different, in that, at the +end, they came to a massive iron door. Drake stretched out his hand and +made an attempt to twist the iron handle, but it would not budge. Again +he tried, and this time it seemed to move a little; and as it did so +Frobisher thought he caught a slight grinding, whirring sound, like +rusty machinery reluctantly moving. + +What it was that prompted him to act he did not know, but suddenly +becoming possessed with a suspicion of that door and a sense of danger +in its vicinity, he dragged Drake quickly away from the handle, and +himself retreated a few steps. + +It was well that he did so, for at that moment the grinding sounds +became quite perceptible, waxed louder, and then--like lightning from a +cloud, a row of curved swordblades shot out of slots in the stone-work +which the men had not previously noticed, and swept together for all the +world like a pair of calliper legs. Any person standing by the door +must have infallibly been stabbed through and through by that deadly +device. Then, just as suddenly, the blades sprang back into the wall +and the door swung back on its hinges, revealing another and smaller +chamber beyond. + +"By all the Powers," gasped Drake, wiping the perspiration from his +forehead, "what a fiendish invention! Mr Frobisher, that's the second +time this night that you've saved my life. I shall not forget." + +"Pshaw!" answered Frobisher; "what about the times you've saved mine? +But, Drake," he continued excitedly, "I've got an idea that we are on +the point of discovering something. The man who owned this palace must +have had something very well worth guarding, or he would never have +taken the trouble to instal such an elaborate arrangement as that to +destroy possible thieves, for that's what it was intended to do, without +a doubt. Let's get along and see what there is to see; but be careful, +for goodness' sake. There may be more of these man-traps about, and we +don't want to be left dead in this hole." + +So saying, Frobisher stepped slowly and cautiously through the door-way, +holding his torch high above his head, and at once found himself in a +small, circular chamber, which was almost completely filled with +ironbound cases and chests of every description. + +"Great Caesar's ghost!" almost shouted Frobisher to Drake, who was +standing just inside the door, with mouth wide open and torch almost +dropping out of his hand; "we have dropped right into somebody's +treasure-house, and no mistake. If those chests do not contain +valuables, my name is not Murray Frobisher. Bring your stick, and let +us see whether we can wrench off one of the locks. It should not be +very difficult, for the wood looks so rotten as almost to be crumbling +to powder." + +No sooner said than done. Drake eagerly placed the end of his stout +cudgel under the hasp of the nearest of the boxes and, using it as a +lever, soon sent the iron flying, the nails drawing out of the soft, +"punky" wood as easily as though they had been set in putty. Next they +swung the lid back; and then--what a sight met their astounded eyes! + +The box contained neither gold nor silver, but was full to the brim with +jewels of the most magnificent description, unset, every one of them, +and all flashing and scintillating in the glare of the torches like a +boxful of the most exquisitely coloured liquid fire. The sight was so +extraordinarily beautiful that it fairly took the beholders' breath +away, and for quite a minute neither of them could speak a word; they +simply stood still, gasping with wonder and delight. + +Another chest, and then another was opened, both of + +Missing pages 223 and 224. + +Missing page. + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN. + +MUTTERINGS OF WAR. + +The single, and scarcely original, exclamation of "Oh!" was all that +Captain Drake appeared to be capable of uttering for the moment. His +eyes continued to bulge from their sockets, and he looked like a +suddenly-awakened somnambulist. He was trying to realise the meaning of +what Frobisher had just told him, and was finding it altogether too much +for him. + +At last Frobisher said, with a laugh: "Well, skipper, the money's here, +sure enough; but so are we, and it remains to be seen whether or not we +can get out." + +"We'll get out all right, don't you trouble," returned Drake +confidently; "but"--unable as yet to detach his mind from the subject of +his suddenly-acquired fortune--"just now you mentioned the name of the +gentleman who collected all this stuff--Jenkins Can, I think you said he +was called. Who was he, and how did he come to pouch such a pile of +loot? Was he one of those old buccaneers, like Morgan and Kidd, that we +read about?" + +"Well," replied Frobisher, "he was not exactly a buccaneer, for he was +not a sailor, but a landsman; and he operated in a much larger way than +either Morgan or Kidd. As a matter of fact he was a Tartar chief in his +young days, many centuries ago, who gradually drilled and armed his own +tribe, then other tribes, and still others, until he came, in course of +time, to have an enormous army under him. The idea then occurred to him +to make use of this vast army; and he determined upon no less a task +than that of conquering Asia. He did it, too; there's hardly a square +mile of this continent that has not echoed to the tread of his troops. +Everywhere he went he was victorious. He took and sacked cities, +destroyed them, and sowed the ruins with salt; and it is said that, to +this day, no grass will grow where Genghiz Khan's armies trod. +Naturally, in the course of time, he accumulated a vast booty from the +cities he captured, and it finally became too large and cumbersome for +him to carry about with him, so he determined to alter his tactics for +once, and, instead of destroying, to build a city for himself where he +could bury his hoard, and which he could make his head-quarters. + +"It is well known that he actually did this--various records state it, +but those records do not say exactly where. The city, it is said, was +founded somewhere in northern China--on the banks of a mighty river, is +the wording, I believe; but there are several rivers in China answering +that description, so the place might be almost anywhere. Then, years +afterward, this man determined to conquer Japan. He fitted out a great +armada and sailed for Nippon; but, as in the case of the famous Spanish +Armada, a storm arose, and the entire fleet was wrecked. Hundreds of +thousands of Chinese lost their lives, and Japan was saved. From that +time onward, Genghiz Khan and the records relating to his treasure +disappeared; and the city he founded, as well as the treasure, gradually +passed into legend, the story being handed down from father to son by +word of mouth. The man himself is supposed to have been cast ashore in +Japan, where he adopted the dress and customs of the Japanese, in course +of time becoming one of themselves, and winning great renown under +another name--which I forget for the moment. But antiquarians insist +that the name he assumed was but the Japanese rendering of his own +former one of Genghiz Khan. + +"At any rate, he never returned to China to recover his treasure; and +legend has it that it still remained where it had been originally +hidden. From time to time, expeditions have been formed for the purpose +of searching for this legendary deserted city; but it has remained for +us, Drake, to discover it, and to secure Genghiz Khan's millions. This +must be the town, this must be the treasure; for not otherwise can such +an enormous hoard be accounted for. Nobody but the conqueror of Asia +could ever have amassed so much." + +"That's very interesting, Mr Frobisher," said Drake, who had been +listening intently; "and it's a very comforting thought that all this +belongs to us, if we can only get out. I suppose, in any case, we had +better fill our pockets, lest we should not be able to get back here?" + +"It would not be at all a bad idea, skipper," returned Frobisher; and +the two men slipped a few handfuls of the jewels into their pockets, as +coolly as though they had been so many pebbles instead of gems worth +several thousands of pounds. + +"And now," said Frobisher, "we had better turn our attention to getting +out of this. I shall not feel comfortable until I have satisfied myself +that this place is not going to prove a living tomb for us." + +They closed the lids of all the chests, and passed through what +Frobisher called "the door-way of swords", carefully closing the door +behind them by means of a stick, lest the closing should again set the +swords in motion. But it did not; the mechanism was evidently so +arranged as only to operate upon the opening of the door. + +"I do not think we need fear burglars here," said Drake with a smile, as +the door clanged shut. + +The two men then decided to explore the remainder of the corridors, for +unless an exit from one of them could be found there was little doubt +that the treasure would prove as useless to them as it had been to +Genghiz Khan himself. + +The first passage they explored ended in a blank wall, as the three +others had done; but in the next, to their great relief, they found +another passage branching away to the left. This they followed for some +distance, until they reached a spot where it branched into two. As +there was no knowing which, if either, was the right one, they took the +one on the left, as the previous opening had been on the left of the +corridor, and followed it for a considerable distance. But they were +doomed to disappointment; the corridor led nowhere. It simply came to +what seemed to be a dead end, like the others. Frobisher felt the drops +of sweat forming on his forehead, for it was beginning to look +remarkably as though there was but one entrance to the vault--that +through which they had come--and that all these other passages were +either natural, or had been cut simply with the idea of mystifying and +misleading possible intruders. + +"Never say die" was, however, Frobisher's motto, and Drake's too, for +that matter, so they tried back and entered the right-hand branch. But +no better success attended them here, this ending in a blank wall also. +There was now only one corridor untried, and with sinking hearts they +proceeded to explore it. + +No exit of any sort rewarded them here either, and hardly daring to look +each other in the face, from fear of what they might see there, they +returned to the main chamber, into which Drake had fallen headlong in +the first instance. Here they could still hear the distant shouts and +trampling of the pirates, who were evidently moving about in the chamber +directly overhead, continuing the search for their prey; but even the +thought that they were safe from those barbarous savages was now hardly +sufficient to cheer them. It would have been almost better to have met +death in the open, fighting, than to be compelled to watch his slow +approach in this dismal place, far below the level of the ground. + +Unable to remain still, Frobisher again most carefully examined the +inside of the secret door in search of a hidden spring, but no sign of +it could he discover. It seemed evident that, unless the door were +actually propped open by the person entering the vault, there was no +getting back by that way; and Frobisher could not help thinking that +surely some other exit must have been provided. The people accustomed +to using the vault could not be expected always to remember to prop the +door open when they entered; and it did not seem reasonable to suppose +that the place had been so constructed that a mere lapse of memory would +be tantamount to a person signing his own death-warrant. An emergency +exit must have been made for use in case the main door became closed +accidentally or otherwise; but the question was, where was it situated? + +Drake suggested that there must undoubtedly be an opening somewhere, +because the air in the vault was comparatively pure and fresh; at least +it had not the dead, stale, stuffy smell of air confined in a +hermetically-sealed chamber. But Frobisher pointed out that the door by +which they had entered, although an excellent fit, did not butt up +against the jambs so closely as to exclude the air altogether; yet he +acknowledged that the air in the vault certainly seemed sweeter than +might have been expected, had the main door been the only channel +through which it could filter in. + +Under the stimulus of the new glimmer of hope thus caught, every +corridor was once more explored, even more closely than before, but with +no other result than that Frobisher completely satisfied himself that +there was most certainly no exit from any of the passages. Even a +concealed door, opened by a spring, could hardly have evaded the close +scrutiny of the two men; and it became more and more apparent that they +had been caught in a trap from which there was no escape. Both were +feeling famished for want of food, and were parched with thirst; and +Frobisher could not help wondering how long the agony of death from +starvation and thirst would be prolonged before blessed unconsciousness +came to their relief. + +Suddenly--they had both been sitting dejectedly on the floor--Frobisher +jumped to his feet. + +"Look here, Drake," he exclaimed, "there is just one place that we never +thought of searching, and that's the treasure chamber itself. We were +too deeply interested in the valuables we found to think of looking for +an exit in there. Who knows?--the very thing we are hunting for may be +in there all the time." + +The two men fairly raced down the passage leading to the chamber, opened +the latch, with all due caution, and re-entered the vault. At first +sight there appeared to be no semblance of a second door, and their +hopes dropped to zero once more. Then Drake proposed that, as a last +chance, they should remove the chests to the centre of the room and see +whether, possibly, there might be a door concealed behind any of them. +They set to work feverishly, and in doing so spilled the jewels and +coins in heaps on the floor. But what did that matter? Unless they +found a way of escape from their prison, jewels and coin would be of far +less value to them than a loaf of bread and a jar of water. + +Then, at the very end, when their hopes were practically extinguished, +the last chests removed disclosed a little oaken door set into the wall, +not more than four feet high by three feet broad. Drake was about to +open it impulsively when Frobisher restrained him. He did not want +either of them to be killed on the very threshold of success by some +other hidden and fiendishly ingenious piece of mechanism. But when +cautiously opened with the aid of one of the sticks, nothing happened in +this instance, and they crawled safely through into another passage, +being careful to close the door behind them. + +This passage looked a good deal more promising, there being no less than +four other corridors branching off it at right angles, each, curiously +enough, leading away to the left. But they determined to go straight +ahead in the first instance, exploring the corridors afterwards, if not +successful in their present direction. They traversed so long a +distance in a perfectly straight line, the ground rising gently all the +way, that they soon became convinced that they were at last on the right +track, as the passage must, some distance back, have passed from under +the foundations of the palace itself, and be leading, undoubtedly, to +some exit at a considerable distance from the building. It seemed +probable that it might have been constructed with a view to providing a +means of escape, should the palace ever be attacked and stormed. + +That they were correct in their surmise was proved shortly afterward +when, a little distance ahead, Frobisher caught sight of a pin-hole of +light. This presently resolved itself into sunlight shining through the +keyhole of another door; and they realised that, since it was now broad +daylight, they must have spent several hours in Genghiz Khan's +treasure-house. The door did not open with a handle, as the others had +done, and there was no key hanging handily on the wall, as there had +been when Frobisher escaped out of the pirate fortress; so that, after +all, there was still a rather formidable obstacle to be overcome before +they could actually stand in the blessed light of day again. + +"We must not let this stop us, Drake," exclaimed Frobisher; "though I +don't yet quite see what we are to do. If we had a big stone we could +burst the lock off, or out; but there isn't so much as a pebble to be +seen anywhere about." + +"How far are we away from the palace, do you think?" asked Drake. "If +we are out of earshot of the pirates, I can easily manage it." + +"A good quarter of a mile, I should say," replied Frobisher. "You could +fire a rifle in here and they would never hear it." + +"I mean to do something like that," returned the other. He produced his +revolver, the muzzle of which he thrust against the keyhole, and pulled +the trigger, turning his face aside at the same time. + +The explosion in that confined space sounded like the roar of a +twelve-inch gun, and dust and splinters flew in clouds; but when the air +cleared the lock was gone, and in its place a ragged hole appeared, +through which a clenched fist could easily be thrust. One or two strong +pulls, both together, while gripping the edges of the hole, sufficed to +loosen the whole affair, and presently, with a rattle of falling pieces +of broken iron and springs, the door grated open, and they once more +beheld the blessed light of day. + +On stepping outside, they found themselves in the midst of a thick clump +of bushes and vegetation which completely concealed the door from +outside, and which had evidently not been disturbed for centuries, so +thick and matted was the growth. Through this they pushed and broke +their way, coming out a few moments later into what was evidently the +remains of a once-spacious and magnificent garden. There were still +traceable the outlines of old walks and lawns; ruined fountains and +marble basins for gold-fish were scattered about; and there were even +the remains of marble seats and couches whereon the warriors of Genghiz +Khan's retinue had been wont to take their ease during their +all-too-brief respites from fighting. Sundials, beautifully modelled in +bronze, and statues, in bronze, copper, marble, and in some cases even +solid silver, were to be found in many of the corners. A few were still +on their pedestals, but most of them lay broken on the ground, though +all gave evidence of the high level to which Chinese art had advanced, +even in those far-off days. + +A quarter of a mile away was to be seen the palace the pair had recently +vacated, and, peering cautiously from behind a screen of brushwood, they +were able to make out the figures of some of the pirates, still +apparently searching industriously; while the smoke of a fire, a little +distance away, showed that they had by no means given up the pursuit, +but were cooking a meal preparatory to instituting a fresh search of the +palace precincts. They had not yet, apparently, thought of looking in +the gardens. + +"Think we dare risk it?" enquired Drake, voicing the idea uppermost in +both their minds, and pointing toward the groups of unconscious pirates. + +"Yes," replied Frobisher. "They seem to be pretty fully occupied with +their own concerns just now, and are evidently under the impression that +we are still hiding somewhere in the building, so I think we could not +hope for a better opportunity. They must, without fail, eventually +discover that we are nowhere in the building, so we had better get away +before they take it into their heads to start searching in this +direction. I expect both groups have joined forces by this time, to +participate in that meal they are preparing, so we should be able to get +clear of the town without being seen." + +This point settled, the pair made their way cautiously out of the +gardens, and soon gained the streets, which they traversed slowly, to +save themselves as much as possible in case the pursuit should again be +taken up. And in about half an hour, during which they had perceived no +cause for alarm, they realised, by the gradual thinning of the houses, +that they were approaching the outskirts of the city on its eastern +side. + +They were proceeding carefully, conversing, and noting the interesting +relics of a bygone civilisation, when, without a word, Drake suddenly +seized his companion's arm and hastily dragged him behind a convenient +wall. Frobisher, too much astonished for words, could only look round, +wonderingly, imagining that the pirates were after them again; and as he +did so, he perceived the cause of the skipper's alarm. + +The danger was not behind, but in front. The pirates had proved to be +wider awake than either of the Englishmen had anticipated, and had +posted a sentry at the eastern gate. Fortunately for them, the man +happened to be looking in another direction at the moment when they +turned the corner, or discovery would have been inevitable. As it was, +the question arose--how was this fresh obstacle to be overcome? They +might possibly avoid the man by making a long detour to some other gate, +but this plan appealed to neither of them, for even should they succeed +in escaping by some other outlet, the ground outside the walls was so +bare that the man must inevitably see them. The alarm would be raised, +when of course the pursuit would at once be resumed, and their capture +become certain. + +A few words between the two Englishmen sufficed to show that the same +plan--the only practicable one--had occurred to both; and, avoiding the +main street, they made their way through side lanes and back alleys +until they emerged at a spot only a few yards distant from the +unsuspecting sentinel. Then, watching through a convenient cranny until +his back was turned, they ran swiftly forward and concealed themselves +behind a low stone wall which the man was passing and repassing on his +beat. + +The next time he passed that wall the sentry experienced the unpleasant +sensation of being jumped on from behind by two men, one small and the +other very large and heavy; the latter kneeling on his chest and +squeezing his windpipe, while the other securely lashed his wrists and +ankles together with strips torn from his own robe, their operations +being completed by thrusting a gag made of the same material into his +mouth and securing it there firmly. The Englishmen then carried him +between them into one of the adjacent ruined houses, took him to an +upper room, and left him there for his companions to find, if fate +should so decree. + +As a matter of fact, fate evidently decreed against the unhappy man, for +several months afterwards the remains of a gagged and bound Chinaman +were found in that very house by a party of travelling nomads; but it +was a case of the pirate's life or those of the Englishmen, and it did +not take them long to decide which the world could best spare. + +The sentry having been thus disposed of, Drake and Frobisher struck off +across the desert, by the margin of the river, at a good round pace; for +since the pirates had posted a guard, it was probable that they would +visit him sooner or later, and the Englishmen wanted to be well out of +sight before anything of that sort should occur. + +A little later on they were fortunate enough to come to a village, most +of the inhabitants of which were away, as it happened, probably hunting, +or fishing, or otherwise engaged upon their usual occupations. Here +they secured a hearty meal of rice, bread, cheese, and goats' milk; +after which they found themselves marvellously refreshed, and thought +the meal cheap at the price of one of Genghiz Khan's gold pieces, +specially cleaned up for the purpose of payment. + +It is unnecessary to relate in detail the incidents of the journey of +the fugitives back to Tien-tsin, for nothing in the way of real +adventure occurred after they had once left the ruined city behind. On +the way Drake explained to Frobisher how he had come to attempt his +friend's rescue; and, in a few words, this is how it came about. + +Drake had returned in the _Quernmore_ from England with his cargo, which +he duly delivered. Then, as China was purchasing steamers for use as +transports, and he was offered about twice his ship's actual value, he +sold her, and so found himself at a loose end, without employment. He +regarded this as a favourable opportunity to commence enquiries +respecting Frobisher, whom he believed to be still a prisoner in Korea; +and, happening to encounter Wong-lih--who had by that time returned from +his visit to southern China--he heard the whole of Frobisher's history, +from the moment when the admiral found and rescued him at Asan, to that +of his expedition up the river after the pirates. He was also informed +that the expedition had failed, and that his friend was either dead or a +prisoner. Wong-lih, said Drake, was greatly cut up at losing so +promising an officer, a man, too, of whom he had made a friend; but he +could not be induced to send a rescue party. He was altogether too +busily occupied with matters of moment to his country, and war was so +imminent, that, as a matter of fact, the admiral found himself +absolutely unable to spare a ship or a crew for such a purpose. Drake +therefore determined to ascertain for himself if Frobisher were still +alive, and, if so, to attempt his rescue. And as he happened to be a +good Chinese linguist, and possessed in a high degree the art of +disguising himself, the attempt proved, as has been seen, completely +successful. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +It was exactly two months after Frobisher's escape from the pirates' +fortress when two very weary, very ragged Englishmen arrived in +Tien-tsin; and so bronzed and disreputable did they appear that they +could obtain accommodation nowhere until they had proved, by the +exhibition of some of their gold, that they were not up-country robbers, +but solvent citizens, of merely a temporarily unattractive exterior. + +This condition was soon altered, with the assistance of a few baths, a +shave, and new drill suits; and, having made their toilets, Frobisher +proposed starting immediately to report himself to Wong-lih, or whatever +admiral happened to be on the spot at the moment. Drake insisted on +accompanying him; and accordingly the two men sauntered off toward the +Navy Buildings, where they were told that Admiral Wong-lih might be +found at the dockyard, busily superintending the fitting out for sea of +several repaired and re-boilered cruisers. + +Upon enquiring the reason for all the bustle and confusion that were +everywhere apparent, and the quite unaccustomed businesslike air of the +port, Frobisher was informed by the officer to whom he applied for +information that Japan had, a few days previously, perpetrated an act +which could hardly be interpreted otherwise than as meaning war; and +that consequently all possible preparations were being hurriedly made to +meet the contingency. Guns were being mounted, ships were being +dry-docked, scraped, and painted, nucleus crews were being brought up to +fighting strength, and, in short, everything that could be done was +being done to place China in a position to send her Navy to sea to +encounter the Japanese squadrons; for it was plainly to be seen, said +the officer, that, since the first acts of hostility had taken place, a +formal declaration of war was merely a matter of a few days, and there +was a great deal to be done in the time. Frobisher thanked the man for +his information, and then he and Drake hurried on their way toward the +dockyard. Truly, the air was full of mutterings and rumours of war. + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN. + +THE DRAGON AWAKES. + +On their way to the dockyard, while passing along the "Street of Many +Waters", they heard in the distance the sound of a military band, +playing very barbaric music--to English ears, that is to say--but in +what was undoubtedly "march" time. Presently they found themselves +compelled to halt for about five minutes at a cross street, named "The +Lotus", while several companies of a Chinese Line regiment went swinging +past on their way to the barracks; and Drake and his companion could not +refrain from commenting favourably upon the smart and businesslike +appearance of the men. + +They were, it appeared, part of a crack corps; and every officer and +private seemed fully to realise the fact, and to be proud of it. There +was not a single soldier among them standing less than six feet in +height, and the majority were broad in proportion. The Navy men whom +Frobisher had so far encountered were usually uniformed somewhat after +the fashion of European officers and seamen. The officers wore the +flat, peaked cap, with a gold dragon in front instead of the crown and +anchor, while their jackets and trousers of dark-blue cloth were almost +exactly similar to those of our own men, except that the facings, +instead of being gold, were of that peculiar shade of blue so much in +favour among the Chinese. The ordinary tars wore the conventional +dark--blue, baggy trousers, and a blouse of the same colour, cut to a +"V" shape at the neck in front, but minus the collar at the back which +European seamen have adopted, while the skirt of the blouse was allowed +to hang loose outside the trousers, instead of being tucked in. The +only essential difference between the Celestial seamen's uniform and our +own lay in the cap, which, instead of being flat and dark-blue in +colour, was of the conventional Chinese shape and white in colour, with +a knob of some soft material on the top. Their pigtails were rolled up +and tucked into the crown of these caps--or, more correctly, hats. +Their arms consisted of rifles--which, Frobisher noted, were of +widely-different patterns, most of them obsolete, although all were +breech-loaders--and a kind of cutlass, somewhat similar to the British +naval weapon, but with a two-handed hilt, and only a small, circular +piece of polished brass for a guard. + +The soldiery, however, smart though they were, in no way resembled those +of European armies. Their uniforms, all similar of course, consisted of +identically the same hat as that worn in the Navy; a white jacket, very +long and very loose, with baggy sleeves, the collar, front, and skirt, +and the edges of the cuffs all edged with broad Chinese-blue braid; and +short and baggy trousers, gathered just below the knee, and tucked into +a kind of "puttee" legging, consisting of a long wrapping of white +canvas. The trousers were also white, with a Chinese-blue stripe of +broad braid down the outside--and, strangely enough, the inside also--of +the leg. The boots were eminently sensible and serviceable, and were +something like the Red Indian's moccasin, the uppers being made of two +thicknesses of deer hide, which were kept on the foot by means of a +narrow tape run through eyelets, while the soles were built up of +several thicknesses of felt, amounting in all to about an inch and a +half. They had an appearance of great clumsiness, but were, as a matter +of fact, extremely light, springy, and comfortable. The thickness of +the soles, the springiness of the felt, and the absence of heels made +the boots particularly easy to march in, and the soldiers were thus able +to cover great distances without feeling fatigue. These men, instead of +hiding their pigtails under their head-gear, allowed them to hang down; +and some of them, Frobisher observed, were of great length, in some +cases falling as low as the back of the knee. + +For arms the men carried rifles, of a more modern pattern than those in +use in the sister service; in fact, they seemed, so far as Frobisher +could see without close inspection, to be Martini weapons of the 1879 +pattern--a most serviceable and reliable fire-arm, far superior to the +modern small-bore rifle in the opinion of soldiers themselves, as a +man-stopper and rush-checker. A long, wicked-looking bayonet with a +basket hilt, the back of the blade serrated for three-quarters of its +length, like the edge of a large saw, swung from the left hip; and the +armoury was completed by a long-hilted, long-bladed knife, or short +sword, stuck through the belt which supported the bayonet. They would +certainly be a "tough crowd to meet at close quarters", as Drake +murmured to his companion while the men swung past. + +The soldiers appeared to be extremely partial to flags, for there seemed +to be one to every twenty or thirty men. These were all identical in +shape and colour, being triangular and yellow, with the device of a +crimson dragon, open-jawed, in the centre. + +As soon as the men had passed, Frobisher and Drake continued their walk, +and shortly afterward reached the entrance to the dockyard, where they +were sharply challenged in Chinese by a sentry. Fortunately, as has +been before noted, Drake was an excellent Chinese scholar; and, in +answer to his explanation that they were in search of Admiral Wong-lih, +the man allowed them to pass, and very civilly directed them where to +go, having seen the officer in question pass but a short time +previously. + +While Drake was obtaining this information Frobisher amused himself by +looking around him; and as he did so, he caught sight of a very +gorgeously dressed official approaching, attended by several servants, +one of whom was holding a large umbrella over his master's head, while +another timidly supported the heavy silken train of the mandarin's +cloak. There was something familiar about this man's appearance, but +the Englishman could not remember whether or not he had really met him +before, or whether it was only a resemblance to some other that had +attracted his notice. He was a man of very high standing--there could +be no doubt about that; for, while he was yet some ten yards away, the +sentry abruptly ceased his conversation with Drake, pushed the little +skipper aside, and presented arms, his face assuming the fixed +expression of a wooden image, touched, Frobisher imagined, with more +than a trace of fear. And indeed, upon closer inspection, the +official's countenance itself was seen to be anything but pleasant in +expression. + +He did not deign to return the sentry's salute, but stared in a +particularly offensive manner at the two Englishmen, finally coming to a +halt and putting several questions to the sentry, who replied in tones +that positively quavered with apprehension. During this time the +personage never took his eyes off the two friends, and Frobisher was on +the point of losing his temper when the unknown, with a distinctly +perceptible sneer, turned his back rudely and, with a curt command to +his waiting attendants, stalked majestically away. + +"Who the--?" + +"What a--" began Drake and Frobisher simultaneously, then stopped. +Frobisher, simmering with rage, continued: + +"Drake, ask this sentry, here, who in thunder that insolent bounder is. +By Jingo! I have half a mind to go after him and tweak his pigtail +soundly. Why, he looked at us as though we were dirt beneath his feet-- +as though we had no business to be alive. Confound his impudence!" + +Drake, fully as indignant, sharply put the desired question, and in +reply received a long explanation from the sentry, who constantly sent +glances after the mandarin, as though fearful that the latter might +overhear what he was saying, even at that distance. Presently he +concluded, and Drake translated whilst the two continued their search +for Wong-lih. + +"The fellow says," explained Drake, "that the individual who treated us +to such a close scrutiny is a very important official indeed. He is one +of the members--the chief, in fact--of the Naval Council, also a +four-button mandarin, entitled to wear the insignia of the golden +peacock. And he is also the captain of the battleship _Ting-yuen_, the +flagship of the Chinese northern fleet, which flies the flag of the +celebrated Admiral Ting himself. Last, but by no means least, he holds +an important post in the dockyard (though how he manages to carry out +the duties of that and those of captain at one and the same time I do +not know); while, to cap everything, he is a member of the Chinese Royal +Family, a Prince, no less, I assure you. What do you think of that for +a tally, eh, Mr Frobisher?" + +"Well, I am rather inclined to be sorry for the people who come under +the scope of his Naval jurisdiction," returned Frobisher. "I should +hate to serve in any ship of which he was captain. Of course I don't +know the fellow from Adam, but there is something about him that aroused +in me a very strong sense of repulsion; he looked to me like an +arch-criminal. By the way, did the man tell you what his name was? I +feel sure I've seen him somewhere before; I remember that repellent, +snaky look in his eyes, which gives one the shivers up and down one's +spine." + +"Oh ay," replied the skipper; "I'd forgotten that. He did mention his +tally, as a matter of fact. Let's see--um--what was it again? Ah, I +remember. He called him Prince See--at least, that's what it sounded +like." + +"By Jove! then I remember when I met him last, Drake," exclaimed +Frobisher. "It was when I went with my friend the admiral to the +Council meeting at the Navy Building, when I received my commission in +the Chinese Navy. Wong-lih mentioned then, that his name was Prince +Hsi; and I recollect how very unpleasantly he impressed me then. It +appears also that he is a bit of a scoundrel; for in Wong-lih's absence +in Korea the fellow had the audacity to send the _Chih' Yuen_, the ship +I was to be appointed to, to Wei-hai-wei to have her 9.4's replaced by +12-inch guns, intending to sell the smaller weapons, substitute old, +out-of-date twelves, and pocket the difference. But, luckily, Wong-lih +met her on the way there, screwed the information out of her captain, +and stopped Hsi's little game. He hates Wong-lih, therefore; and, as I +am a friend of the admiral's, he has honoured me also with a share of +his dislike." + +"The low-down, ruffianly swab!" Drake burst out. "But there! that's +just the sort of beast he looks. Well, Mr Frobisher, if, as you say, +he dislikes you--and from the way he looked at you I should say that +`hate' was the more correct word--I would advise you to keep your +weather eye lifting. That sort of man hesitates at very little, and he +seems to have the power, as well as the will, to do you a bad turn; so +watch out!" + +"I will, Drake," replied Frobisher; "you can rely on that. But here we +are at last, I think; this is the place where the sentry said we should +find Wong-lih, isn't it?" + +"Ordnance Wharf, third shed along, first door on the far side of the +sheer-legs before you come to the fifty-ton crane, he said," replied +Drake; "so I reckon that this is the door. And, by Jiminy! there is the +admiral himself, walking beside the other officer in gold lace--a +flag-captain, I should say, by his aiguillettes." + +"That's him, right enough," agreed Frobisher, and together the two men +set off in pursuit, keeping a little in the rear until the two officers +should have finished their conversation. + +Presently the captain saluted and went off about his own business, and +Wong-lih, turning, caught sight of Drake and Frobisher. As his eyes +fell upon the latter, he stood stock-still, his jaw dropped, his +eyebrows went up, and he looked as though he had seen a ghost. + +"Why, Captain Frobisher," he exclaimed at last, coming forward and +holding out his hand, "is it then really you? My dear boy, I am glad to +see you again, safe and sound, too, by all appearances. I have been +mourning you as dead these three months and more, ever since I got back +from the south and learnt of the disaster to the _Su-chen_ on the +Hoang-ho. I never expected to see you alive again when I heard that you +had fallen into the clutches of the pirates; and I was more grieved than +I can tell you--as Captain Drake here can testify--not to be able to +send a rescue party after you to try to save, or at least avenge, you. +But it was absolutely impossible; I had neither ships nor men to spare. +The imminence of our war with Japan, which has been threatening daily +for months past, and which is now an all-but-acknowledged fact, would +not allow of it. Much as I regretted you, my country naturally was my +first consideration." + +"Of course, sir," agreed Frobisher heartily; "I quite understand. I, +too, am delighted to see you once more; indeed, I came down here to the +yard on purpose to find you and report myself ready for duty. I hope, +sir, that you can still employ me." + +"Employ you?" ejaculated the admiral. "I should rather say we can! +Why, I could use hundreds of men like you, if only they existed in +China. But come along to my office; we can talk more comfortably there. +And you too, Captain Drake, if you will so far honour my poor +quarters." + +"With pleasure, with pleasure, my lord--your maj---er--Sir, I mean," +Drake almost shouted, in his confusion, quite "flabbergasted", as he +himself would have called it, at the Chinaman's stately, old-world +courtesy. And a few minutes later they found themselves in Wong-lih's +comfortably-furnished office, in the ordnance department of the +dockyard. Arrived there, and having seated themselves, the admiral +ordered refreshments, and immediately plunged into the matter always +nearest his heart, now more so than ever. + +"Since you have reported, Captain Frobisher," he commenced, "I take it +that you are ready for service at any moment." + +"This instant, if you wish it, sir," answered Frobisher. + +"Thank you, Captain!" said Wong-lih. "That is practically what it +amounts to. Your ship, the _Chih' Yuen_, is here now; and I would like +you to take command of her at the earliest possible moment. She is in +readiness to go to sea, with stores, ammunition, and men aboard--would +be at sea now, as a matter of fact, had we had an officer to whom we +dared trust her. And you, sir," turning to Drake, "are you willing to +accept service under my Emperor? If so, I can offer you a berth." + +"Certainly I am, your Highness," replied Drake heartily. "Only, if I +may be so bold as to say so, I should like to be on the same ship as my +fr--as Captain Frobisher here." + +"Say `friend', Drake," broke in Frobisher. "It was on the tip of your +tongue, and it is the truth. If a man who saves another's life is not a +friend, I do not know what else you would call him." + +"Quite right, Captain Frobisher," said Wong-lih. "I like to hear you +say that. And as for you, Mr Drake, I can satisfy your wish very +easily, as it happens. The acting first lieutenant of Mr Frobisher's +ship is not fitted for the post, but he was the best we had at the time. +Now, if you choose, you shall replace him as first lieutenant of the +_Chih' Yuen_, and I will have your commission made out immediately." + +"Nothing would please me better, my lord," replied Drake, with the +utmost enthusiasm; "and I assure you that you--" + +"Very well, then," interrupted the admiral, who was plainly hard pressed +for time; "that's agreed. You shall receive your commission to-night. +And now, gentlemen both, although I am so busy that I scarcely know what +to do first, I must spare the time to give you a short account of the +state of affairs as it stands at present, since it is necessary that you +should have the fullest information to enable you--you in particular, +Captain Frobisher--to understand exactly how things are with China, and +how extremely critical the situation is. When you have heard what I am +about to tell you, you will be able to form your own ideas and plans, +and so be in a position to work intelligently with your brother +captains, and under the admiral who is going to command the northern +fleet, to which you will be attached. I may mention that I am to be in +command of the southern division, while Admiral Ting will be your chief. + +"You remember, of course, Captain Frobisher, that when the rebellion in +Korea became so serious that the Government could not deal with it, the +Korean Minister asked our assistance, and we gave it, as you saw, at +Asan. I also informed you then that Japan had thereupon thought fit to +manifest a somewhat unfriendly attitude by sending an unnecessarily +strong guard to her Minister at Seoul, coupled with an intimation that +she would feel obliged to send a much larger force if the rebellion was +not immediately crushed. That, in itself, as we fully realised, +amounted very nearly to a threat of war against China, and showed us +that Japan was only awaiting her opportunity. We therefore sent a very +strongly worded protest against such action to Tokio; and the Japanese +thereupon agreed to defer action until it could be seen what turn events +in Korea were going to take. + +"That was the situation when you were sent in the _Su-chen_ up the +Hoang-ho; and those of us who had eyes to see and ears to hear were +fully awake to the fact that this concession on the part of Japan was +merely a postponement of the evil day. Perhaps she found she was not as +fully prepared for war as she had imagined. I know we were not. My +colleagues and I, and those of us who had our country's interests at +heart, took warning, therefore, and hurried forward our preparations for +war as rapidly as we could. + +"Then things remained fairly quiescent until a few days ago. We had +practically quelled the Korean rebellion, and matters were resuming +their normal status in Korea, the only thing that remained being to +institute the reforms which were undoubtedly necessary in that country. +The proposals for these were offered to, and accepted by, the Korean +Government; and the proposed modifications of policy began to take shape +at once. One would therefore have thought that our little campaign in +Korea might be said to have terminated satisfactorily, and that Korea +might be left to carry out the course of action to which she had pledged +herself. In fact, we actually commenced the withdrawal of our troops. + +"Then, suddenly, Japan sprang her mine. Our Minister at Seoul was +informed by the Japanese representative that Japan did not consider +Korea competent to carry out her promises, and that therefore Japan +would unite with China to carry out the reforms between them. This, of +course, was tantamount to Japan claiming the right to share China's +suzerainty over Korea, a most audacious and--I may almost call it-- +infamous proposition. It was one to which Japan, of course, knew we +would never agree, and we told her so in very plain terms. + +"The next thing we heard was that Japan had landed no fewer that five +thousand men in Korea, and that they were marching on Seoul; and on the +same day the Japanese Minister there forced the situation by tendering +two ultimatums--one to Korea, and one to us. The Korean ultimatum +required that, within twenty-four hours, Korea should disclaim Chinese +suzerainty and pledge herself to allow Japan alone to carry out the +reforms in question. The alternative was that, if Korea would not +agree, she was to be treated as an enemy to Japan. The ultimatum +addressed to us was to the effect that we should, also within the same +time, surrender our suzerainty to Japan and relinquish all claims over +Korea--the alternative in our case being war! + +"Of course we could not possibly send a reply within the time +stipulated; and even if we could, we should have refused the proposal +with scorn. Our Minister at Seoul did all that man could do to gain +time, and sent the news to us immediately. As soon as we heard of +Japan's action we knew that the anticipated moment had come, and that +war had become inevitable; we therefore hurried eight thousand men on +board transports, and dispatched them at once to Asan. And now comes a +circumstance it almost breaks my heart to tell. + +"War had not yet been actually declared, you understand, and Japan was +still officially awaiting our decision; yet the Japanese fleet, in its +full strength, lay in wait for our transports and the convoying +men-of-war, and attacked them, sinking the transport _Kowshing_, with +over a thousand men on board, and one of our cruisers. The other +transports and cruisers escaped and got safely to Asan, where the troops +were landed, the ships sheltering under the guns of the fortress. The +messenger who brought the news of this treacherous attack informed us +that the five thousand Japanese troops which I mentioned just now, +having reached Seoul, had been dispatched again immediately, under +General Oshima, to Asan to attack the garrison there. They met a small +force of our soldiers four days later, at Song-hwan, and, I am sorry to +say, defeated them; and the only silver lining to our cloud lies in the +surprise those Japanese will receive when they find themselves met at +Asan by seven thousand of our men, instead of only the small garrison of +the place; for it is not very likely that Oshima's force, being on the +march, will have heard either of the naval battle, or of our successful +landing of the majority of our men at Asan. + +"The sea fight occurred a week ago, but we only received news of the +land battle to-day; and although we have been taken unawares by Japan's +treachery in striking before the declaration of war, we have managed to +prepare ourselves pretty well, thanks to the warnings we had that this +was coming. Mark me!--Japan shall find to her cost that she cannot +insult and ride rough-shod over my country without being called to very +strict account. War, Mr Frobisher, will be declared by China against +Japan tomorrow, the 1st of August; and I rely upon you, as well as upon +all the rest of my officers, to do your utmost to keep command of the +sea. The country which secures that will have the other at her mercy; +and we ought to be able to secure it, as our Navy is, if anything, a +little more powerful than that of Japan, seeing that we have two +battleships, as well as cruisers, whereas Japan has only cruisers. That +is the situation, gentlemen; and you are now as fully posted as I am +with regard to the state of affairs; so strike hard and often for China, +when you get the opportunity." + +"We will, sir," replied both men enthusiastically. + +"But," continued Frobisher, "I trust that our ammunition will prove very +different from that supplied me on the _Su-chen_. You probably heard +that the expedition failed for no other reason than that more than half +our shells were filled with charcoal instead of gunpowder?" + +"Alas! alas! I did," replied Wong-lih; "and I wish I could promise you +that such monstrous iniquities should never occur again. But I cannot. +I am doing, and have always done, my best to prevent this shameful +tampering with Government property; but what can one man do, amongst so +many? You will remember that I told you the mandarins were filling +their pockets at the expense of their country; and there is no telling +how far their peculations may have extended. I have examined as much +ammunition as I have had time for, and I am bound to say that it looks +all right; but beyond that I cannot go, for it is impossible to know for +certain without opening every cartridge, and at a crisis like this, that +would be an impossibility. You must do as I do, and trust that your +powder will prove what it pretends to be." + +"Very well, sir," returned Frobisher, bowing. "It does not seem a very +satisfactory state of affairs; but I shall do my best, I assure you." + +"I am certain of it," returned Wong-lih. "And now, one last word. +Sorry as I am to have to acknowledge it, there are traitors everywhere +about us, so trust no one but yourself and your admiral. News must have +been conveyed to Japan by one of my countrymen to have enabled her fleet +to know when the transports sailed, and where to meet them. That man, +whoever he is, has Japanese gold in his pocket, and the blood of a +thousand of his countrymen on his head." + +Drake and Frobisher exchanged glances involuntarily. The same suspicion +had evidently crossed the mind of each simultaneously. + +"Do you suspect anyone in particular, sir?" enquired Frobisher. "If so, +perhaps you will kindly warn me in which direction to exercise the most +care." + +"I am sorry to say that I do suspect someone most strongly," was +Wong-lih's reply, after a somewhat lengthy pause. "But, unfortunately, +he is so highly placed that even I dare not mention his name. If the +man so much as guessed that I suspected his treachery, I should be +assassinated within twenty-four hours; so, for my country's sake, I must +refrain from telling you something I would give a good deal to be able +to do." + +"Someone very highly placed?" repeated Frobisher, drawing his chair a +little closer to Wong-lih's, and lowering his voice. "Should I be very +wide of the mark in guessing him to be a prince of the blood royal?" + +Wong-lih turned pale, and glanced uneasily round him. "You would be, on +the contrary, very near the truth, if my suspicions are correct," he +replied. "That man has played many a scurvy trick in his time; but his +other delinquencies are light compared with treachery to his country; +and I fear to breathe his name in connection with so horrible a crime. +But tell me, how came you to suspect also? Have you any grounds?" + +"None," replied Frobisher. "But I have met the man twice, and on each +occasion he has impressed me most unfavourably. I suppose one should +take no notice of intuitions; but he certainly looks a thorough +scoundrel, to my mind. I shall watch him as carefully as I can." + +"Do," said the admiral. "You say you have met him twice; I recollect +the first time, but do not recall a second. When was it?" + +"Not an hour ago, sir," returned Frobisher. "I met him, with his +retinue, just leaving the dockyard. He honoured me so far as to treat +me to a very impertinent scrutiny as he passed." + +"Leaving the dockyard!" echoed Wong-lih. "I did not see him about here. +He ought to be on board his ship, the _Ting Yuen_, by rights, for she +is quite ready for sea; and I know Admiral Ting is only too eager to +take his fleet out to look for the enemy. Indeed, as soon as you are +aboard the _Chih' Yuen_ and have hoisted your flag, he is likely to make +the signal to proceed to sea. No; that man had no business here. I +wonder what he was doing." + +Acting upon Wong-lih's hint that the interview had better terminate, +Frobisher and Drake took their leave of the kindly admiral, and went +back into the city to transact some necessary business before going on +board. This included securing uniforms, and suits of mufti, toilet +articles, and, in fact, personal requisites of every kind, of which both +men had been destitute for several months past. This business having +been transacted, their new possessions were packed and sent to the ship, +and Frobisher and Drake followed immediately afterward. Arrived on +board, the former had his commission read by the interpreter (for it +was, of course, written in Chinese script), and at last, after many +strange vicissitudes, found himself standing on his own quarterdeck, +captain of the Chinese cruiser _Chih' Yuen_. + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. + +PRINCE--AND TRAITOR? + +Once fairly settled on board the _Chih' Yuen_, although there turned out +to be an enormous amount of work to be done, and numerous little matters +to be attended to before the cruiser could be said to be thoroughly +"shipshape", Frobisher found time to look round him a little, and to +cast his eyes over the remainder of the northern fleet lying off the +city of Tien-tsin. Accustomed as he was to the sight of Great Britain's +noble squadrons, and the enormous size of her battleships and cruisers, +the Chinese fleet at first glance seemed utterly insignificant as a +fighting machine. In the first place, the ships were few in number, and +there were but two battleships among them; and both they and the +cruisers would nearly all have been considered obsolete in England. + +About a quarter of a mile from his own ship, and anchored in mid-stream, +lay the two battleships which formed the backbone of the Chinese Navy at +that time--the _Ting Yuen_, the flagship of Admiral Ting, with +Frobisher's pet abomination, Prince Hsi, as captain; and the _Chen +Yuen_, commanded, like his own ship, by an Englishman. + +Both these craft were old and out of date, having been built as long ago +as the year 1879; but their armour was enormously thick, and both of +them carried two eighty-ton monster guns, placed in turrets and set in +_echelon_, so that the immense weight of the weapons should be evenly +distributed. The ships themselves were a little over seven thousand +tons displacement, and were fitted with particularly long and strongly +reinforced rams, upon the effective use of which the Chinese admiral was +building largely--not without justification, as events proved. + +These two battleships completely dwarfed the fleet of cruisers lying +above and below them in the river, none of these being of more than +three thousand five hundred tons--less than half the size of the +flagship, and of course not nearly so heavily armed. In fact, none of +the cruisers carried anything more powerful in the way of guns than the +five-inch weapons which Frobisher's own ship, the latest addition to the +Navy, mounted; and of these the _Chih' Yuen_ possessed only two, one in +a barbette forward, and one similarly mounted aft. + +Then came two sister ships, cruisers of three thousand tons, the +_Yen-fu_ and the _Kau-ling_, armoured vessels, and one of two thousand +seven hundred tons, also armoured, named the _Shan-si_; while close up +under the walls of the city lay a couple of protected cruisers, of two +thousand five hundred tons each, the _Yung-chau_ and the _Tung-yen_. +Frobisher's old acquaintance, the _Hat-yen_, which had been Admiral +Wong-lih's flagship at the battle of Asan, was also to be seen busily +preparing for sea; and the dispatch vessel _San-chau_, which he likewise +recognised, had also been pressed into service. The _Su-chen_, in which +Frobisher had made his ill-fated attack on the pirates, was still in the +hands of the repairers, who had managed to spin out the job of putting +her to rights again after the fight ever since the time of her return +from the Hoang-ho. Lastly, there was the old cruiser _Kwei-lin_, which +had been in the Navy for over twenty years, and which had not moved from +her anchorage for the last decade. She was absolutely useless as a +fighting machine; and, short as the Chinese were of ships, the futility +of taking her to sea was at once recognised, and she was to be left +behind to carry on her former duty as guardship to the port. + +In addition to the above-mentioned ships, there were seven +torpedo-boats, which were to accompany the fleet, ranging in size from +seventy to a hundred and twenty tons; but, unlike Japan, China possessed +none of the type of craft known as torpedo-boat destroyers--T.B.D.'s for +short. Japan had quite a number of these, all over a hundred tons, one +or two being even over two hundred; and they were, of course, much +faster and more heavily armed than the Chinese torpedo-boats. Japan +also possessed an advantage in that her cruisers were not only larger +than those of China, they were also newer, faster, and more heavily +armed; and there were more of them. One ship in particular, the +_Yoshino_, was larger than the Chinese battleships; while the armoured +cruisers _Matsushima, Hiroshima_, and _Hakodate_ were all well over four +thousand tons, and much more heavily armed than any of the Chinese +ships, with the exception of the _Chen Yuen_ and _Ting Yuen_. These +were superior only in the possession of the two big guns each: their +secondary armament was not so powerful as that of the enemy's cruisers. + +Frobisher, who, of course, knew pretty accurately the composition of the +Japanese naval strength, shook his head as he contemplated the +collection of vessels in the river. There was a sad lack of homogeneity +in the squadron, which would render quick and effective manoeuvring +extremely difficult. Some of the newer ships--his own, for instance-- +were capable of steaming fifteen or sixteen knots, but the battleships +were not good for more than thirteen, while some of the older cruisers +could not be relied upon for more than ten or eleven; and as the speed +of a fleet is necessarily that of its slowest ship, this meant that the +whole squadron could not steam at more than ten knots or thereabout. +The speed of the slowest Japanese ships he knew to be not less than +thirteen knots; so, in the event of a naval engagement, the enemy's +fleet would be able to outmanoeuvre the Chinese, and choose their own +locality for fighting, as well as the range and position. It was a most +important advantage to possess; and, as Frobisher considered the +likelihood--nay, the practical certainty--of the Chinese ammunition +proving faulty, he did not feel at all certain that China would come out +on top, notwithstanding her possession of the two powerful battleships. + +He was aroused from his somewhat gloomy reverie by observing a signal +fluttering up to the signal-yard of the flagship. Running below to his +cabin, he seized his telescope, and, hurrying up on deck again, read off +the communication, which he was enabled to do by means of his Chinese +secret naval code book, a few copies of which had been prepared with +English translations for the use of the British naval officers in the +fleet, of whom there were several. + +The signal read: "Captains to repair on board the flagship immediately", +and Frobisher then knew that the time for action was close at hand. A +council would be held in the admiral's cabin on the _Ting Yuen_, and the +admiral would inform his captains of his intended plans, and be willing +at the same time to receive suggestions. It was to be, in fact, a +Council of War, and Frobisher looked forward to it eagerly, as being the +first actual war debate he would ever have attended. This would be his +first introduction to war as a reality. Hitherto he had only taken part +in sham naval battles; he was now face to face with the stern reality, +and he rejoiced exceedingly. + +Calling his interpreter to him, he had his gig ordered, got himself +quickly into his full-dress uniform, handed over the ship to Drake's +charge during his absence, and in a few minutes was being pulled across +the quarter-mile stretch of water that lay between the _Chih' Yuen_ and +the flagship. + +On his arrival there, owing to his ship lying farthest away, he found +the remainder of the captains assembled, only awaiting his presence to +commence business. He was greeted very cordially in English by Admiral +Ting, with whom Wong-lih had already been in communication, and received +a few very courteous words of condolence upon the disaster on the +Hoang-ho. Then followed his introduction to his fellow captains, among +whom was Prince Hsi. With this one exception, he was very warmly +welcomed by them all, especially by his compatriots, Captain Foster, of +the _Chen Yuen_, who, as a matter of strict fact, was a Scotsman, and +Captain James, of the cruiser _Shan-si_. These were the only other +Britishers present being captains; but there were several others in the +fleet in the capacity of first and second lieutenants, and especially in +the engineering department. In fact, with one exception, the chief +engineers of the ships were all either Englishmen or Scotsmen. + +The council was not a very lengthy one, for it was impossible to make +plans very far ahead, since little information was so far available as +to the enemy's movements. The first duty of the fleet, explained +Admiral Ting, was therefore to proceed to Wei-hai-wei, where a fleet of +transports was already taking aboard several Chinese regiments destined +for service in Korea. These were to be convoyed by the entire squadron +to the mouth of the River Yalu, forming the boundary between China and +Korea, and landed there; after which the fleet's future movements would +be guided by circumstances. + +The probability was that enough information would be obtained meanwhile +to enable Admiral Ting to locate the position of the Japanese fleet. In +this event, the Chinese squadron would sail for the spot indicated, and +endeavour to force a general action; for it was vitally important to +China that she should obtain command of the sea at the earliest possible +moment, and keep it; otherwise she would be seriously handicapped in +transporting her troops to the seat of war, if not entirely prevented +from doing so. Similarly, it was necessary to prevent the Japanese, if +possible, from transporting their troops and supplies to Korea; and this +could only be accomplished by first destroying or seriously crippling +the Japanese Navy. In conclusion, Admiral Ting stated that he intended +to put to sea that same afternoon, and desired his captains to make +their preparations accordingly. + +This decision was received with every symptom of delight by everybody +except Prince Hsi, who argued long and forcibly for a delay of a day at +least, giving as his reason that the flagship was not, in his opinion, +quite ready for sea. + +On hearing this statement the admiral looked very keenly at his +subordinate, and asked him to explain his ship's unreadiness, while the +rest of the captains looked the astonishment they were too polite to put +into words. The ensuing explanation was somewhat unintelligible to +Frobisher, notwithstanding the valiant efforts of his interpreter. But +he gathered that the admiral considered Prince Hsi's reasons as quite +inadequate, and concluded by informing the Prince, without any +circumlocution, that he, as admiral, was quite as capable as her captain +of judging whether the ship was fit for sea or not, that as in his +opinion she was perfectly ready, to sea she should go, and the rest of +the squadron with her, as he had already decided. + +There was therefore nothing left for his Highness but to obey; but the +spoilt scion of royalty showed very plainly by his bearing that he was +considerably upset by the admiral's adherence to his decision. + +Admiral Ting then signified in his courteous fashion that the +deliberations were at an end, and dismissed each of his captains with a +word or two of hope and encouragement; being particularly gracious to +the three Britons. He added for the benefit of all that it was his +intention to _hoist the signal to_ proceed to sea as soon as _possible +after the skippers had regained their own ships_. + +Frobisher noticed that no sooner were these words out of Ting's mouth +than Prince Hsi murmured a low-voiced excuse, and disappeared hastily +from the cabin, as though he had suddenly recollected something of +importance. He paid little attention to the fact at the moment, being +too fully occupied with his own thoughts; but the circumstance was +recalled to his memory during the short journey between the _Ting Yuen_ +and his own ship. + +His gig had just passed under the stern gallery of the flagship, at a +few yards' distance, when one of the Chinese seamen who were pulling the +boat uttered an exclamation and covered his eyes for a few seconds with +his hand, as though something had blown into them. Frobisher instructed +the interpreter to enquire what was the matter, and was told that "there +must be an evil spirit in the boat", for while he had been keeping his +eyes on the _Ting Yuen_ a blaze of light, "brighter than the sun", had +flashed into them, nearly blinding him. The Englishman could see for +himself, when the fellow removed his hand, that he was still dazzled. + +Puzzled to know what had happened, for the sky was absolutely clear, +with no possibility of the light being attributable to a flash of +lightning, Frobisher handed the yoke-lines to the interpreter and turned +round in the sternsheets, looking to see where it could have originated. +A few seconds later he saw what it was. From one of the cabin ports in +the flagship's stern, situated just below the gallery and in the +position where the captain's quarters would almost certainly be placed, +there came another quick flash of brilliant light, lasting but an +instant, but extraordinarily dazzling in its intensity; and the +Englishman at once recognised what was happening. Somebody--and he was +able to form a pretty accurate guess who--was using a hand-glass or +shaving-mirror as a heliograph, evidently either trying to attract the +attention of someone on shore, or sending a message: it did not much +signify which, for Frobisher was easily able to pick out the spot on +shore where the light impinged. This was a window in a small, +whitewashed house standing by itself in a large garden, situated about +half-way up the hill; and that the message or signal was expected was +soon proved to Frobisher when he saw, through his telescope, a man +hurriedly dash out of the house and make his way through the garden +toward the beach, where several boats could be made out, drawn up on the +sand. + +By this time, however, the gig had reached the _Chih' Yuen_, and +Frobisher was unable to spend any more time watching the strange game +that seemed to be going on, being fully occupied as soon as he got on +board in giving orders to his officers to prepare the ship for +proceeding to sea, the signal for which, as Ting had said, was now +flying from the signal-yard of the _Ting Yuen_. + +Just as the anchor was in process of being catted, however, he chanced +to glance again in the direction of the flagship, and saw, lying right +under her stern, and concealed from the view of those on deck by the +stern gallery, a small boat; and in that small boat was the man to whom +the signal had been heliographed. He was evidently talking to somebody +through the open port of the captain's cabin; and a few seconds later +Frobisher saw a hand appear through the same port holding something +white that looked suspiciously like a letter or packet. The man in the +boat at once seized it and thrust it into his bosom; then, after a hasty +glance round, he seated himself, and pulled slowly back again toward the +shore with an exaggerated air of nonchalance. + +Frobisher could not avoid wondering who was the man that had been so +anxious to send a message ashore, and also what the nature of the +message might be that the sender was so intensely eager to dispatch at +the very last moment. It must certainly be an important one to render +it advisable to send for a special bearer to take it, instead of letting +it go ashore in the usual way by the boat in which the admiral would +send off his last official dispatches, notifying his departure to the +Navy Council. + +But, as a matter of fact, Frobisher could hardly be said to wonder very +much about these points; for if he had been put to it he felt almost +certain that he could have named both the sender and the contents of the +message. Also, he thought that, without a very great effort, he might +be able to name the man for whom that message was intended. What he did +wonder at was the audacity of the man who dared to undertake so +dangerous a business in full view of the fleet, and also whether anybody +besides himself had witnessed the transaction. Perhaps the mysterious +sender had reckoned on everyone else being too busy to notice the +occurrence. + +A voice just beside Frobisher at that moment testified to the fact that +at least one other person in the fleet had eyes wherewith to see. The +voice was Drake's, and all he said was: "I suppose you saw that, sir?" +But from the tone in which the words were spoken Frobisher knew that his +own suspicions were shared. + +Frobisher glanced round him. "Ay, I saw," he replied, with set teeth. +"There is a noose waiting for a certain acquaintance of ours, Drake; and +the sooner it is placed round his neck and hauled taut, the better will +it be for China." + +Further conversation was out of the question, for at this moment there +came the boom of a gun, followed by a string of flags fluttering up to +the signal-yard of the _Ting Yuen_, which, interpreted, signified that +the flagship's anchor was up and that she was under way. Then came +another signal, ordering the ships to proceed to sea in double column of +line ahead, the starboard line being led by the flagship, and the port +line by the other battleship, the _Chen Yuen_. + +Gradually the two battleships gathered way and proceeded to head down +the river abreast of each other. Then came Frobisher's own ship, the +_Chih' Yuen_, in the starboard division, with the _Shan-si_ as her +companion; the _Yen-fu_ and _Khu-ling_ came next, then the _Yung-chau_ +and _Tung-yen_; while the old _Hai-yen_ and _San-chau_ ended the lines, +the fleet thus being composed often vessels, two of which--the two last +named--were practically useless for the fighting line, but were to be +employed as tenders or dispatch vessels as occasion might require. The +seven torpedo-boats had taken their departure from the anchorage while +the War Council on the flagship was in progress, and had been sent on +ahead to the mouth of the river as scouts. They were to run a distance +of twenty miles out to sea, to ascertain whether there were any of the +enemy's ships in the offing, and then to return with their report to the +entrance of the Pei-ho, where the battle fleet would await their arrival +under the guns of the Taku forts. + +The torpedo-boats, on their return from the scouting expedition, +reported the sea clear of the enemy's war-ships, and the fleet +immediately proceeded on its way to Wei-hai-wei, which was reached the +following afternoon. Here things were in a state of almost hopeless +confusion, and the troops waiting to be embarked were scattered all over +the neighbourhood, foraging the countryside for provisions on their own +account. Some of the baggage had been put aboard the transports; some +could not be found at all; officers could not find their troops; and the +_men_ themselves did not know their own officers when they saw them: so +it was not until the fleet arrived and the Navy men began to take things +in hand that order began to be evolved out of chaos, and matters to +straighten themselves out gradually. + +At length, however, the last man, the last horse, and the last rifle +were safely got aboard the transports, of which there were no less than +ten, and the fleet with its convoy got under way for the port of Wi-ju, +at the mouth of the Yalu, where the troops were to be disembarked. + +The distance from Wei-hai-wei to Wi-ju is a little under two hundred +miles, and the voyage was completed without mishap in about twenty +hours, the whole fleet coming to an anchor in the roadstead just as the +first shades of evening were falling. There being no facilities at the +port for working during the night, the task of disembarkation was +deferred until the following morning, and the soldiers on board the +troop-ships seized the opportunity to indulge in a "sing-song" to while +away the evening--the last entertainment of its kind that many of them +were ever to take part in. + +The transports were of course anchored nearest the shore, with the +war-ships outside of them for protection in case of a sudden raid by the +Japanese fleet; while outside of all, a mile distant, the seven +torpedo-boats steamed constantly to and fro, acting the part of +patrol-boats, and keeping a sharp look-out seaward, for the Chinese +would have been caught in a trap had the enemy appeared while they were +lying at anchor in the roadstead, unable to manoeuvre. + +Night came down as black as the inside of a wolf's mouth; the air was +thick and heavy, difficult to breathe, and surcharged with electricity; +and to Drake, intimately acquainted as he was with these seas, it seemed +that a typhoon was more than probably brewing. There was a sense of +discomfort and uneasiness in the atmosphere which communicated itself to +man and beast, for in the stillness of the night, in the pauses in the +singing and uproar, the horses in their stalls on board the transports +could be heard whinnying and neighing, as though not altogether at ease. +Little balls of electricity came and went on the yards and at the +mastheads, like mysterious signals, presenting a very weird and uncanny +effect; and some of the superstitious Chinese sailors, who had had no +previous experience of "Saint Elmo's fire", burnt joss-sticks and +twisted their prayer-wheels, in the hope of scaring away the evil +spirits which they averred were hovering round the ships. + +From the moment of joining the _Chih' Yuen_, Frobisher had been working +early and late to get his ship into proper fighting trim; and being +thoroughly tired out by the time that the fleet anchored, he had turned +in for a few hours' well-earned repose. He seemed, however, to have +been asleep only a few short minutes, instead of some four or five +hours, when he was aroused by a gentle but persistent knocking on his +door. + +In a moment he was broad awake, out of his bunk, and across to the door, +being too cautious, in face of the stealthy character of the summons, to +call a question as to who was there. + +Opening the cabin door, he found Drake, who, with a worried and +mysterious air, proffered the request that the captain would come up on +deck for a few minutes, if convenient. + +"Why, what's the matter, Drake?" asked Frobisher. "Are there any signs +of the storm bursting?" + +"Well," was the reply, "it certainly does not look any too healthy. But +it is not on that account that I have disturbed you. I believe there is +some hanky-panky work going on, sir, and that's why I want you to come +on deck and see for yourself." + +"I'll be up in a minute," replied the captain; and in less than the time +specified he had pulled on his trousers, flung a greatcoat over his +shoulders, and was standing by Drake's side at the taffrail. "Now, what +is the business?" he said. + +"It's got something to do with that Prince chap, or I'm a Dutchman," was +Drake's reply. "I was leaning over the rail here, a little while ago, +thinking of nothing in particular--for Lieutenant Sing is on duty until +midnight--when I saw a light appear suddenly away in that direction," +pointing. "There was nothing out of the way in that, you'll say; but +this light was a red one, and, what's more, somebody was holding it in +his hand, and was waving it about. That lantern, to my mind, was a +signal; for after waving it for a few minutes, the man who held it began +to open and close the slide rapidly, as though sending a message by +flash-light. I don't know the Morse code of flash telegraphy, and for +aught I know it may not have been Morse; but it certainly was a signal, +and when I tell you that it came from the _Ting Yuen_, and from the same +cabin, so far as I can judge, as the `helio' message was sent from at +Tien-tsin, you will see why I thought it best to call you." + +"You were quite right, Drake," replied the captain. "There was +something very queer about that business at Tien-tsin; and from what you +say, it would seem that the same man is playing the same trick here. I +only wish I could catch him at his dirty work. It seems strange to me +that nobody on board the flagship has got an inkling of--well, we will +say, the unknown man's game. Or perhaps it is that they do suspect, but +dare not speak? Did you by any chance catch sight of an answering light +of any sort?" + +"I was just coming to that," replied Drake. "I did. When the first set +of signals was finished, the red light disappeared, and away in the +offing another red light showed. That's what really made me come down +and rouse you." + +"Perhaps it may have come from our own torpedo-boats," suggested +Frobisher. + +"No," replied Drake, "it came from a spot beyond them, and--there you +are, sir; look there! There's the light again on the _Ting Yuen_. Now, +watch for the light from seaward in reply." + +Frobisher did not do so, however. Without even answering, he darted +forward, gave a few low-voiced orders, and then came back to Drake. +Immediately afterwards could be heard the sound of bare-footed seamen +running about, carrying out some duty, and then a man stepped up to the +captain and announced that all was ready. + +"Very well; wait for the signal," was Frobisher's reply, and he turned +his eyes seaward, watching for the answering flash. A second later it +came; and as it winked out, the captain placed a whistle in his mouth +and blew three short calls. + +In an instant the _Chih' Yuen's_ great search-light blazed out, to the +astonishment of Drake and sundry other folk, and began to sweep slowly +and steadily back and forth across the horizon. The light on the _Ting +Yuen_ vanished instantly, Frobisher noticed, and the one to seaward went +out immediately afterward. But the vessel from which it had been shown +could not put herself out of sight so easily. + +The beam of the search-light hesitated a moment, and then settled +unwaveringly upon a little vessel about five miles away. She circled +and dodged, but all to no purpose; she could not escape that unblinking +ray, which followed her, relentless as fate, revealing every detail on +board her as distinctly as though she were under the light of day. + +That she was a destroyer was at once apparent; there could be no +mistaking the long, low, clean-cut black hull, with the four squat +funnels and the short signal-mast. Nor could there be any doubt as to +her nationality. Chinese she was not, China possessing no boats of that +description; and since she was lurking in that particular spot under the +cover of night, there was only one thing she could possibly be--a +Japanese scout. The locality of the Chinese fleet had been discovered, +thanks to the traitor in their midst, and the destroyer would now return +to her parent fleet with her report; and, unless the Chinese were very +careful, they would be caught in the roadstead, like rats in a trap. + +Frobisher watched the flying shape of the destroyer, undecided whether +or not to try a shot from his heavy guns; but he soon realised that, by +the time that the gun could be loaded and trained, the chances of making +a hit would be small indeed. He therefore ordered the search-light to +be kept going in case any other similar craft should be lurking in the +offing, and, after a few words to Drake, went below and dressed himself +fully. Then, late as it was, he ordered his gig, and had himself pulled +across with all speed to the _Ting Yuen_. He smiled grimly as he +pictured Admiral Ting's face when he should hear what he was about to +tell him. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. + +THE BATTLE OF THE YALU. + +Directly he got on board the flagship, Frobisher, through his +interpreter, sent a message to the admiral, asking whether he would see +the captain of the _Chih' Yuen_ immediately, upon urgent business, and +alone; for the Englishman had no mind to have the interview interrupted +by the presence of Prince Hsi. Whatever happened, that individual must +be kept in ignorance of the fact that his treachery was so strongly +suspected as to be almost a certainty, otherwise he would be on his +guard; and it was Frobisher's intention, if Admiral Ting agreed, to +leave the man in ignorance of the suspicions he had aroused, until he +should grow careless and over-bold, and then to pounce suddenly upon him +and catch him red-handed. The Englishman knew that unless the man were +actually caught in the act, so that there could be no possible doubt as +to his treachery, he possessed sufficient money and influence to worm +himself out of almost any predicament, however strong appearances might +be against him. + +Fortunately the admiral was still awake, and, what was more to the +point, was alone; and he immediately sent back word by the messenger +that if Captain Frobisher would kindly step down into the cabin, he +would grant him the interview, with pleasure. + +Frobisher descended to the admiral's private quarters, dispensing with +the services of the interpreter--since Ting spoke English--thereby +ensuring that the conversation should be strictly private. Then he +proceeded to give as succinct an account as possible of the occurrence +that had just happened, not hesitating to express the opinion that +Prince Hsi was playing the role of traitor. + +Admiral Ting was much alarmed at hearing that a Japanese destroyer had +been detected prowling about in the offing, but did not express any +surprise when Frobisher mentioned his suspicions about the Prince. +Indeed, he admitted that, although he had nothing definite to go upon, +he had for some time past been extremely doubtful as to Hsi's loyalty to +his country. The man was so highly connected, however, and had so much +influence at the Chinese Court, that all the efforts that Ting had made +to get him transferred had been unsuccessful; and he had only succeeded +in making of his Highness a bitter enemy. What reason the fellow could +have for wishing to betray his country it was impossible to say, and +Ting could only surmise that he must have lost a great deal of money at +play, of which he was inordinately fond, and was looking to Japan to +fill his coffers again in return for services rendered. + +Ting averred that all he could do would be to have the Prince watched +closely; but, if he were actually detected in the act of attempting any +treachery, the admiral vowed that he should be punished, happen what +might. + +As there could be no longer any doubt that the Japanese fleet was in the +neighbourhood--or, if not near at the moment, very soon would be, when +the destroyer had delivered her report--it had become necessary to act +at once. There were no facilities for disembarkation at night, as has +already been mentioned; but under the new circumstances it was +imperative that the troops should be landed immediately, so that the +fleet might be free to go out and fight without being obliged to leave +any ships behind to cover the landing. Ting therefore ordered a gun to +be fired, and the signal to be made for all captains to come aboard; and +he announced that the disembarkation was to take place at once, the +process to be facilitated as much as possible by the various ships' +search-lights, which would give enough illumination to prevent +accidents. Consequently, about midnight the work commenced, much to the +annoyance of the soldiers, who did not, of course, know the reason, and +had been looking forward to another comfortable night on board. + +Every boat belonging to the fleet, as well as the pontoons and rafts +carried on board the transports for the purpose, was called into +requisition, and very soon a long procession of craft of all shapes and +sizes was seen plying to and fro between transports and shore, guided by +the powerful rays of the search-lights. The horses were simply slung by +means of broad straps to the end of a whip, hoisted out of the ships, +and swung overboard, the straps being released as soon as they were in +the water, when they swam ashore of their own accord, being caught upon +their arrival by the soldiers who had already landed, and picketed. + +So rapidly and methodically was the work carried out--due principally, +it must be acknowledged, to the efforts of the British officers +belonging to the Navy ships--that when daylight broke, about four +o'clock, the disembarkation was already half completed. + +Meanwhile Ting had issued orders for a full head of steam to be kept up +on board every ship, transport as well as man-of-war, for he intended to +put to sea the instant that the last man was ashore. He had no desire +to be caught where he was by the Japanese fleet, especially since he +would then be seriously hampered in his movements by the helpless, +unarmed transports. Anxious eyes were often turned seaward to where the +torpedo-boats were still carrying out their patrol duty in the offing; +and more than one brave man heaved a sigh of relief as hour after hour +passed without one of them steaming in at full speed to give notice that +the enemy were in sight. + +At length, about ten o'clock in the morning, the last horse had swum +ashore, and the last boatload of soldiers was on its way. The rafts and +pontoons were hoisted in and secured, and the boats, as they returned, +were run up and swung inboard; the various captains hied them to the +bridges of their respective ships, from the steam-pipes of which white +feathers of steam were escaping; and at midday, just twelve hours after +Frobisher's midnight visit to the admiral, the signal for departure +floated up to the yard of the _Ting Yuen_. The fleet steamed slowly and +majestically out of the roadstead, in two columns, with the transports +well away to starboard, on the opposite side from which the enemy might +be expected to appear; the torpedo-boats spread themselves out fan-wise, +carrying out their office as scouts; and the course was shaped for +Wei-hai-wei, under the guns of which the transports would be safe from +capture. + +They had been steaming for about five hours, and had covered a little +more than a quarter of the distance to Wei-hai-wei, when a puff of smoke +burst out on board one of the torpedo-boats, the one farthest away to +port, or toward the north-east, followed by the sharp, ringing sound of +one of her twelve-pound quick-firers. This was the signal agreed upon, +should the enemy heave in sight; and the fact that the little craft had +already turned and was steaming at full speed toward the flagship gave +sufficient proof that the long-expected moment had at last arrived. In +fact, by the time the torpedo-boat reached the _Ting Yuen_ it was +possible to make out no fewer than thirteen coils of smoke away on the +eastern horizon, showing that the enemy's fleet was arriving in force, +steaming in line abreast, and that it outnumbered the Chinese squadron +by three ships. Thus, as two of the latter were not fit to take their +place in the fighting line, the ratio was about one and a half to one in +favour of the Japanese, so far as numbers were concerned. + +Judging from the numbers that nearly, if not quite, the whole of the +Japanese fleet was present, Ting immediately ordered the transports to +break away and make for Wei-hai-wei at full speed, the men-of-war +undertaking the duty of preventing any of the enemy getting past and +going in pursuit--in itself an unlikely contingency, since the Japanese +admiral would need all his ships if he was to gain a victory over +China--the transports consequently quickened their pace, being all fast +steamers, and gradually began to draw away from the slower and more +unwieldy battle squadron. And here it may be stated that they were not +pursued, and all arrived safely at Wei-hai-wei without any mishap +whatever. + +Ting now hoisted the signal to clear for action, and a scene of bustle +and orderly confusion at once ensued. All the boats belonging to the +squadron were hoisted out and lowered, and the _San-chau_ went the +rounds, collecting them all. Having done this, she took them in tow and +steamed slowly away to the westward, so as to be out of the way when the +hostile fleets presently came to grips. + +Stanchions were taken down and stowed away, the magazines were opened, +ammunition placed in the hoists, the guns loaded, and the fire-hose +connected and laid along the decks, which were thoroughly drenched to +lessen the possibility of fire. Buckets of fresh water for the use of +thirsty and wounded men were placed in convenient positions round the +decks; and lastly, all the lighter and loose furnishings in the cabins, +ward-rooms, and gun-rooms were taken down and put out of the way, to +avoid their being smashed through the terrific vibration when the great +guns began to fire. + +The fire-control officers made their way with their range-finding +instruments into the fire-control tops, the captains went to their +conning-towers, and word was sent below to the engine-room staff warning +them of what was coming, so that steam might never be lacking. Finally, +the shell-proof gratings were slid over the engine-room hatches, +watertight doors were closed, and in grim silence the Chinese fleet +steamed ahead, waiting for the word which would start the mighty guns +roaring and the great, armour-piercing shells hurtling through the air +on their errand of destruction. + +By the time these preparations were complete, the Japanese fleet had +approached closely enough to allow of its various units being easily +distinguished through a telescope from the level of the deck; and +Frobisher observed that the largest ships were placed at the starboard +extremity of the long line, the smallest and weakest being at the other +end. The size of the cruiser nearest the Chinese fleet he estimated at +about nine thousand tons; then came two of about seven thousand, then +two more, of six thousand or so, then three of four thousand; and next +five small cruisers and gunboats, ranging from one thousand to two +thousand tons. Besides these there were four destroyers of about three +hundred and fifty tons; and he guessed that the fighting speed of the +fleet would be about twelve or thirteen knots, against the Chinese ten-- +a vast advantage, enabling the possessor practically to choose his own +time and position for fighting. + +Comparing the two fleets, Frobisher came to the conclusion that, despite +the preponderance possessed by China in her two powerful battleships, +Japan's was the stronger, since she possessed more ships, while several +of her smaller cruisers were larger than China's largest. When to this +was added the fact of the extra three knots speed, it began to look as +though China would find all her work cut out to come off victor. But if +there is one thing more certain than another it is that, before the +beginning of this battle, there was not a single officer among the whole +Chinese fleet who did not feel convinced that China was going to win; +and after-events proved that, had the issue lain in their hands alone, +their stout hearts would have forced the victory, notwithstanding the +disparity between the two fleets. + +The Japanese fleet had now approached to within about six miles, and the +gun-layers were beginning to fidget, and to wonder when the action was +to commence. Then a signal broke out on board the Chinese flagship, and +the two columns swung grandly to starboard in a wide sweep, until their +bows pointed full at the Japanese ships. + +Suddenly a bugle shrilled forth its challenging order--"Commence +firing", and with a crash that made the very air vibrate, the great guns +on board the two battleships opened fire, sending their ranging shots so +truly that the announcement from the fire-control stations of "Range +correct" seemed superfluous. Fire had been opened with the guns laid to +eight thousand yards, and all four heavy, armour-piercing shells had +found their billets. The historic battle of the Yalu had commenced. + +Nor were the Japanese behindhand in accepting the challenge. With what +appeared to be almost lightning speed, the Japanese admiral, Nozu, +changed his formation from column in line abreast to column of divisions +steaming in echelon, the starboard division being led to starboard by +the cruiser _Yoshino_, of nine thousand tons, and the division to port +being led by the _Fuji_, of about the same measurement, these two being +the most powerful ships possessed by the Japanese. This particular +formation enabled the Japanese to direct the whole of their fire against +the Chinese ships, since the two divisions of their fleet were to pass +on the inside of the Chinese double column, while the double Chinese +column would prevent their ships in the port line from firing to port, +and those in the starboard line from firing to starboard. Likewise the +inner line of each of the Japanese divisions sheltered the outer line +from the fire of the Chinese port and starboard columns respectively. +This amounted, in plain language, to giving the Japanese four times the +volume of gunfire that the Chinese could bring to bear, and was a +masterly stroke of genius on the part of Nozu which Admiral Ting did not +comprehend until it was too late to remedy matters, and he found himself +hopelessly enveloped in the net. + +As yet, however, the action had only commenced. Through the observation +slits in the walls of the _Chih' Yuen's_ conning-tower Frobisher saw, as +the Japanese fleet completed its evolution, several dazzling flashes of +flame dart out from the turrets of the _Yoshino_ and the _Fuji_, and +simultaneously it appeared as though the entire Japanese fleet had fired +at the same moment, so fierce and so continuous were the flashes of the +discharges. He felt his ship reel and stagger as no less than five +heavy shell, fortunately not armour-piercers, struck her almost +simultaneously, and he heard the shrieks and cries of men in mortal +agony as the deadly flying fragments scattered like shrapnel about the +decks. + +This would never do, said Frobisher to himself; if this kind of thing +continued, his ship would be put out of action before she had an +opportunity of giving back as good as she received. So, without waiting +for the admiral's signal for "General action", he pressed one of the +electric buttons close to his hand in the wall of the conning-tower, and +the two 9.4's in the _Chih' Yuen's_ forward barbette roared out their +hoarse defiance, dropping their shells full upon the _Yoshino's_ after +turret, where they burst with an explosion like that of a small +powder-magazine, but without doing much damage. Had they fallen under +the muzzles of the guns, neither of the weapons would have been heard +from again. + +But although the turret itself appeared uninjured, Frobisher would have +been quite satisfied with the execution wrought if he could but have +looked inside. The guns' crews within, while in the act of serving +their weapons, had, some of them, become aware that the after end of the +turret had suddenly glowed red-hot for a moment; after that, none of +them knew what had happened, for they had all been killed as by a +lightning stroke, by the terrific concussion of the two shells striking +together; and had a man been foolish enough to place his hand on that +spot even five minutes afterward, he would have left the skin behind, so +intense was the heat generated by the impact. + +Frobisher, however, could not know this, and he sent word to the +lieutenant in charge of the barbette to plant his shells, if possible, +on or near the guns of the enemy which were already in action, leaving +the after guns until later. And presently he had the satisfaction of +seeing one shell after another crash down on the very spot where the +_Hakodate's_ single gun protruded from her turret. When the flash of +the explosion and the yellow fumes of the bursting charge had cleared +away, there became visible a black, ragged hole where the gun-port had +been, and the gun itself, blown from its mountings, was pointing its +muzzle upward to the sky, useless for the rest of the action. + +Both fleets had now broken their formation to a large extent, and the +fight had resolved itself more or less into a series of individual +actions between ship and ship. The Chinese flagship was close alongside +the _Fuji_, giving her a most unmerciful hammering with her eighty-ton +monster guns, which sent their high-explosive shells crashing through +her sides as through match-boarding, these subsequently bursting inside, +between decks, carrying death and horrible mutilation in their train. +The plucky _Chen Yuen_ and her gallant British captain, who, with +Frobisher, most distinguished himself that day, had been laid in between +the already severely punished _Yoshino_ and the celebrated _Matsushima_, +which, so far, had not received a single injury, although she had +entirely disabled and very nearly sunk the little Chinese unarmoured +_Hai-yen_. The latter, with only one boiler available, and a very low +pressure of steam in that, most of her guns disabled, her captain +killed, and all her officers wounded, could do no more; and when the +_Chen Yuen_ came up and drew the _Matsushima's_ fire upon herself, a +quartermaster, one of the few surviving petty officers, steered her +slowly and painfully, like a crippled-animal, out of the press, when, +unpursued--being too small fry to trouble about--she turned her bows in +the direction of Wei-hai-wei, and hobbled into port some twenty hours +later, the dismal forerunner of the shattered and broken remnant that +was so soon to follow her. + +Frobisher, knowing the strength of his own ship, with her +strongly-reinforced and far-protruding ram, determined to try whether he +could not do more wholesale execution with it than with his guns alone; +for he could already see that the superior number of the Japanese ships +and their consequent heavier weight of metal were beginning to tell +severely upon the Chinese fleet. He therefore singled out as his prey +the _Surawa_, one of the smaller protected cruisers, determining to +experiment upon her before charging blindly into one of the +heavily-armoured ships; for the loss of the _Chih' Yuen_, or indeed of +any more of the Chinese ships, at this juncture would be fatal to their +hopes of gaining a victory. + +Accordingly he telegraphed down to the engine-room for full steam, and +passed the word "Prepare to ram". Then, sweeping round in a circle that +caused the cruiser to heel at a considerable angle, he set her going at +full speed in the direction of his intended victim, firing his fore +barbette and machine guns as he went, so as to demoralise her crew and, +if possible, prevent them from escaping the blow. A perfect hurricane +of lead and steel descended on the _Chih' Yuen's_ decks and sides as the +ships of the Japanese squadron awoke to what was intended, and in a few +seconds her fore-deck was swept bare, as though by a gigantic plane. +But the cruiser was well into her stride, and as long as no shot +penetrated to her boilers she was bound to carry out her design. + +The captain of the _Surawa_ rang frenziedly for full steam ahead, but +although the Japanese craft certainly did gather more way, the menacing +stem of the _Chih' Yuen_ followed her, relentless as fate. Then, +suddenly, the _Surawa_ plumped into the stern of the _Nagasaki_, cutting +her down to the water-line, and rebounded under the impact, to find the +bows of the Chinese ship on the point of cutting into her. The _Chih' +Yuen's_ men flung themselves to the decks in preparation for the shock, +and many of the _Surawa's_ crew leaped overboard to avoid it. + +A second later it came. The _Chih' Yuen_ sank her iron ram into the +side of the smaller craft as irresistibly as a knife sinks into butter, +and although the shock was terrific the Chinaman took no harm. The +_Surawa_, on the contrary, heeled over until the sea lapped over the +edge of her deck, both her masts snapped like matchwood, and the funnel +guys broke, letting the smoke-stack topple into the sea. + +"Full speed astern!" roared Frobisher down the speaking-tube, forgetting +that the order was in English. The engineers understood--perhaps the +command was expected--and slowly the _Chih' Yuen's_ destroying ram +withdrew itself from the gash in the other cruiser's side. In less than +a minute, so deadly was the wound, the _Surawa_ rolled heavily to port, +settled sluggishly on an even keel once more, and then suddenly heeled +over again and capsized, her boilers exploding as she did so, and down +she went, carrying with her over three hundred of Japan's bravest +hearts. + +Frobisher, emboldened by success, looked round for more prey. The +_Nagasaki_, wounded to death by her sunken sister, was slowly settling +down; she could be left. Ha! why not try for bigger game--why not try +for the flagship, the _Yoshino_ herself? If the _Chih' Yuen's_ ram +crumpled--well, she would surely destroy the _Yoshino_ as well, and the +sacrifice would be worth the gain. By Jove, he would try it! The name +of Captain Frobisher should be on men's lips that day, or he would know +the reason why. + +A hideous wreck above her gun-deck, with funnel pierced, both masts +tottering to their fall, guns dismounted, and planks stained red with +the life-blood of many a gallant Chinaman, the _Chih' Yuen_ quickly +gathered sternway, piling the water up in a white, foaming mass under +her round counter, while the vengeful guns of the Japanese squadron +never ceased to thunder their hatred of the destroyer of two of their +ships. Frobisher himself was obliged to relinquish the command to Drake +for a few minutes, while the surgeon bound up a bad scalp wound which +was blinding him with blood, this having been received from a fragment +of flying shell that had managed to penetrate through the observation +slit of the conning-tower. + +Then, quite by accident, the cruiser added another success to her roll +of destruction that day. The enemy's destroyers had for some time past +been hovering round, in the hope of getting home a torpedo which would +send a Chinese ship to the bottom, and one of these had considered the +opportunity favourable when the _Chih' Yuen_ was entangled in the wreck +of the _Surawa_. She had stolen up astern, and had come to a standstill +a few hundred yards away from the cruiser, intending to send a Whitehead +into Frobisher's stern; but the air-chamber proved to have been leaking, +and it became necessary to pump some more air in before the torpedo +could be discharged. Her men were so busy attending to this that they +did not observe the _Chih' Yuen_ gathering sternway until it was too +late, and they only awoke to their danger as the cruiser's stern crashed +into them, rolled them over, and sent them headlong to the bottom in a +wreck of bursting steam-pipes, spilling furnaces, and crumpling +machinery. + +With a fierce laugh Frobisher pushed away the surgeon, who had finished, +and himself seized the spokes of the steering-wheel and spun them over +until the cruiser's bows headed for the _Yoshino_. Then he rang for +full speed ahead. + +But the pause between the checking of the _Chih' Yuen's_ sternway and +her gathering speed ahead would have been fatal had it not been for +Drake. Another of those stinging little wasps, the destroyers, had +dashed past at full speed, and, although severely punished by the +cruiser's machine-guns, had managed to discharge a torpedo full at her +side. The cruiser was helpless, unable to move until her engines had +overcome the inertia, and for a few seconds it looked as though nothing +could save her. But with a hoarse cry Drake dashed out of the +conning-tower, where he was of course assisting Frobisher, ready to take +charge if the latter were killed, and without a moment's hesitation +leaped overboard, swimming powerfully toward the rapidly-approaching +torpedo. + +"Come back, you madman!" shouted Frobisher. "What are you about?" But +Drake either could not or would not hear; he kept on his way, regardless +of the hail of rifle and machine-gun bullets which flicked the water +into foam all round him. + +Then Frobisher and his crew saw what the gallant Englishman was about. +As the deadly missile approached, hissing its way along the surface of +the water, Drake stopped swimming and awaited it, and, as it swept past, +flung his arm round the smooth, glistening machine. His arm was nearly +torn from its socket, but he managed to get a grip upon the thing just +forward of its greatest diameter; and, once he had secured his hold, he +was not going to let go again. Then with fierce, strong strokes Drake +began to kick out with his feet, pushing strongly at the nose of the +torpedo as he did so; and, wonder of wonders! the menacing head +gradually swung away from the _Chih' Yuen's_ side. She was saved! + +But that was not enough for Drake. The torpedo might hit some other +Chinese craft, so, encouraged by his first success, he did not cease his +efforts until he had turned the Whitehead completely round and got it +headed direct for a cluster of three Japanese cruisers. Then he struck +out for the _Chih' Yuen_, and was hauled aboard just as the cruiser was +beginning to forge ahead once more. The torpedo, unnoticed, plugged +into the side of the unsuspecting _Soya_, and a huge column of white +water, upon which the ship appeared to rise bodily, announced the fact +that it had done its deadly work effectively. And so it had, for before +another five minutes had elapsed that unit of the Japanese Navy had also +capsized and disappeared! + +But while the _Chih' Yuen_ had been piling up successes for herself, and +earning laurels for her brave young skipper's brow--laurels with which +the Chinese Government was afterwards only too proud to crown him--and +while the gallant Englishman who captained the battleship _Chen Yuen_ +had been engaging no fewer than five Japanese ships at one and the same +time, ay, and beating them off, too, matters had been going badly for +the rest of the Chinese fleet. It is no exaggeration to say that if all +the Chinese captains had fought as stubbornly as did the Englishmen, and +if the ammunition had not proved, as it did in so many instances, to be +faulty, the Chinese fleet would undoubtedly, in spite of the superior +numbers of the enemy, have utterly destroyed the latter, and obtained +full command of the sea. Japan would have been put back twenty-five +years, there could have been no Russo-Japanese war, and China, instead +of being, as she now is, a third-rate Power, might have held the premier +position in Asia, as Japan so splendidly and skilfully does now. But, +as so often happens, greed and dishonesty, self-seeking and cowardice on +the part of high officials, nullified the efforts of the brave seamen +who unavailingly gave their lives for their beloved country. + +When Frobisher, intending to ram the _Yoshino_, came to look about him, +his heart sank as he saw the havoc that had been wrought among the rest +of the Chinese squadron. But, alas! worse by far was yet to come. + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Note. The term "echelon" means, literally, "steps", or a zig-zag +formation of columns, such as is shown in sketch Number 2, where the +Japanese formation has been altered from "line ahead", as in sketch +Number 1, to "echelon." + + + +CHAPTER NINETEEN. + +CAUGHT AT LAST. + +The _Yen-fu_ and the _Tung-yen_ were mere motionless hulks, lying inert +upon the bosom of the sunlit, shot-torn sea, the one with her rudder and +propeller blown away by a torpedo that had all but sent her to the +bottom, the other with her engines badly broken down, the result of +Chinese officials having stolen and disposed of many parts, which had +had to be roughly replaced at the last moment. They were both fighting +fiercely, however, like tough old wolves at bay, and, although hemmed in +by several Japanese cruisers, were as yet giving back almost as good as +they got. The game was up for them, though, as they were quite unable +to manoeuvre, and only the thickness of their armour and the light +calibre of the guns of the ships opposed to them had prevented them from +going down long before. Frequently, too, Frobisher noticed, there were +long pauses between the discharges of the _Yen-fu's_ and the +_Tung-yen's_ great guns, as well as those of others of the Chinese +ships; and he made a shrewd guess that these were the occasions when the +faulty, charcoal-filled cartridges failed to explode. The _Shan-si_, +with Captain James in command, was practically the only entirely +undamaged ship still possessed by the Chinese--not because she had not +been in the thickest of the fight, for she had, but just through one of +those curious chances of warfare which are constantly occurring. She +was doing sovereign service, rushing here, there, and everywhere, +planting her shells coolly and accurately, and sweeping the Japanese +decks with rifle and machine-gun fire; and many were the attempts made +by the enemy's destroyers to torpedo her and put her safely out of +harm's way. But, thanks to her captain's skill and his personal care of +everything pertaining to his ship, neither was she badly hit, nor did +her machinery break down at a critical moment; and she went her +relentless way, dealing death and destruction about her unchecked. + +The _Yung-chau_ and _Kau-ling_ were being engaged by the _Hiroshima, +Naniwa_ (a ship afterwards celebrated in the Russo-Japanese war), and +the _Okinoshima_--each of which was much larger than either of the +Chinese ships--and were getting a terrible punishing. Although still +moving, and more or less under control, they were leaking steam and +smoke from every crevice and opening, and ominous spirals of smoke were +filtering up through the _Yung-chau's_ decks. She had been set on fire +close to her bunkers by a Japanese shell, and, almost in less time than +it takes to write it, was a mass of roaring, spouting flame, for she was +old, and blazed like a volcano. Her men--such of them as could reach +the decks--jumped overboard, and were hauled by ropes up the sides of +whichever ships happened to be nearest; for the Japanese, like their +opponents, had discarded all their boats and pontoons before going into +action. + +The _Chen Yuen_ and _Ting Yuen_ were busily engaged in hammering away at +the biggest of the enemy, the _Yoshino_, the _Shikishima, Fuji_, and +_Niitaka_, and it was to relieve the two battleships, which were being +somewhat severely handled, that Frobisher determined to charge the +_Yoshino_ with his ship. + +Signalling once more for full steam, and firing as he went, according to +his former tactics, he drove the _Chih' Yuen_ at her utmost speed toward +the Japanese flagship, which by this time had lost one of her military +masts and her forward funnel, from whose torn base smoke and flame were +pouring voluminously, wrapping the conning-tower round as though with a +black mantle, and utterly preventing her skipper from seeing what was +going on. He, poor man, was obliged to rely entirely upon the +discretion of the gunnery-lieutenant in her forward turret; and that +this individual was doing his duty well was proved by the frequency with +which his guns boomed out, sending shell and solid shot spattering +against the heavily-armoured sides of the Chinese battleships, where +they splintered and burst, cracking and starring the thick steel, but +very seldom penetrating to their vitals, close though the range was. + +As the _Chih' Yuen_ clove her way through the water, one of the Japanese +destroyers discharged a torpedo at her, which missed her by inches only. +It was not wasted, however, for it struck the disabled _Yen-fu_, which +heeled over as though pressed by some gigantic hand, and a few minutes +later went down, taking her crew with her. + +The _Hiroshima_ also tried to ram in her turn, leaving the stricken +_Kau-ling_ for that purpose; but she also was too late. The _Naniwa_ +and the _Shikishima_ saw the _Chih' Yuen_ approaching, like the +messenger of death she was, and backed away from their opponents; the +_Fuji_ turned her guns on the approaching vessel; but the _Yoshino's_ +captain, blinded by smoke from the wrecked funnel, did not see what was +coming until it was too late, and a moment later the Chinese ship +crashed into his stern, unfortunately striking a glancing blow instead +of a direct one, as Frobisher had intended. + +It was severe enough, however, to make the _Yoshino_ shiver from stem to +stern, from truck to keelson; and as the _Chih' Yuen_ drove past, +Frobisher saw that he had sliced a great gash in her port quarter nearly +down to the water-line, and dismounted both the guns in her after +turret. The attempt had not entirely succeeded, but it had done a great +deal of damage, and with that he had to be content. + +Then, as Frobisher circled his ship round to come into action again, he +saw something that made him gasp with astonishment and apprehension. +There was a fight of some sort going on upon the deck of the Chinese +flagship herself! What on earth could it mean? She had not been close +enough to any of the enemy's ships to enable them to board her, and, +moreover, they were Chinese sailors, not Japanese, who were fighting. +What could possibly have happened? The seamen on board were entirely +devoted to their admiral, and if any mutiny had arisen it must be +through the machinations of some other person, some traitor who had +seized this opportunity to-- + +By Jove, he had it! All his old suspicions came thronging into his mind +in an instant, and in that same instant he believed he could make a very +good guess at what had occurred. Of course it was that scoundrel, +Prince Hsi, who was at the bottom of the mischief; Frobisher seemed to +know it instinctively. He also recollected the numerous occasions on +which his Highness had acted in an extremely suspicious manner, to say +the least; and it did not take him long to guess that he was now +beholding the consummation of a plot up to which Hsi had been leading +for some considerable time past. But what had happened to Admiral Ting, +he wondered, that Prince Hsi should have matters all in his own hands? +Frobisher knew that so long as the gallant admiral was alive, or +conscious, he would never permit his command to be taken from him thus; +and his heart fell, for he feared that the traitor, to attain his +detestable ends, must first have killed the brave old man. + +Well, Frobisher vowed to himself, the traitor should not succeed in his +scheme, whatever it might be, even though he had to board the _Ting +Yuen_ himself, and slay Prince Hsi with his own hands, to avenge the +death of the admiral. + +And then he saw what it was that the traitor prince intended. The +commotion on the deck of the flagship had ceased, the mutineers having +either slain or driven overboard all those who opposed them, and, while +Frobisher's ship was still some distance away, he saw the Chinese flag +flutter down from the _Ting Yuen's_ peak, to be immediately replaced by +the Japanese naval ensign; and the ship herself swung round in the +direction of the enemy's squadron and began to forge ahead toward it, +Prince Hsi having evidently determined to turn his guns against his own +countrymen. + +As the Japanese ensign fluttered aloft there fell a sudden silence over +both fleets. As though by mutual consent every gun was hushed for a few +moments, and hoarse, stern, and menacing above the strange stillness +rose a roar of execration from the throats of the Chinese, as they at +last realised the meaning of the extraordinary scene that had just taken +place aboard the flagship. + +Defiantly her captain trained his guns on the nearest Chinese ships and +fired; but whether his gunners could not bring themselves to the actual +point of firing on their country's flag, or whether it was due to the +excitement of the moment, every shot missed, and a shout of derision +went up from the Chinese squadron. + +But Captain Frobisher knew that curses and shouts of execration would +not bring back the _Ting Yuen_. If she was to be saved to the Chinese +Navy she must not be allowed to gain the shelter of the Japanese main +body. If she reached that, she would be lost for ever, and the day +would be lost beyond hope of redemption for the Chinese. To lose one +powerful battleship, and to find another suddenly arrayed against them-- +for that is what it would of course amount to--would so weaken the +already enfeebled Chinese strength that success would be out of the +question; and the Englishman determined that, come what might, he would +prevent the traitor prince from carrying out his foul intentions. + +He shouted a few brief commands to Drake, who vanished like a puff of +smoke from the conning-tower; issued an order to the quartermaster at +the wheel; and rang to the engine-room the two short calls that +signified that he required all the power the engines could develop, for +a sudden emergency. Then he looked to see that his sword was loose in +its scabbard and his revolver fully charged, and waited for Drake to +reappear, while the _Chih' Yuen_, bounding forward under the full power +of her engines, turned her nose toward the stern of the _Ting Yuen_ and +kept it fixed there, relentless as fate. + +By this time the cannonade had again become general throughout the +fleet, but ringing high above the crashing roar of the guns could be +heard the wild cheering of the Chinamen as they realised the gallant +exploit that the English captain was about to attempt. + +Prince Hsi realised it also, and put on full steam to escape, but he was +a few minutes too late. Before the unwieldy battleship could get into +her stride the more nimble cruiser would be upon her, and, knowing that +he could not hope to reach safety before he was overtaken, the Prince +determined to wait and fight the matter out with the Englishman whom he +had already learnt to hate so intensely. He therefore reversed his +engines, trained every available gun upon the advancing _Chih' Yuen_, +and opened fire. + +The cruiser reeled and quivered as the hurricane of shot and shell +struck her, but she received no injury to her vital parts, and was +checked not a moment in her headlong course. Frobisher had given orders +that his fire was to be reserved until he himself gave the word, and he +now watched for that moment as a tiger watches its prey. + +A few seconds later the time arrived. Frobisher pressed the button that +let loose the storm of death upon the flagship, rang off his engines, +handed over the command to Drake, who had just reappeared, and then left +the conning-tower. + +On the port side of the deck, behind the steel citadel, he found that +Drake had already drawn up the fifty volunteers he had called for, fully +armed, and ready to follow their captain wherever he might choose to +lead. + +A second later there arose from the _Ting Yuen_ a chorus of yells of +astonishment and fury as the _Chih' Yuen_, instead of lying off and +fighting with her guns, as Prince Hsi had expected, ground her sides +against those of the flagship, and came to a standstill right alongside. + +Frobisher shouted a word of command to the expectant sailors, and led +them round the citadel, across the cruiser's decks, and up on to those +of the battleship, before the _Ting Yuen's_ men realised what was +happening. Most of the latter had thrown off their cutlasses, the +better to handle their guns, and it was on their unpreparedness that +Frobisher relied when he led his fifty boarders to the attack. + +Like a whirlwind he swept down upon the rebel seamen, who stood +petrified with alarm and astonishment beside the now useless guns, and +the broad-bladed cutlasses rose and fell for a few seconds to the +accompaniment of shrieks and yells for mercy. But Frobisher, with his +small force, could not afford to give quarter until it was certain that +there would be no more resistance; and, much as he detested the +butchery, he simply dared not stay his hand. Forward and upward he and +his men cut their way; they encountered more and more opposition every +minute, as the mutineers found time to recover their wits and secure +their weapons, but his men would take no denial. Their blades, now dyed +a deep red, swept through the smoky air, and their revolvers crackled +and blazed merrily, as the Englishman led them forward; and presently, +after a stern and stubborn five minutes' fighting, the rebels broke and +fled below--overboard--anywhere to escape the avenging swords of their +outraged countrymen. + +So far, Frobisher had seen nothing of Prince Hsi; but the moment the +mutineers were broken and he had released the remnant of the loyal +Chinese sailors, he went in search of the arch-traitor himself, having +first headed both ships back toward the Chinese squadron. + +The Prince was not in the conning-tower, as Frobisher discovered when he +went there with one of his own helmsmen to send the necessary orders to +the engine-room, nor was he in his own cabin, which was the next most +likely place to look for him; and diligently as Frobisher searched, the +man was not to be found. He appeared to have vanished completely. +Perhaps, Frobisher decided, the traitor had seen that his shameful plot +had failed, and had thrown himself overboard to avoid the consequences +of his act. That, however, did not seem quite like Hsi; he was more +likely to be up to some deeper villainy still; and as this thought +occurred to the _Chih' Yuen's_ captain his blood ran cold, for some +sixth sense or instinct seemed to warn him what Hsi was about. + +With every nerve tingling, Frobisher darted below and began to search +for the magazine, for it was thither he guessed the traitor had betaken +himself; and it was indeed fortunate that he found it just where he had +expected it to be. + +The door of the magazine was open, and a man was to be seen inside, with +his back to the entrance, engaged upon his diabolical work by the aid of +a carefully-shaded lantern. Another few seconds and Frobisher would +have been too late, and the ship would have been blown into the air with +all her crew; for the Prince was even then applying a light to the end +of the fuse which he had already cut, the other extremity of which was +concealed from view. + +Frobisher repressed a shiver of horror, and with one bound flung himself +upon the traitor, dropping sword and revolver as he did so. This was a +case for the use of bare hands alone, man to man; the discharge of a +pistol might only complete Hsi's work for him, and Frobisher did not +feel that he could cut the man down from behind, in cold blood, richly +as he deserved it, and as the man himself would undoubtedly have done, +had the positions been reversed. He gripped the sacred person of the +Prince round the body, and endeavoured to hurl him to the floor and so +stun him; but Hsi was a powerful man, and although taken at a +disadvantage, managed to twist himself so that Frobisher's superior +strength expended itself in vain. + +Then, with a mighty effort, he wrenched one arm free and seized the +Englishman by the throat, sinking in his fingers with a fury that +testified all too plainly to the intensity of his hatred. + +Do what he might, Frobisher could not wrench the traitor's fingers away; +and although with his left hand he managed to prevent Hsi from drawing +the knife suspended from his belt, he knew that unless he could release +himself from that bulldog grip, he must very soon lose consciousness, +for already his eyes were beginning to protrude, the dim light of the +magazine seemed full of flashing stars and blazing fireworks, and the +blood drummed horribly in his ears. Besides, good heavens! there was +that deadly spark hissing and sputtering its way along the fuse, and +unless it was quenched within a minute, the _Ting Yuen_ and her crew +would be flying skyward, a cloud of splintered steel and dismembered +human bodies. + +This last thought gave Frobisher back his strength for a moment, and +with a herculean effort he wrenched his throat from Hsi's grip; then, +recovering himself quickly, before the Chinaman had his knife more than +half-way out of its sheath, he drew back his arm and struck Hsi a mighty +blow full on the point of the chin. + +The Prince's neck clicked like a breaking stick, and he was dashed +senseless against the steel walls of the magazine, falling in a tumbled +heap upon the floor. Without looking to see whether the man was +unconscious or not, Frobisher dashed at the fuse and trampled it +fiercely underfoot until the smouldering spark was entirely +extinguished; then, with a sob of relief, he withdrew its other end from +a pile of explosives and tossed it out of the door. + +Then he lifted Hsi on his shoulders, carried him out of the magazine, +closing the door after him, and took him to his own cabin, where he +deposited the senseless body in its bunk, afterwards securing the +Prince's wrists and ankles firmly with some lengths of rope which he +procured from one of the men. This done, he locked the door, put the +key in his pocket, and went in search of the admiral, whom he fully +expected to find dead. At the same moment he heard the _Ting Yuen's_ +guns again opening overhead, as her temporary commander brought her into +action once more, and he smiled grimly as he thought that, if Hsi had +had his way, the shells from those very weapons would at this minute +have been crashing their way through Chinese hulls, instead of being +directed, as they were, against the Japanese ships. + +Frobisher found Admiral Ting lying on the floor of his cabin, his hands +lashed behind him, and senseless from a severe cutlass or sword cut +across the forehead. He had evidently been cut down while in the +conning-tower, and had been brought to the cabin and there secured and +flung down; for the Englishman had noticed a trail of bloodstains on the +deck on his way to Ting's quarters. + +In a very short time he had cut the old gentleman adrift, and after a +few drops of brandy had been forced down his throat, Ting quickly +revived, and gave Frobisher an account of what had occurred. + +It was short, but to the point. Hsi had entered the conning-tower with +a drawn sword in his hand, and before the admiral could open his mouth +the Prince had ruthlessly cut him down. After that the admiral knew no +more until he awoke to find Frobisher pouring spirit and water down his +throat. + +He was profuse in his thanks to the young Englishman, and, when he had +learned from the latter all that had happened, promised that he would +never forget the brave deed by which he had been rescued from eternal +shame and dishonour. Then, despite his wound, which Frobisher roughly +bandaged, the plucky old fellow insisted upon going on deck again and +taking charge. + +But when the two men regained the open, what a sight met their horrified +eyes! The _Kau-ling_, which, although dismantled, had been fighting +bravely when Frobisher led his boarders away, had disappeared, and the +_Tung-yen_, the engines of which had broken down, had been surrounded by +five Japanese ships, and was even then sinking. The _Yung-chau_, which +had taken fire early in the fight, was now but an abandoned, charred +wreck; and even the gallant _Shan-si_ and _Chen Yuen_, which had done +great deeds ever since the beginning, were now terribly damaged. +Frobisher's own ship, a short distance away, under Drake's able +seamanship was still giving a splendid account of herself, but even she, +Frobisher's experienced eye could tell, was very badly mauled. + +In short, of the ten ships which China had possessed that morning four +were destroyed, one had crept away too seriously damaged to remain in +action, one had gone as convoy to the transports, and the remaining four +were all badly damaged. As for the torpedo-boats, the Japanese +destroyers and smaller cruisers had made short work of them. Of the +seven, three were sunk, one had been captured, two had fled toward +Wei-hai-wei hotly pursued by a big Japanese destroyer, and only one +remained with the remnant of the Chinese fleet. + +The Japanese had lost only three small cruisers and a destroyer, so that +their fleet was even now almost as numerous as China's had been at the +beginning of the battle. True, the _Yoshino_ and the _Fuji_ were little +better than wrecks, and the other ships had one and all received a very +severe drubbing; but they were still afloat and more or less under +control, while their undamaged guns now outnumbered those of the Chinese +by about six to one. + +The odds were too heavy. To keep on fighting with the four remaining +ships against the still powerful Japanese fleet would be simply throwing +those four ships away to no purpose, and shedding China's best blood +without avail. If those two battleships and two cruisers could still be +retained for China, they would live to fight another day, for with the +addition of the southern squadron, still intact and undamaged, they +would once more make up a powerful fleet; but if they were lost or +captured now, that would be the end of them, and possibly the end of +China also. + +Ting realised all this at a glance, and with a bitter groan ordered the +signal to retire to be hoisted--the enemy to be held at bay, if +possible, while the evolution was being carried out. + +As it was manifestly impossible for Frobisher to rejoin his own ship, +owing to lack of boats, he took charge as captain of the _Ting Yuen_ in +place of the traitor prince, confined below, and, in company with the +other battleship, the _Chen Yuen_, endeavoured to beat off the Japanese +craft that were manoeuvring to surround the two remaining Chinese +cruisers. And so bold a front--or rather, rear--did the four ships +present that the Japanese before long relinquished the pursuit, not +caring, in view of the success already obtained, to risk losing any more +of their already sadly-battered ships by exposing them to the +now-concentrated fire of the big Chinese ships' eighty-ton guns, the +projectiles from which had already done so much damage. + +They accordingly drew off and gave up the half-hearted chase, employing +the short time still remaining before darkness fell in effecting some +very necessary repairs to their ships; while the broken remnant of +China's northern squadron pursued its halting way toward Wei-hai-wei, +the small torpedo-boat still remaining to them acting as scout in +advance, on the look-out for the Japanese destroyer which, earlier in +the day, had left the action in pursuit of a couple of damaged Chinese +torpedo-boats. + +In the late twilight they fell in with the destroyer on her return from +her unsuccessful pursuit, the two small craft having succeeded in +effecting their escape. She had evidently anticipated a complete +victory for her own side, and seeing lights in the distance, had made +for them, thinking that, by this time, every ship would be in Japanese +hands; and she did not discover her mistake until she was under the +Chinese guns. Then she attempted to cut and run; but she was too late. +There was a rattle of machine-gun fire which drove her men from the deck +torpedo-tubes, and a few seconds later one of the _Chen Yuen's_ big guns +plumped a shell right into her, crumpling her up like cardboard and +sending her to the bottom within a few seconds. Some--a very few--of +her men were rescued and made prisoners by the Chinese torpedo-boat, but +the majority, dead or disabled from the effects of the bursting shell, +went to feed the sharks. + +Early the following morning, just after daybreak, the four ships +overtook the _San-chau_ and the transport fleet, which circumstance +rejoiced Admiral Ting exceedingly, as he had been extremely anxious lest +they might perhaps have fallen in with some prowling Japanese cruisers +and been snapped up. Then the war-ships and the transports kept company +until they reached Wei-hai-wei, where they found the little _Hat-yen_, +but recently arrived in a sinking condition, so that it had been +necessary to beach her immediately to save her from sinking at her +anchors. + +Admiral Ting lost no time in docking such of his ships as there was room +for; the others were run alongside the wharves, to have their guns +replaced and their upper-works repaired, after which they would, one by +one, go into dock as their repaired sisters came out. The admiral then +dispatched to Tien-tsin the _San-chau_, the only undamaged war-ship, +with an account of the battle; while the torpedo-boat, after a few minor +repairs, was dispatched south with a similar message to Admiral +Wong-lih, suggesting that he should bring up the southern fleet, so +that, together, the united squadrons might seek the Japanese fleet and +once more give battle, in an attempt to recover the mastery of the sea, +which was of paramount importance to China. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY. + +ON SPECIAL SERVICE. + +For the first few days after the return of the fleet to Wei-hai-wei +everybody was very fully employed, including even the admiral himself, +who, despite his deep and painful wound, insisted on being about the +dockyard, his head tied up in a bandage, superintending the refitting of +the shattered ships. Nothing was mentioned with regard to Prince Hsi. +That arch-villain had not even been seen; and Frobisher supposed it was +Ting's intention to send him, as soon as he could spare an escort, to +Tien-tsin to stand his trial--a procedure which the Englishman was +inclined to think very likely to end in a farce, since, once among the +circle of his rich and powerful relatives and acquaintance, the man was +wily and cunning enough to be able to extricate himself even out of such +a predicament as that in which he was now plunged. + +Frobisher had, however, forgotten a certain promise which Ting had made +at Wi-ju, at the mouth of the Yalu, when Prince Hsi had been so very +nearly discovered in communication with one of the enemy's destroyers-- +the promise that, if he actually caught the Prince red-handed, so that +there could be no possible doubt about the matter, not all the influence +or powerful relations in China should save him from the fate he would so +richly deserve. + +There could be little doubt that it was due to the signals sent that +night by the Prince to the destroyer that the Japanese had learned the +strength of the Chinese squadron and its destination, and had thus been +enabled to come up in full force, as they had done, and practically +annihilate the northern squadron. This was not the first nor the second +time that Hsi had played the traitor, although until now there had been +no actual proof of his treachery; he was strongly suspected, for +instance, of having brought about the disaster to the transport +_Kowshing_, when she had been sunk by the Japanese cruiser _Naniwa_, +with over a thousand Chinese troops on board. + +Admiral Ting had not allowed his oath to slip his memory, and the old +fellow, gentle, kindly, and courteous though he was to his friends, +could be very vindictive when it came to dealing with evil-doers, +especially criminals of the hardened, remorseless type which Prince Hsi +had proved himself to be. He was only biding his time, as events were +very soon to prove. + +One evening Frobisher received a polite message from the admiral that +his presence would be required on board the flagship at ten o'clock on +the following morning, and so did the other captains and first +lieutenants. Consequently, at the hour named, Captains Foster, James, +Frobisher, and Quen-lung, of the _Chen Yuen, Shan-si, Chih' Yuen_, and +_Hat-yen_ respectively, together with their first officers, found +themselves assembled in Admiral Ting's cabin on board the flagship, each +of them attired in full-dress uniform and wearing their side-arms. The +admiral himself was also present, dressed in the fullest of full dress, +and wearing all his various Chinese orders and decorations; while the +cabin door was guarded on each side by a Chinese sailor with drawn +cutlass. + +The room had been cleared of most of its usual furnishings, and a plain, +long and narrow oak table had been placed in the centre, with chairs +sufficient to accommodate the little party of officers assembled. At a +short distance from the table there was placed another chair, standing +by itself, the use of which was to be discovered presently. + +As soon as the last officer had arrived, Admiral Ting explained that +they were met together to sit in judgment on the person of Prince Hsi, a +member of the royal house of China, and lately captain of the battleship +_Ting Yuen_, the said officer being accused of treachery to his country, +mutiny, and desertion to the enemy during the time of battle. The +accuser was, for official purposes, the first lieutenant of the _Ting +Yuen_, an officer of high birth and proved integrity, who had also been +struck down and confined below by Prince Hsi's mutinous sailors. +Admiral Ting himself intended to act as Judge Advocate; and the other +captains and officers made up the court, their opinions as to the guilt +or innocence of the accused to be taken after the hearing of the case, +beginning with the man of lowest rank present, the idea of this being to +prevent the younger and less experienced officers from being influenced +by the decisions of their superiors. + +On the table, with its point directed toward the Judge Advocate's seat, +lay Prince Hsi's sword, which had been taken from him at the time of his +arrest. + +The officers having taken their seats in the order of seniority, Admiral +Ting declared the court open, and directed the prisoner to be brought +in. A few seconds later the door opened and Prince Hsi entered, guarded +by two sailors with drawn swords, and himself wearing his full-dress +uniform, with all his orders displayed across his breast. He looked, +Frobisher thought, a trifle pale, but was otherwise cool and collected, +and his face wore its usual expression of cold and haughty resentment. +With him entered another officer belonging to Admiral Ting's staff, +whose duty it would be to act as the prisoner's "friend", a position +something similar to that of counsel for the defence at a civilian +trial. + +Having bowed to the assembled court, the Prince, in view of his rank, +was permitted to seat himself in the chair provided, and the trial +commenced. From the first it was quite evident that Hsi believed his +judges would never dare to proceed to extremities, for his replies were +always careless, and often flippant; but Frobisher could see that the +court was very much in earnest, and that the Prince was deceiving +himself very badly. + +It began to dawn on the prisoner, after a time, that his accusers were +making out a very serious case against him--as, indeed, they could not +help doing, in face of the evidence they possessed; and he made +desperate efforts to justify his conduct and to excuse his actions, +though, in face of the facts, he was attempting an utter impossibility. + +At the expiration of an hour the accusation and defence had been heard, +and the Prince was ordered to be removed. Admiral Ting then summed up, +and asked the verdict of the court, commencing with the youngest +lieutenant present, and working up until the last pronouncement rested +with the captain of the _Chen Yuen_. + +Every officer gave it as his conscientious conviction that the Prince +was guilty, and Hsi was then recalled. He started violently as he saw +that his sword had been reversed and that its point was now toward, +instead of away from, him; for he knew by that token that he had been +found guilty, and that all that now remained for him was to hear his +sentence, which even yet, it was clear, he did not believe would be at +all severe. + +It was, however, the most severe that could be passed. The sentence ran +that Prince Hsi, having been found guilty by a court composed of his +fellow officers of the charges preferred against him, should be stripped +of his decorations and have the insignia of his rank torn from his +uniform in presence of the assembled officers and crews of the Chinese +fleet, and that thereafter he should be shot upon the quarter-deck of +the flagship _Ting Yuen_. + +When this terrible sentence was pronounced Prince Hsi was observed to +stagger and turn deathly pale. Such ignominy as this he had never +dreamed of; and to lose his life into the bargain-- + +With a lightning-like movement, and before his guards could prevent him, +Hsi placed the back of his hand to his mouth, held it there a second, +and then, with a groan of deepest agony, reeled backward and fell upon +the cabin floor. + +When they picked him up he was quite dead, and the cause of his death +was revealed by the large ring which he wore on the third finger of his +left hand. It had been made hollow, with a tiny hinged cover, and +concealed in the hollow there had evidently been a minute dose of an +extremely powerful poison which, from the odour of almonds that filled +the cabin directly afterward, Frobisher recognised as being prussic +acid, one of the quickest and most deadly poisons known to science. + +With a solemn, courteous gesture Ting dismissed his officers, and they +trooped silently out of the cabin, leaving the admiral alone with the +dead. A little later in the day the body was enclosed in a coffin and +placed on board a ship bound for Tien-tsin, with directions that it +should be delivered to the Prince's relations. + +Thus perished a man who bad used his high position to attain his own +base ends at the expense of his country and the lives of his countrymen. +Nemesis had overtaken him at last, as it sometimes does evil-doers; and +the high-born Prince Hsi died miserably, a condemned criminal. + +Frobisher returned to his own ship from the court of justice saddened +and disheartened. True, the Prince had richly deserved his fate, and +China could never have known safety while he remained alive; but it +seemed a dreadful thing that a young man like Prince Hsi, with all +life's infinite possibilities to one of his standing before him, should +deliberately imperil and finally forfeit those possibilities for the +equivalent of a few thousand English pounds, in order to be able to +practise vices which had originated in the first place simply through +the possession of so much money that he felt he had to get rid of it +somehow, and so adopted the quickest means available. + +But the young English captain had very little time in which to moralise +over Hsi's miserable end; for shortly after his return to the _Chih' +Yuen_, while he was changing into his undress uniform, a messenger came +aboard with a request that he would wait upon the admiral again +immediately. + +Wondering what was now in the wind, Frobisher went across to the _Ting +Yuen_, to find the admiral anxiously pacing the deck awaiting him; and +he soon learnt what it was that his superior required him for. + +It appeared that a ship had come in but a short time previously, +bringing important news, which her captain had just communicated to +Ting, to the effect that the Japanese had resolved upon the seizure of +the Chinese island of Taiwan, or Formosa, and that they intended to +dispatch an expedition thither under General Oki, in two transports, +each conveying twelve hundred men; and as the intended invasion of the +island was believed by the Japanese to be a dead secret, it was proposed +to send only one gunboat or small cruiser to convoy the transports. +They evidently considered that, the Chinese northern fleet being still +under repair at Wei-hai-wei, and the southern fleet away in southern +Chinese waters, they had little or nothing to fear, and that a very +small measure of protection, or even none at all, would suffice. How +the man had obtained his information he declined to say; but he solemnly +declared that the news was genuine, and spoke so convincingly that he +quite satisfied the admiral of the need for taking immediate action. + +Ting therefore asked Frobisher whether it was true that the repairs to +his ship were all but completed; and on being informed that another +day's work would suffice to render the _Chih' Yuen_ ready for sea, if +her services were urgently required, he ordered the young Englishman to +expedite matters as much as possible, get his stores and ammunition on +board, and sail at the earliest moment for Kilung, at the north end of +the island of Formosa, at which spot it was reported that the Japanese +intended to disembark their troops. This disembarkation, said Ting, +must be prevented, if possible, and the gunboat and transports were to +be destroyed, or captured, as circumstances should decide. This ought, +he added, to be an easy task for the _Chih' Yuen_; and it would prove a +very adequate reprisal for the sinking of the transport _Kowshing_ and +some of her attendant ships by the Japanese squadron some weeks +previously. + +This was just the kind of commission that appealed to Frobisher, who had +still a great deal of the boy left in him; there was nothing that he +liked better than to be able to get away on special service. He +therefore assured Ting that he would return on board, hurry his +preparations forward, and get away at the very earliest moment. + +The morning but one following, therefore, found him steaming out of the +harbour of Wei-hai-wei, with Drake, almost as eager as himself, standing +on the bridge beside him. There had been very little prospect of active +service for either of them until Wong-lih could join forces with the +northern fleet, and that might possibly not be for some time; therefore +both men were in the highest spirits at the thought of getting to +hand-grips with the enemy again so quickly, and it was with a light +heart indeed that the young captain ordered the admiral's salute to be +fired as the _Chih' Yuen_ swept seaward out of the harbour. + +The distance from Wei-hai-wei to Kilung, at the north end of Formosa, is +close upon a thousand miles, and Frobisher reckoned that it would take +him some seventy hours to do the trip. On the other hand, the distance +from the nearest Japanese port, Nagasaki, to the same spot was only +about seven hundred miles; therefore if the proposed invading expedition +sailed at the time when the _Chih' Yuen_ left Wei-hai-wei, the +probability was that the Japanese would be there first, in which case +his task would be exceedingly difficult, if not impossible. Once let +the soldiers get ashore, and he, with his small force, would be quite +unable to turn them out. It was only by meeting the transports and +gunboats at sea that he could hope for success; and he did not spare +coal, or his engineers' and stokers' feelings, in his eagerness to reach +the scene first. Of course, there was always the possibility that, +believing their plan a secret, the enemy would not greatly hurry to get +to Kilung; but Frobisher was not taking any chances, and he drove his +ship through the short, choppy seas at the full power of her engines. + +He had an additional incentive to haste in the aspect of the sea and +sky; for there seemed to be another typhoon threatening, and he was +keenly anxious to run out of the storm area before the hurricane should +break. When twilight fell that evening, the sun was already enveloped +in a peculiar, dun-coloured mist that resembled an enormous pall of +distant smoke, in the midst of which the orb appeared like a dimly-seen, +red-hot iron disk, as it sank toward the western horizon. The darkening +sky overhead and away to the eastward glowed with a dull incandescence, +like the reflected glare of an enormous furnace; while the short, choppy +waves of the forenoon had given place to a long, oily, sluggish swell, +without a single ripple to disturb its surface, through which the _Chih' +Yuen's_ stem clove its way like a knife shearing through butter. The +ship was rolling heavily; and in the queer, eerie stillness that fell +with the disappearance of the sun, the usual ship-board sounds, the +clank of machinery far below, and even the voices of the men, assumed so +weird and unnatural a character that Frobisher felt himself gradually +being overcome by a most unpleasant, dismal sense of foreboding. + +The sea, reflecting the ruddy glow from overhead, looked ghastly in the +extreme, recalling to the Englishman's disturbed fancy the old sailor's +legend of the appearance of the "Hand of Satan in the Sea of Darkness". +This was precisely the kind of sea out of which such a terrible +apparition might be expected to appear; and so strongly did the feeling +of menace take hold of him, that he actually caught himself at times +glancing apprehensively over his shoulder, in spite of his resolve to +the contrary. + +About an hour after sunset, puffs of hot wind came moaning about the +ship from all directions, oppressive, and almost as noxious as the fumes +from an open furnace door. Indeed, there was a distinctly sulphurous +smell in the atmosphere; and the air was so full of electricity that a +quite perceptible shock was to be felt if the bare hand were placed on +metal, especially upon the copper fittings of the binnacle. A feeling +of vague uneasiness seemed to have taken possession of every man on +board; and tempers were short almost to the point of acerbity. The +petty officers could be heard snarling at the men, the officers grumbled +at their subordinates, and even Frobisher and Drake had something of a +passage of arms up on the bridge, until they realised that their fretted +nerves were due to the extraordinary weather conditions, and laughed the +little unpleasantness off accordingly. + +Frobisher now gave orders that all the guns were to be doubly secured, +so that they might not break adrift in the event of the ship being +overtaken by the typhoon, the approach of which now appeared most +probable; and everything that might possibly strike adrift was fastened +and double fastened, in view of what was almost certainly coming. The +canvas dodgers round the bridge were taken down and put away, and the +quarter-deck and forecastle awnings were removed, and the stanchions +taken out of their sockets and placed below. The lashings of the boat +covers were again looked to, and the boats themselves secured more +firmly in their chocks, until finally there remained nothing more +possible to be done for security, and the outbreak of the storm could be +awaited with reasonable confidence. + +About eight o'clock in the evening the swell became even more +pronounced, and the ship commenced to roll so heavily that it was +necessary to run hand-lines fore and aft the deck to enable the seamen +to go about their duties, otherwise there was great danger of the men +being hurled right across the decks and sustaining serious injuries. +The gloomy, lowering, red light which had suffused the sky at the going +down of the sun had given place to a dull, copper-coloured glow, mingled +with a kind of brassy glare, all the more ominous from the fact that +there was no visible source of its origin; for in the ordinary course of +events it should have been quite dark, except for such light as was +given by the moon, the sun having disappeared more than an hour and a +half previously. So strong was this unearthly light that the horizon +was plainly visible in all directions, save away to the northward, and +there the blackness was intense. Not the faintest glimmer of a star was +observable through the inky curtain which covered about ten degrees of +the horizon in that direction, but now and again a sudden dazzle of +wicked-looking forked lightning shot across the face of the bank. As +yet, however, there was no sound of thunder, and the same unearthly +stillness prevailed, save when a moaning sound could be plainly heard as +the puffs of hot wind more and more frequently scurried through the +ship's wire rigging, or sobbed weirdly in the hoods of the ventilators. + +"There is certainly something pretty bad coming, sir," Drake presently +volunteered, unable any longer to endure the strained silence. "I have +sailed these seas before; and although I have never seen the sky looking +quite so threatening as it does now, there were much the same +premonitions before the great hurricane of 1889, when more than twenty +thousand Chinamen were drowned, and hundreds of junks, sailing ships, +and steamers were destroyed, and their wreckage strewn up and down the +coast. I was in the old _Barracouta_ at the time; and although she was +as well-found a craft as ever I sailed in, I never expected her to live +through it. It would be a queer state of affairs if we were to drop +across the enemy now, sir, wouldn't it? The men would have a pretty job +serving the guns, and no mistake!" + +"An action, with a swell such as this running, would be an utter +impossibility," was Frobisher's reply. "Before long we shall be having +all our work cut out to take care of ourselves, without troubling to +attempt the destruction of the other fellow. And by Jove, Drake! I +believe it's coming now." + +Drake glanced apprehensively behind him, and there, _sure_ enough, just +below the inky curtain of blackness on the northern horizon, which was +now being rent in every direction by continuous lightning flashes, could +be seen a long line of whitish colour, which, there could be no doubt, +was approaching the ship with more than the speed of an express train. + +Frobisher had scarcely uttered the words before the darkness was rent by +the most terrifically vivid flash of lightning that he had ever seen, +while simultaneously the air was shattered by a clap of thunder of such +frightful volume that the cruiser jarred and shivered from stem to +stern, as though she had taken the ground at full speed; indeed, for +some seconds Frobisher was not at all sure that they had not happened +upon some uncharted shoal. And while all hands were still cringing +involuntarily from the shock, there came another dazzling flash of +lightning, apparently within a few yards of the vessel, followed +immediately by peal on peal of thunder, which rolled and reverberated +over the sea as though all the great guns in existence were being fired +at the same time within a few miles of them. + +Then the rain came down as it only can in those latitudes--as though the +bottom of an enormous tank had been suddenly knocked out; the roar of +that colossal volume of water beating on the deck being such that, +although Frobisher put his mouth to Drake's ear and shouted with all the +power of his lungs, the latter could not distinguish a syllable. + +For only a few brief seconds did this last; then it ceased as suddenly +as though a tap had been turned off. An instant later the line of white +water appeared, scarcely a hundred yards distant from the _Chih' Yuen's_ +stern. Frobisher had barely time to yell an order to the men on deck to +"hold on for their lives" before the oncoming wave and the attendant +hurricane broke upon the cruiser. + +The wave, black, gleaming, and sinister in the sheen of the lancing +lightning flashes, and capped with a ridge of phosphorescent foam, swept +over the cruiser's stern, down upon the quarter-deck, and then forward, +burying the ship in an instant from stern to stem, so that her captain, +up on the navigating bridge, was unable for a few seconds to see +anything of his vessel's decks, the bridge on which he and Drake were +standing--or endeavouring to stand--and the tops of the ventilators +being all of the upper-works that showed above the racing turmoil of +foam-covered water. At the same time Frobisher and Drake were literally +jammed against the quivering rails of the bridge and held there, +powerless to move, by the amazing force of the wind. + +A perceptible quiver thrilled through the hull of the sturdy vessel as, +like a live thing, she endeavoured to free herself from that enormous +weight of water, and a few moments later she emerged from the swirl, +which poured off her decks in cataracts. Then, rolling herself free of +the rest of her burden, she was carried irresistibly forward on the back +of the wave, like a chip in the current of a mill-race. + +Frobisher gave a big sigh of relief as he saw his ship shake herself +free. "A little longer, Drake, and she would have foundered under our +feet," he managed to gasp; "if she had not been the sturdy craft that +she is, she would not have come up again." + +"You're right, sir," replied Drake, wiping the spray out of his eyes; +"that was a narrow squeak, if ever there was one. But hark to the wind! +It must be blowing at ninety miles an hour, at least. I pray that +nothing may get in our way, for we could not possibly avoid it. A +hair's-breadth out of our course, and the ship would broach to and +capsize with us." + +Drake spoke truth. Although the sea was absolutely smooth--every +wave-crest being shorn off by the terrific force of the wind almost +before it had time to form--the extremely heavy swell that had arisen +earlier in the evening was still running. Even the hurricane could not +flatten that, and the _Chih' Yuen_, driven forward by her own steam and +the power of the wind behind her, rushed down one steep slope and up the +next with a speed that made even the most experienced seaman gasp. A +very slight alteration of the helm, at the speed at which the ship was +then travelling, would certainly suffice to send her reeling over upon +her beam-ends, aided by the "send" of the sea. + +Looking round him, after the storm's first wild outburst, Frobisher was +horrified to observe the terrible damage and loss of life that had been +caused by that first great rush of water. Of the men who had been on +deck at the time, only some half a dozen poor, draggled, half-drowned +creatures, clinging limply to the nearest support, could be seen; while +every movable object had been swept overboard into the sea, as well as a +number that are not usually considered easy of removal. Several +ventilators had been shorn off level with the deck, and the water had +poured in tons down the openings thus formed; the two quarterboats had +disappeared altogether, and of another boat only the stem and stern +posts remained, hanging to the davit tackles by their ring-bolts. +Stanchions were either missing altogether, or bent into a variety of +curious and extraordinary shapes; and even some of the lighter +machine-guns mounted on deck had been torn from their tripods, and were +by this time at the bottom of the sea. The havoc was simply +indescribable, and Frobisher's heart was full of bitterness as he +surveyed the shocking wreck of what had, a few minutes previously, been +the smartest and finest cruiser in the whole Chinese Navy, and thought +of the poor souls who were perhaps, even now, struggling feebly as they +gradually sank to their watery graves. + +All that night both Drake and Frobisher remained on the bridge, not +daring to leave the ship to herself for an instant; and many and many a +time during those hours of darkness did each of them think that his last +moment was come. Yet time after time the cruiser recovered from the +staggering blows inflicted by wind and sea, and rushed from crest to +crest of the swell like a flying-fish pursued by dolphin. + +Several times during the night and the following morning her skipper +tried to gauge the speed at which his ship was travelling, and +ultimately he estimated that she must be doing fully twenty knots over +the ground. As the cruiser was travelling at this high speed Frobisher +became particularly anxious to obtain a sight of the sun at midday, in +order to ascertain his position; for he was of opinion that he must be +very near, if not actually among, those islands forming the Chu-san +Archipelago; and he feared, every moment, that the _Chih' Yuen_ might +crash headlong upon some submerged rock. But, unfortunately, the +atmosphere was far too thick to render any observation possible; indeed, +what with the black, low-hanging clouds, and the dense spindrift with +which the air was filled, it was as dark at midday as it would have +been, under ordinary circumstances, half an hour after sunset; and he +was perforce obliged to content himself with the very unsatisfactory +result obtained by dead reckoning. + +Late in the afternoon the typhoon eased up a little, and Frobisher sent +Drake below to secure some rest--for both men were completely worn out-- +promising to call him and take his own turn after the first lieutenant +had refreshed himself with three hours' slumber. + +At the expiration of that time the wind had dropped so much that he felt +quite justified in leaving the bridge; and he therefore had Drake called +to take his place. With the easing of the wind, however, a very steep +and heavy sea naturally began to rise, and Frobisher therefore +instructed Drake to call him immediately should any danger arise to the +ship. He then went below and turned in "all standing", excepting that +he discarded his boots and his water-soaked oilskins; and he was asleep +almost before his head had touched the pillow. + +It seemed to him that he had been sleeping but a few minutes when he +felt himself violently shaken by the shoulder, and awoke to find Drake, +still haggard and worn for want of proper sleep, standing over him in +his dripping oilskins. + +"Hillo! Anything wrong, Drake?" was his immediate enquiry, followed by +a request to be told the time, since his own watch appeared to have run +down. + +"Nothing absolutely wrong, sir," was the reply, "but what you can feel +for yourself. The sea has risen very badly; and the ship is not +behaving as well as I should like. The chief engineer, also, has just +sent up word that the engines are working a bit loose, and that some of +the bearings are almost red-hot. He thinks that some parts of the +machinery must have been strained when that first wave swept over us; so +I thought it just as well to let you know. As for the time, sir, it is +nearly three o'clock in the morning." + +"Three in the morning!" ejaculated the captain. "Surely not, Drake! I +must have slept nearly ten hours, in that case. All right! I will be +on deck in a few seconds." + +Hardly were the words out of his mouth when there arose on deck a +fearful outcry, as of men in the extremity of fear and dismay; and +before Frobisher and Drake had planted their feet on the first steps of +the companion-ladder, the ship struck heavily, plunged forward, and then +struck again. At the same moment the electric lights went out, and +everything was in darkness. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. + +IN THE HANDS OF FORMOSAN CANNIBALS. + +"Heavens above!" shouted Frobisher, as he and Drake picked themselves up +from the floor, to which they had been hurled at the first shock; "the +ship is ashore!" + +As if to emphasise the statement, just as the two men succeeded in +reaching the top of the steeply-inclined ladder a deluge of water +crashed thunderously down on the cruiser's poop, driving in a solid mass +along her decks from end to end, and causing her to bump again heavily. +Then came a terrific shock, accompanied by the heart-stopping sounds of +rending and tearing iron, shearing rivets, jangling machinery, and, +worse than all, the despairing screams of men who had been caught by the +giant comber and swept overboard to death among the rocks which were +grinding and tearing their way into the unfortunate _Chih' Yuen's_ +vitals. + +When Frobisher and his lieutenant gained the wave-swept deck, the first +faint glimmerings of coming dawn were just appearing away to the +eastward, and objects close at hand were beginning to take on +recognisable form in the ghostly, grey dawn light; so that, although all +the lamps in the ship had gone out with the stoppage of the dynamo, +which had been jolted from its bedplate at the first shock, it was to +some slight extent possible to see what was happening, and to dodge the +masses of wreckage which were being hurled hither and thither about the +decks. + +Frobisher's first instructions were to the engine-room staff, to stop +the engines, which the engineers had omitted to do, doubtless waiting +for orders; and the next was to the carpenter, to sound the well and +ascertain how much water the ship had inside her. True, she seemed to +be firmly enough fixed on the rocks at the moment, but there was no +knowing when she might slide off and, if she had taken in much water, +carry them all to the bottom. + +Then, without waiting to receive the man's report, he ordered such boats +as still remained in a condition to swim to be stocked with provisions +and water, and to be hoisted off the chocks ready for lowering in a +hurry, should necessity arise. These, it was soon discovered, amounted +only to three, not counting the steam-pinnace, which, Frobisher feared, +it would be impossible to get into the water under the circumstances; +and it was at once apparent that, notwithstanding the large number of +men who had been already swept overboard and drowned, there would not be +sufficient accommodation for half the remaining crew. + +Meanwhile the seas, although they still continued to break heavily over +the ship's stern, were not nearly so violent as the great waves that had +swept the decks when she first struck; and the men were able to move +about in comparative safety by watching their opportunity. After the +first few moments of alarm and confusion, too, Frobisher's strong +personality and cool confidence soon restored the men's courage, and +discipline once more prevailed. + +The carpenter returned after about five minutes' absence, and reported +that already there was more than ten feet of water in the fore end of +the ship, while in the engine-room it was almost up to the bedplates, +and that consequently the stokers were drawing the furnaces as quickly +as they could in order to avert an explosion. He also added that, +during the brief period while he had been sounding the well, the water +had risen almost a foot, and that therefore the vessel could not be +expected to float much longer. Indeed it was now evident that, although +the bows of the _Chih' Yuen_ were supported on a ridge or pinnacle of +rock, the after portion of the ship was in deep water, in which it was +quickly sinking lower and lower, so that it was almost a question of +minutes before she must either break in two or else slide backward off +the rock and founder. + +By this time the light had become so much stronger that it was possible +to make out, in some small degree, the position in which they were +situated. The ship had apparently driven upon an outlying ridge of +rock, stretching a mile or more into the sea in a north-easterly +direction, from an array of black-looking, rugged cliffs, which towered +upward to a height of several hundred feet above the sea. The cliffs +themselves shut out the view to the south-westward, but toward the south +the shore line could be seen running away until it became lost in the +distance, thus proving--although the light was still too poor to enable +the men to see very far--that it was not some isolated, uncharted reef +upon which the ship had run, but an island of considerable size. +Although it seemed to Frobisher almost impossible that the land could be +actually the island of Formosa itself, yet it was still believable when +he came to consider the great speed at which the _Chih' Yuen_ had been +travelling during the storm, urged forward both by her engines and by +the terrific force of the wind. In fact, a few minutes' consideration +sufficed to convince him that this must indeed be Formosa, since there +was no other island of such extent as this, anywhere in the vicinity, +upon which the cruiser could possibly have struck. + +Seeing, then, that there was no time to be lost, Frobisher gave orders +for the boats to be hoisted out, as many men as they could safely hold +being told off to each, with instructions that, upon their cargoes being +landed, they were to be brought back to the ship by a crew selected +among themselves, for the remainder of the _men_. In the meantime, +while the boats were transferring some of the men to the shore, the +remainder were to set to work to construct rafts as quickly as possible +out of the raffle of wreckage washing about the deck and alongside, so +that, in the event of the boats not having time to make more than the +one trip, those left behind should have some means of saving their lives +other than by swimming. + +Very fortunately, the now fast-increasing light disclosed a strip of +sandy beach, on the west side of, and very largely sheltered by, the +ridge of rocks on which the _Chih' Yuen_ had struck; and it was for this +spot that Frobisher directed the boats to make, as offering the most +suitable landing-place in sight. + +These orders given, the men rushed to execute them, and in a few minutes +the first boat was ready for lowering into the water. The crew got in, +while others stood by the tackles, prepared to lower away at the word of +command. Drake, carefully watching the seas sweeping up behind the +ship, waited until an especially heavy wave dashed past, and then, when +the ensuing "smooth" arrived, gave the word to let run. The boat +dropped down the cruiser's steep side like a rocket, hit the water with +a resounding splash, the bow and stern men unhooked the tackles, the +oars pushed the little craft away from the ship's side, and the perilous +journey toward the beach was commenced. + +Time after time it appeared as though the boat must be overrun by the +sea and swamped; but the coxswain in charge of her was an old +man-o'-war's-man, and each time he avoided disaster by a hairbreadth, +until, at the expiration of a breathless five minutes, Frobisher saw her +living cargo leap safely out on the beach, and heaved a sigh of relief. +By this time, too, the second and third boats had been got into the +water without mishap, and were also on their way shoreward, leaving +about a hundred and fifty men still remaining aboard the cruiser, +working like madmen to complete their raft; for it now appeared almost +certain that the _Chih' Yuen_ could not live long enough to allow all +hands to be taken off by the boats. + +The engine-room staff had been driven on deck some time previously by +the inrush of water, and were also making a raft for themselves up in +the bows of the ship. Others were busily engaged in getting up such +unspoiled provisions as they could lay their hands on; and yet another +party, headed by Frobisher himself, was collecting a little armoury of +weapons on deck, ready to be taken ashore, for the Englishman had heard +some ugly yarns of the savage character of the natives of the island, +and their methods of treatment of such shipwrecked crews as were +unfortunate enough to fall into their hands. Among these yarns were one +or two to the effect that they were also strongly addicted to +cannibalism; and neither he nor Drake, nor indeed any of the rest, were +at all desirous of ending their careers as part of the ingredients of a +cannibal banquet on the desolate and forbidding shores of Formosa. + +Unfortunately, the magazine was flooded, so that it was impossible to +procure any ammunition for the fire-arms, but all the rifles in the +arm-belts happened to be loaded in readiness for the expected encounter +with the Japanese gunboat and transports; these were therefore unloaded +and the cartridges placed in a box for safe transit. The officers' +revolvers were also all fully charged, while Frobisher, Drake, and the +second lieutenant had a small quantity of revolver cartridge loose in +their cabins. This was added to the general store, and it was then +found that the entire supply of ammunition available amounted to three +hundred rounds of rifle ammunition and a little over a hundred rounds of +revolver cartridge. + +This, together with a supply of rifles, revolvers, and cutlasses, formed +part of the second cargo of the first boat, which had by this time +returned to the wreck; and she was soon on her way back to the shore, +with a small party of seamen as well as the weapons. + +Frobisher was on the point of going below again, to endeavour to rescue +a few more articles likely to be of use to people in their position, +when Drake suddenly shouted: + +"Look out, sir; look out, men! Jump for your lives; the ship is sinking +under us!" + +And indeed, even as the words left Drake's lips, with a terrible +grinding sound of rending iron and timber the _Chih' Yuen_ began to +slide backward off the sharp pinnacle of rock that supported her bows. + +Some of the men followed Drake's advice and leaped overboard, others +seized anything handy that would serve to support them, while one small +body of seamen made herculean efforts to launch the half-completed raft. +But these last were too late; the structure had been made of large +dimensions on purpose to sustain the weight of a considerable number of +men, and it was too heavy to be moved unless all hands had applied +themselves to the task. It refused to budge, and while the men were +still struggling with it, the cruiser slid clear of the last ridge of +rock into the sea in a terrific swirl of foaming water, rolled +sluggishly once or twice, with the water up to the level of her gun +casemates, and then slowly capsized and sank, throwing all the men who +were fortunate enough to have been above-deck into the water, where a +terrible scene of struggling among the drowning at once ensued. + +Quite a large proportion of the Chinese were unable to swim, and those +of them who possessed no spar or piece of plank to cling to either +strove to save themselves by clutching at the nearest swimmer, or fought +to tear their more fortunate companions from their supports and seize +them for themselves. There were many exhibitions of mad brutality, +selfishness, and cowardice, as there too frequently are on such +occasions; but these were redeemed by the heroic deeds of others who +retained their senses and their manhood. + +The raft had, of course, floated clear when the ship sank; and Frobisher +and Drake, after being submerged so long by the suction of the sinking +craft as to be almost suffocated, were lucky enough to come to the +surface close alongside it. Having gained the raft, they at once set to +work to haul on board everybody within reach, and then, with the +assistance of a few oars which had floated free of the broken boats +remaining on the cruiser, the occupants managed to propel the raft, +despite the heavy sea still running, to a large grating, to which half a +dozen men were clinging, submerged to their chins. + +By this time, however, the raft was as heavily weighted as it could +safely be--the water, indeed, was sweeping over it at times in such +volume as to bury the men almost to their waists; and it was fortunate +for its occupants that the other two boats now returned and, getting +alongside, proceeded to relieve it of some of its living burden, +otherwise a great number would inevitably have soon been swept away to +death. + +There were still a few men either swimming or clinging to pieces of +wreckage, and when these had been taken on board the boats, the mournful +harvest was completed. Save for spars, gratings, and fragments of +wreckage, the sea was clear of every trace of the once-proud cruiser. +All the survivors of the catastrophe were either ashore, on the raft, or +divided between the two boats; and after another careful scrutiny in +every direction, Frobisher recognised that there were no more to be +saved, and ordered the boats to pass lines aboard the raft and tow it to +the shore. + +The landing was effected in safety, except for the loss of one man, who +was snapped up by a shark as he sprang out of one of the boats to help +to run her up the beach. The great fish swooped up with a rush, turned +on its side in the shallow water, and dragged the man away before a hand +could be lifted to rescue him. His despairing shriek rang in the ears +of everybody for many a day afterwards; yet his fate was a lucky one +compared to that in store for some of those who stood shivering and wet +upon that sandy beach in the chill air of early morning. + +Once safely ashore, Frobisher proceeded to count the survivors; and out +of the crew of three hundred and thirty men who were on board the _Chih' +Yuen_ when she left Wei-hai-wei, he found only a hundred and forty +remaining. Of the others, some had been washed overboard during the +typhoon, more had been swept away when the ship first struck, and the +rest had gone down when she sank, either between her decks or sucked +down and drowned in the vortex caused by the sinking hull. + +This was no time for repining, however; they were not yet by any means +out of the wood, and there was a good deal of work to be done at once. +First of all, the provisions and water-casks were left on the beach +under a guard, while two parties, headed by Frobisher and Drake +respectively, armed themselves from the stock of weapons brought ashore, +and went off in different directions, in search, first, of a water +supply, and secondly, of a spot in its immediate neighbourhood where +they might construct some sort of a defence to protect themselves from +any attack until rescued. + +That there was urgent need for such a structure was very soon +demonstrated, for scarcely had Frobisher and his party penetrated a +quarter of a mile into the jungle, when they were saluted by a shower of +spears and arrows that stretched no less than thirteen of their number +dead on the ground, and wounded several others. Frobisher immediately +threw his men roughly into a square formation, and fired a volley into +the surrounding bush, in the midst of which naked brown forms could be +seen flitting hither and thither; and by the volume of shrieks, groans, +and cries that arose immediately after the discharge, it seemed that he +had taught the savage natives a sharp and wholesome lesson. At any +rate, they retreated in confusion; and soon afterward Frobisher was +fortunate enough to discover a spot that would serve admirably as a site +for a sort of blockhouse or fort. There was a spring of good water +sufficient in quantity to supply the needs of his whole force, an open +space of ground on which the structure could be built, and an abundance +of small timber that could easily be worked up into palisading with the +assistance of the tools from the carpenter's chest--one of the first +things that Frobisher had thought of sending ashore, after the arms and +ammunition. + +The party was therefore divided, one half remaining to defend the chosen +site, if necessary, while the other half was dispatched to inform Drake +of their success, and to bring up the beach party with the provisions +and water-casks, arms, and boxes of cartridge. The boats, Frobisher +ordered, were to be hauled as far up the beach as possible, together +with the raft, and all of them were to be well secured. It was not +considered very likely that the savages would attempt to seize the +boats, for they would not know how to handle them; but if they did, +Frobisher was determined that the task should be made as difficult for +them as possible. That they might break them up for the sake of the +nails was a contingency that would have to be faced, as he dared not +leave a small guard to protect them, and had not men enough to be able +to leave a large one. + +When Drake arrived with his exploring party, he informed Frobisher that +he, too, had been attacked by a party of the natives, although there had +apparently not been so many of them in his case as in that of the +captain, and a few shots fired into the jungle had been sufficient to +clear the road for them. These two incidents served to convince +Frobisher that there had been no exaggeration in the tales concerning +the dangerous character of the Formosan savages; and he realised that +the sooner a stockade and fort of some description could be erected, the +better it would be for all of them. + +The carpenter's chest was therefore at once opened, and the available +tools divided among as many as the supply would allow; and while four +men with axes started to cut down small trees of a size suitable to make +posts for the stockade, others set to work with their cutlasses--for +want of better instruments--to mow down and root up the scrub with which +the site of the proposed fort was covered, putting it on one side for +use afterward as a protective hedge. Others, again, using the saws, +proceeded to cut the trees into suitable lengths as soon as they were +felled by the axemen; a fourth party, using their cutlasses as spades, +undertook to dig holes for the reception of the finished posts; and the +remainder were employed in the task of guarding the labourers, with +rifle and drawn cutlass, from the chance of attack by the savages. + +By midday, when all hands sat down to a hasty meal, the actual erection +of the stockade had been commenced, and by the time that darkness had +fallen the first line of posts was completed, in the form of a square +some thirty feet by thirty, all but a length of about twelve feet, which +perforce had to be left open for that night, since the men could not +work in the dark--a guard being posted there to prevent any unauthorised +persons from entering. + +Fires were lighted all round the outside of the stockade, so that no +savages could approach without being seen; while light of every +description in the interior of the enclosure was strictly forbidden by +Frobisher, in order that the advantage should be all on the side of the +defenders, in the event of attack. + +Half a dozen men were told off to take the first spell at guarding the +twelve-foot gap in the palisading, and two more were stationed at +loopholes which had been formed in each of the other three sides, to +prevent a surprise from either of those directions. Then, rifles and +revolvers having been reloaded and piled in different parts of the +enclosure, ready to hand, and cutlasses resharpened on the grindstone +belonging to the tool-chest and placed close to their owners' hands, the +remainder of the little company stretched themselves out on beds of +bracken, which had been cut during the day, and in a few minutes were +fast asleep, completely worn out by the fatigue and excitement of a very +long and arduous day. + +Frobisher, however, though extremely tired, would not permit himself to +sleep, feeling to the full the responsibility resting on his shoulders +for the safety of his men; but he insisted that Drake should do so, for +he had been awake most of the previous night while Frobisher was +resting. To keep himself awake, the captain periodically perambulated +round the stockade, constantly replenishing the watch fires, which had +been placed at a considerable distance from the fort, and seeing that +the men told off for sentry duty were keeping awake and on the alert. + +But strive as he might against the temptation to close his eyes, if only +for a moment, he found himself continually nodding, even as he walked; +and once or twice he awakened to the realisation that he had, for a few +seconds, actually been walking in his sleep. The unfortunate watchmen, +too, were constantly needing to be roused; and before long Frobisher +found that, each time he made the rounds, it was necessary to reawaken +them, all of them being found sleeping, leaning on their rifles or +against the stockade. + +All the while he, too, was becoming more and more drowsy; and at last, +shortly after midnight, he determined to rouse the second lieutenant and +a dozen of the sleepers to take the place of those who had been doing +the first spell. Accordingly he reeled in through the opening in the +stockade, scarcely noticing that the men who were supposed to be +guarding the gap were all so nearly asleep that they were quite useless +as sentries. + +It took him some little time, in the darkness, to find the spot where +the second lieutenant was lying; and he was just shaking the man gently +by the shoulder to rouse him when the still night air was rent by a most +heart-shaking yell, instantly followed by several shrill screams of +agony in quick succession. As Frobisher started to his feet in horror +he saw the somnolent sentries at the gap in the very act of falling +under the flashing blades of a horde of yelling, shouting, ferocious +savages who, at the first wild rush, had broken into the fort, and were +now spearing the hapless Chinese seamen, who, scarcely half-awake, were +blindly searching for their rifles and cutlasses. + +Himself armed, Frobisher desperately strove to break through and get to +the front, so that he might in some degree stem the rush until his men +could recover their wits; but it could not be done. The Chinese were +being driven backward and jammed together by sheer weight of numbers, +until they could move neither hand nor foot, and were being slaughtered +like sheep. The last thing that Frobisher was conscious of was that he +was shouting frenziedly for Drake; then something flashed before his +eyes, a thousand sparks danced through his brain, and he knew no more. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. + +JAPANESE TROOPS TO THE RESCUE. + +The next thing of which Frobisher became aware was that he was in an +extremely uncomfortable position, and that he was suffering a very +considerable amount of pain. It also appeared to him that he was +experiencing an altogether unpleasant degree of warmth; while he seemed +to hear, ringing in his ears like the echo of something listened to ages +ago, the sound of what very strongly resembled a steamer's syren. Added +to this, he was conscious that there were many people quite close to +him, groaning in varying degrees of agony; and finally, as his faculties +resumed their normal condition, he began to realise that he was in a +very disagreeable predicament. + +Refraining from opening his eyes, he waited patiently until the feeling +of sickness and dizziness with which he was oppressed had slightly worn +off, striving meanwhile to remember how it came about that he was +wounded in the head, and firmly lashed, with his arms behind him, to the +trunk of a tree, in unpleasant proximity to a large fire. Little by +little his memory returned, and he remembered clearly everything that +had taken place, up to the time when the enclosure had been rushed by +the Formosan savages, and he himself had fallen unconscious from the +blow of a spear haft across his head. What, he wondered, had become of +poor Drake? He had not set eyes on him during the whole of that brief +scuffle, and he began to fear the worst for his friend. + +A remarkable sight revealed itself to his wondering gaze when he at +length opened his eyes. Instead of being bound to the trunk of a tree, +as he had previously supposed, he found that he was secured to a stout +post driven into the ground, his arms, behind him, encircling the post, +with the wrists lashed together by what felt like rough ropes of native +fibre. Glancing downward, he saw that his ankles had been placed one on +each side of the stake, and secured there by several lengths of rattan; +and it was to this that his uncomfortable and cramped position was due, +as his whole weight was thus thrust forward until it was supported +almost entirely by the wrists. + +Looking round him, he saw that a number of similar stakes had been +erected in the form of a circle, in the centre of which was a roaring +fire, the heat from which he had become unpleasantly aware of on his +return to consciousness; and to each post was secured the body of a man, +supported in the same manner as himself. Many of them appeared, +Frobisher noticed, to be in a state of entire, or nearly entire, +unconsciousness. These men were, of course, the Chinese seamen who had +escaped death at the first onslaught of the savages, and had survived, +he very greatly feared, only to meet a far more sinister fate than that +of sudden death. + +His gaze diligently searched the circle for Drake, and he was beginning +to fear that his old friend must be numbered with the slain, when one of +the figures raised its head slowly and painfully, as though just +returning to consciousness, and revealed the blood-stained, haggard +features of the first lieutenant. At the same time Drake turned his +eyes in Frobisher's direction, stared blankly at him for a second, and +then smiled a glad but painful smile--painful because of the slash which +he had received across the face; but he refrained from calling a +greeting, and Frobisher instantly recognised that the other must have +some good reason for remaining silent--a circumstance very much opposed +to his usual nature. + +That reason soon became apparent as Frobisher managed to twist his head +round, with considerable difficulty, and look behind him; for he then +saw that he and the survivors of his crew were tied up in front of a +native Formosan village; the spot where they were standing being +evidently the open space which is to be found in some portion of every +savage town. It was still night-time, but the glare of the great fire +shone redly on the low, reed-thatched huts, with their two-foot-high +doors, covered with fibre mats, through which the occupants were obliged +to crawl on all-fours; and the reason of Drake's silence became apparent +in the bronze shapes of several of the savages themselves, either +lounging against the walls of the huts, or seated on low stools before +the doors. All of them, without exception, were nursing evil-looking, +long-hafted, broad-bladed spears, and carried, belted to their waists, +long-bladed knives, with wavy blades, somewhat similar to the Malay +_parong_, or kris; and these they were evidently very ready and willing +to use on the least provocation. + +The natives had all the appearance of people who were waiting +impatiently for some pleasurable happening to take place; and Frobisher +realised how very much it was to the advantage of all of them to feign +unconsciousness as long as possible. The "exhibition", in which the +prisoners were undoubtedly to become the principal actors, could hardly +take place while the prisoners were still insensible, and therefore not +in a fit condition to furnish "sport"; but there was no doubt that, +directly any of them showed signs of being in a condition to feel pain, +the savage revels would begin. What form these would take Frobisher did +not, of course, know; but he could shrewdly guess, by what he remembered +to have been told about these folk, that it would be something very +horrible, and he shuddered involuntarily. + +At this moment there thrilled through the still night air that same +deep, throbbing note that he believed he had heard at the moment when he +had been struck down. His sub-consciousness had then attributed the +sound to the result of the blow, and he had since thought no more of it; +but now that he heard it again he had no doubt as to what it really was. +It was the deep-toned vibration of a steamer's syren, not so very far +away; and he cast a quick glance in Drake's direction. If there were a +steamer so close at hand, there might yet be a chance of being rescued +if communication could possibly be established with her people. + +The lieutenant had also heard it; and directly his chief's eyes met his, +his lips slowly but very distinctly formed one silent word: "Japanese." + +It was quite possible at that short distance, and in that strong light, +to read from one another's lips, provided the motions were slow and very +distinct, and the two men at once entered into a silent conversation +relating to the situation in which they found themselves. Drake all the +time kept a wary eye on the guards, and feigned unconsciousness--a +course immediately followed by Frobisher--immediately there seemed the +least likelihood of one of them turning his head in the prisoners' +direction. + +There could be no question as to the identity of the stranger--or +strangers. The steamer undoubtedly was either one of the transports, or +the gunboat sent by the Japanese to take possession of the island--part +of the very expedition that Frobisher would now have been engaged in +fighting, had it not been for the terrible catastrophe of the _Chih' +Yuen_ being cast away. + +The questions then arose--how soon would it be before the troops were +landed? would they be likely to come that way in their search for a spot +on which to erect fort and barracks? and if they did so, would they +arrive in time? They would scarcely begin the disembarkation before +dawn, Frobisher conjectured; but dawn must surely be not very far off +now. He found himself praying fervently that his Chinese seamen might +remain insensible as long as possible; for the first that recovered his +senses would be almost certain, in his astonishment and alarm, to betray +the fact; and he could not but believe that when once the +"entertainment" commenced, the savages would not trouble to discriminate +between insensible and conscious victims, but would butcher the entire +company to satisfy their lust for blood. + +He had been carrying on a silent conversation with Drake for nearly an +hour, during which time neither prisoners nor captors had moved; and the +first streaks of dawn were appearing to the eastward when the lieutenant +suddenly dropped his chin on his chest, as though shot; and so naturally +was the performance carried out that for a few seconds Frobisher +believed his friend had fainted. He was wise enough, however, to follow +the example instantly, and presently, through his half-closed eyelids, +he saw a couple of the savages rise to their feet and stroll toward the +circle of prisoners. + +Drake himself was one of the first at whom they stopped. They looked +keenly at the down-hung head, and even prodded him in the ribs with a +spear-haft; but although the blow must have been exceedingly painful, +Drake retained sufficient self-possession not to utter a sound or +exhibit a single sign of consciousness, and after a pause the two men +strolled along to the next prisoner. This was the Chinese quartermaster +of the _Chih' Yuen_; and directly they touched him Frobisher realised +that the man was dead--fortunately, perhaps. There could be no +mistaking the inert manner in which the body responded to the shaking of +the taller of the two Formosans; and with an animal cry of disappointed +rage the fellow reversed his spear and drove the broad blade again and +again into the insensate figure. The sight was a sickening one, and +Frobisher's only consolation was that the object of the barbarity was +beyond the reach of cruelty for ever. + +Then the men passed on to another figure, another, and still another, +always without result, until Frobisher became aware that his turn was +coming next. Drake's eye was on him, he knew, watching anxiously, and +he braced himself to bear in silence whatever barbarity the savages +might feel inclined to inflict. + +He knew, of course, when they stopped opposite him, although he had now +closed his eyes tightly; but he could scarcely repress a start when he +felt a heavy hand fall upon his shoulder, for he did not know what next +to expect. The temptation to open his eyes was almost irresistible, but +with a strong effort he managed to keep them closed, and it was indeed +well for him that he did so. Drake, who was watching, told him +afterward that when he saw the horribly suggestive gestures that +followed upon the man placing his hand on Frobisher's shoulder he almost +fainted from very horror, and was scarcely able to draw his breath +until, after a few seconds' hesitation, the men decided to postpone +their barbarous idea until the victim was in a state to anticipate and +to feel, and passed on. Frobisher heard them depart, but forbore to +open his eyes for a few seconds, lest they should be playing him some +trick, and so he did not see what happened to the man on his left; but +Drake did, and not with all his iron nerve could he repress a muffled +cry of horror. + +Immediately the men wheeled, but luckily, having their backs turned at +the time, were unable to locate the sound accurately. They fancied that +it was uttered by one of the seamen who, unhappily for him, had just +regained consciousness and was gazing about him in blank amazement and +terror; and with a shout of exultation the two inhuman wretches left the +cruelly mangled form of their victim and passed on to the sailor. + +They paused in front of him for a few moments, gesticulating and +laughing fiendishly, and then, to Frobisher's amazement, left him +untouched, and returned to the huts. + +Here they uttered a peculiar kind of cry, and presently could be heard +sounds as of a number of people approaching through the jungle. A few +others appeared sleepily at the doors of some of the huts, and crawled +out, yawning and blinking, into the fire-light. Here they remained, +talking in their harsh, unmusical tongue, and chuckling at some +suggestion put forward by the tall man, until the arrival of a party of +men, all armed with spears and krises and, in some instances, bows and +arrows, or blowpipes, who had evidently been out hunting to procure +breakfast for the tribe; for they carried with them a number of small +animals somewhat resembling hares, and a few splendidly-plumaged birds, +all intended for the pot. On hearing what the tall man was saying, +however, their burdens were contemptuously cast on one side, and they +eyed the prisoners with an expression that told Frobisher more plainly +than words that he had fallen into the clutches of cannibals, and the +discarding of the spoils of their night's hunt proved only too clearly +what their intentions were. + +How Frobisher prayed and prayed again that the Japanese troops might +pass that way in time! It would, of course, mean the exchanging of one +prison for another, he knew. But the Japanese were civilised, and their +officers gentlemen; and no indignity or other hardship would be +inflicted upon their captives beyond temporary confinement; and the +Englishman felt that he would almost be willing to undergo lifelong +captivity if he might, by so doing, save his comrades and himself from +the dreadful fate that, only too plainly, was in store for them. + +The chief having now concluded his harangue, his audience, with shouts +and chuckles of anticipation and ferocity, dived back into their huts, +to reappear a few seconds later with a number of wooden shovels, and +stakes sharpened to a point and hardened in the fire, these being +evidently intended for the breaking up of hard earth for the shovels to +deal with more easily. Then the whole of them, with the exception of a +couple of spearmen left to guard the prisoners, trooped off into the +bush, stopping a little distance away and proceeding to dig eagerly, as +Frobisher could tell by their shouts, and the sounds of shovels and +picks being driven into the ground. + +Ah, if only it were possible for either Drake or himself to loosen their +bonds while the savages were away! A few seconds would suffice to +dispose of the guard; a few seconds more would liberate the rest of the +prisoners, most of whom were now showing signs of returning +consciousness; and they could all be away in the depths of the forest +before those others could reach the spot. Once free, it would be +strange indeed if they could not reach the protection of the Japanese +troops, who would by this time surely be disembarking, possibly only a +short mile away, if they should have elected to land at the spot where +the _Chih' Yuen's_ boats had been left. + +"Phew!--the boats!" thought Frobisher to himself. If the troops should +land where he expected they would, the officers could not avoid seeing +them; and, seeing them, they would naturally at once endeavour to +discover whose they were. The name of the ship was on each boat--if the +Jap officers could understand Chinese characters--and surely, surely +they would try to locate the people who had landed from the vessel, if +only to attack and drive them from the island. If the disembarkation +had begun at dawn, a strong force might even now be in the vicinity +searching--perhaps within earshot. At this very moment a concentrated +shout on the part of Drake and himself might reach the ears of the +troops and bring them to the spot in time to save all hands from a +horrible death! + +But the risk was too great. A shout would inevitably bring back the +savages, even if the guards did not punish the outcry with a +spear-thrust; and then all would be over. No, the only thing to do was +to wait, and pray fervently that the preparations of the Formosans might +take them some considerable time, thus giving the Japanese more +opportunity to find the prisoners before it was too late, if they were +coming at all. It seemed strange to Frobisher that the savages had not +also heard the steamer's syren; but he attributed the circumstance to +the fact that perhaps his own ears and Drake's were more sensitive to +such a sound, in the presence of imminent death, than those of the +Formosans. Besides, he and the lieutenant knew that the arrival of the +Japanese was expected, whereas the Formosans had no reason to suspect +anything of the kind. + +While he was debating the matter in his mind he heard the noise of the +savages crashing through the bush on their return, and knew that, unless +assistance came within the next five minutes, it would arrive too late +for all of them. + +Presently the cannibals reappeared in the clearing, laughing and joking +among themselves; and, having thrown their shovels and picks down by the +side of one of the huts, they picked up their spears and advanced +expectantly toward the circle of bound men, baring their gums, showing +their teeth, and exhibiting every symptom of pleased anticipation. + +Then the tall chief, who had been the last to return, dived into his +hut, while the others stood around, leaning on their spears or running +their thumbs along the edges of their _parongs_, waiting impatiently for +him to reappear. + +It was at this moment that Frobisher, who was staring hard at Drake, +trying to attract his attention, thought he caught the distant echo of a +voice; and by the sudden start that the lieutenant was unable to repress +it was evident that he, too, had become aware of something. He +immediately glanced across at his captain, raising his eyebrows and +nodding his head in the direction of the sound; and Frobisher nodded in +return, at the same time glancing warningly at the Formosans, and +forming the word "Wait" with his lips as distinctly as he could. Drake +understood, and flashed his comprehension at the moment that the savage +chief reappeared in the doorway of his hut. + +He had dressed himself, in celebration of the occasion, in a splendid +tiger-skin cloak, and wore the skull of a tiger on his head as a kind of +helmet. A necklace made of the teeth and claws of that beast was +suspended round his neck, supporting a huge unset emerald, which was +fastened by a piece of gold wire run through a hole which had been +drilled through an angle of the stone. He also wore a pair of white +cotton trousers, terminating just below the calf, and kept in position +by a belt made of silver medallions, connected by pieces of deer-hide; +while from this belt depended a very handsome silver-hilted kris in a +wooden scabbard, very richly ornamented, which had undoubtedly been +stolen at some time from a rich Malay trader. Gold bracelets encircled +his arms nearly from wrist to elbow, and his ankles were ornamented by +soft gold bands which could be clasped on or taken off as their owner +desired. He made a fine figure of a man, and was evidently quite aware +of the fact, for he stood still for a few moments, sunning himself in +the admiration of his followers, until Frobisher trembled lest the +voices should again make themselves heard and be detected by the waiting +cannibals. In fact, as he strained his ears, the Englishman could now +distinctly hear the distant crackling of undergrowth, announcing the +passage of a number of men through the bush. It was as yet very faint +indeed, and would have passed unnoticed but for the strained condition +of his nerves; but it was to him quite perceptible, and approaching +closer and closer every second. + +To his unbounded delight, the cannibals now formed a circle and began to +sing, slowly parading round the doomed men and clashing the hafts of +their spears, thus effectually drowning any sounds the approaching +troops might make, and at the same time notifying their presence to the +Japanese. It was broad daylight by this time, and Frobisher kept his +eyes glued in the direction from which the sounds had proceeded, hoping +every second that they would be gladdened by the glitter of approaching +bayonets. + +In the midst of the singing the chief, suddenly whipping out his kris, +paused a few seconds on the edge of the circle, looking for a victim, +then sprang like a tiger at one of the Chinese seamen. The man saw him +coming and shrieked pitifully; but he could scarcely have felt his +death, poor fellow, for the next second his severed head fell to the +ground. + +Waving the kris above his head, and laughing madly, the chief looked +round for the next victim, and his eyes fell upon Frobisher. The +Englishman breathed a prayer and prepared to meet his death bravely, +keeping his eyes fixed undauntedly on the chief's face. And as he +looked, the fellow suddenly dropped the streaming weapon and, falling +upon his knees, collapsed in a heap, simultaneously with the crack of a +revolver, which was immediately followed by a quick succession of rifle +shots, as hidden marksmen picked out their victims. + +Taken completely by surprise, the cannibals were shot down like sheep; +and Frobisher scarcely realised what was happening until he saw the last +savage throw up his hands and fall. Then he felt his bonds slacken, and +he staggered weakly forward, to find himself supported by the arms of a +Japanese officer, while, standing about in groups at the edge of the +jungle, could be seen the figures of the soldiers, leaning upon their +still-smoking rifles. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY THREE. + +FROBISHER CAPTURES THE "SATSUMA." + +Several months had passed since the moment when Frobisher stood staring +in the face of death in the Formosan clearing, to be saved in the very +nick of time by a well-directed shot from a Japanese officer's revolver. +Now he, together with Drake and all that remained of the crew of the +_Chih' Yuen_--twenty-three seamen only, out of her complement of over +three hundred--were crawling slowly and carefully, on hands and knees, +down a steep jungle path, not half a mile from the scene of the rescue, +on their way to the beach. How they come to be in this position, +creeping along and keeping cautiously within the shadow cast by the +moon, can soon be told. + +Immediately the cannibals had been slain by the Japanese volleys, and +the officer and his men had cast loose the cramped and stiffened forms +of the prisoners, the wounded Formosans--of whom there were very few-- +had been executed by the orders of the Japanese captain, who said that +he could not afford to take any savage prisoners. But he courteously +informed Frobisher that, although he was delighted and honoured at +having been the means of succouring the "honourable captain" and his men +in their extremity, he would be obliged, as the two countries were still +at war, to make him and all his men prisoners until such time as they +could be exchanged. If, however, Frobisher would give his parole for +himself and his crew, he would be very glad to give them all a passage +to Japan when the transports returned thither; otherwise, he should be +obliged to keep them with him on the island until he was relieved or the +Japanese garrison withdrawn. + +Frobisher and Drake, after consulting, decided that they would not give +their parole. They were both eager to get away from Formosa and back to +their duty as soon as possible, and they believed they might be able to +form a plan by which to bring this about, if they were not sent to +Japan. + +He therefore informed General Oki of his decision. That officer +shrugged his shoulders, and ordered the two Englishmen and the +twenty-three Chinese to be closely guarded until a building could be +erected as a prison for them. This was soon run up, and the twenty-five +men placed therein, with sentries stationed at the doors night and day. + +They were well treated, but very strictly guarded; and it was a long +time before even a glimmering of an opportunity to escape occurred. The +gunboat had convoyed the transports back to Nagasaki; and as escape was +impossible without the assistance of a ship, it became necessary to wait +until another returned, as she was expected to do, in about three +months' time, with stores. + +It was longer than that, however, before she appeared, and provisions +were becoming exceedingly scarce when one day everybody awoke to find +one of the latest and finest Japanese torpedo-boat destroyers lying off +the beach, and with her an old tramp steamer laden with stores. It was +then that Frobisher and Drake decided to attempt putting into execution +the scheme matured by them months previously, and which had been +simmering in their brains ever since the departure of the gunboat and +transports. + +This scheme was nothing less than the capture of the war-vessel which +would certainly accompany the storeship; but the question now was, How +was the scheme to be carried out with so small a number of men? +Twenty-five to a hundred and ten--which would be about the complement +carried by the destroyer--was very long odds; but Frobisher and Drake +between them evolved a plan that they thought might meet with success. + +They had observed--at the time when the Japanese were first landing +their stores, after the troops had been disembarked--that the crews of +transports and war-ship had been allowed to come ashore in detachments +to stretch their legs after the voyage, being permitted also to go into +the woods at the back of the cliffs with rifles, after tigers and other +game, provided always that they went in large parties, so as to avoid +any danger of being cut off by the cannibals. They had also made a note +of the fact that, when the gunboat's crew had taken their turn at shore +leave, fully three-quarters of the men had arranged to do so at the same +time, so that a _battue_ on a large scale might take place, leaving only +a few men behind to look after the ship. This _battue_ had proved such +a tremendous success that the crews of the two transports had followed +the example of their Service comrades, and had likewise had excellent +sport. + +The reports of these successes, Frobisher felt sure, would be +communicated to the crews of the ships which were to bring the next +consignment of stores; and it was upon the possibility of the major +portion of the destroyer's men coming ashore together, leaving the ship +very indifferently manned, that the Englishmen had built their plan. If +the Japanese did not follow their predecessors' example, then another +plan would have to be thought out after the ship's arrival, when it +could be seen what arrangements were actually in force. + +But, fortunately for the success of Frobisher's scheme, everything had +fallen out as he had hoped. The storeship's crew came on shore first, +and met with splendid success; and, as the destroyer and her consort +were making but a brief stay, the war-ship's crew had arranged to hold +their _battue_ the following day. Frobisher had therefore warned his +men, directly he became aware of what was intended; and it was with +mingled feelings of delight and apprehension that he saw and heard the +laughing Japanese tars making their way into the bush, as twilight fell, +to take up their posts for the moonlight "shoot." + +The prison had been built at some distance from the storehouse and the +barracks, close to the edge of the jungle, and not far from the strip of +beach where the _Chih' Yuen's_ boats had landed. The other two +buildings just referred to were more than half a mile away, at the top +of the cliff, where a signal-station had also been established. On the +night selected for the attempt, the crew of the store-ship happened to +be holding a "sing-song", to which the officers on shore and a number of +men from the barracks had been invited; and it seemed as though fortune +herself were on the side of the conspirators. + +Frobisher gave the hunters half an hour in which to make a good +"offing", as he phrased it, and then, when the shades of evening had +well set in, passed the word to his men to be ready. + +There were two sentinels on guard, night and day, over the prisoners, +and these had been changed half an hour before the time the attempt was +to be made. Frobisher could hear them pacing slowly up and down +outside; and he whispered to one of the sailors, who could speak +Japanese, that the moment had arrived. + +The fellow immediately shouted, at the top of his voice: + +"Help! help! I have been bitten by a snake!" and, acting on Frobisher's +instructions, the remainder of the men began to raise a tremendous +hubbub, as though trying to find the reptile to kill it, while the +"bitten" man, altering the tones of his voice, called wildly to the +sentries to bring their rifles to shoot the thing. + +The plan worked to perfection. The prisoners had always been quiet and +well-behaved, and had never made any attempt to escape, so no suspicions +now suggested themselves to the guards. They hastily unlocked the doors +and dashed in, with rifles held ready to shoot--and the next moment they +were on the floor, with half a dozen men on the top of each of them, and +their rifles in the hands of Frobisher and Drake respectively. + +They were bound and gagged in less time than it takes to tell; and five +minutes later the little band were in the situation in which they were +discovered at the beginning of this chapter, crawling cautiously along +the jungle path toward the beach. + +Once there, in the shadow of the cliffs, they hastened to the spot where +the arms and stores from the _Chih' Yuen_ had been concealed when they +first landed, some of which had been left there when they went to build +the fort. If the Japanese had not discovered them, they should be there +still; and there they were soon found. + +Frobisher distributed a rifle and cutlass to each man, saw that the +rifles were loaded and that the remaining cartridges were distributed as +far as they would go, then gave Drake a cutlass and revolver, and took +one of each himself. Then the little band crept quietly along toward +the place where the Japanese boats had been pulled up. + +Nothing of this kind having been anticipated, it had not been deemed +necessary to leave a guard over the boats, and the fugitives had things +all their own way. Oars were muffled with pieces of the men's clothing, +and the boat was carried bodily down to the water's edge and placed +carefully in the water to avoid the noise created by running her down +the beach. There might be sentries on the destroyer and the store-ship +(although in the case of the latter this was not very probable, owing to +the concert proceeding on board); but if anyone should be watching on +the destroyer Frobisher hoped that his crew would be taken for a party +of the hunters, returned early for some reason, until it would be too +late to offer resistance. If there were no sentinels on guard--well, +attention to the fugitives would not be attracted by any undue +disturbance. + +Quietly but quickly the men slid into the boat, and were soon on their +way toward the destroyer, lying about half a mile from the store-ship. +They were within a few yards of her when, to their astonishment and +momentary dismay, they were challenged--there was a sentry on watch, +after all! + +The Japanese-speaking seaman replied to the challenge with a statement +that they had "returned early, as the sport had turned out to be poor"; +and before the sentry could make up his mind whether or not he +recognised the voice, the boat's crew were on deck, and he had no +opportunity to rectify his mistake. He was silently overcome, gagged, +and bound in a trice, and in less than ten minutes the remainder of the +destroyer's men--most of them captured while enjoying a well-earned +nap--were in irons and confined, with a sentry over them, in their own +vessel's forecastle, the scuttles of which were closed and screwed home +with a spanner, so that no outcry of theirs could reach the other ship. + +The fires were banked and the steam pressure was low, but by an +extravagant use of oil a working pressure was soon raised. Frobisher +wisely waited until he had a full head of steam before slipping his +cable, lest he might be chased by the store-ship before he had power for +full speed; but at the expiration of an hour all was in readiness. The +word was given, the cable slipped through the hawse-pipe with a roar, +the screw revolved, and the _Satsuma_ swung round in a circle and headed +northward for Wei-hai-wei. + +The sound of the cable running out alarmed the crew of the store-ship, +and the concert ceased abruptly. But that craft might as well have +hoped to catch a streak of lightning as the _Satsuma_, when once she was +well into her stride; and two days later the destroyer, now flying the +Chinese flag, steamed proudly into Wei-hai-wei. + +But, alas! pride soon had a fall, for the harbour was full of Japanese +war-ships! Matters had been progressing while Frobisher was a prisoner +in Formosa, battles had been fought on land and sea, and China had been +humbled in the dust. Her men, both in the Navy and the Army, had fought +like heroes; but, alas! it was always the same tale. Victory, dearly +bought, but still victory, would have been theirs in nearly every case +but for the peculation of the mandarins and other high officials, who +supplied everything of the poorest to the unfortunate men whose duty it +was to do the fighting. Poor weapons, poor food, cheap boots and +clothing, faulty ammunition were the cause of China's downfall--nothing +else. + +The remnant of her fleet, under Admiral Ting, had fought another +bravely-contested naval action, and had been destroyed, with the +exception of one ship, the _Chen Yuen_, which had been captured. Her +southern fleet had been bottled up by another Japanese squadron, and +Admiral Wong-lih had gone to Tien-tsin to see whether he could be of use +there. The army in Korea had been crushed by an enemy superior in +numbers and in everything else but bravery; and at the moment of +Frobisher's return the peace envoys were in the act of concluding the +treaty of Shimonoseki. + +The higher Chinese naval officers, broken-hearted at disgrace which was +none of their own fault, had one and all committed suicide, and the +Dragon's teeth were drawn, his claws pared. + +Would he ever rise again, Frobisher wondered, under men worthy of the +heroes who were only too willing to fight his battles? Time alone would +show. + +There is little more to add to the present history of Captain Murray +Frobisher. + +The captured destroyer was, of course, claimed by Japan, and Frobisher +himself remained a prisoner for one day, until the treaty was signed. +Then, being free, he sought Admiral Wong-lih, who had refused to follow +his comrades' example and destroy himself. The Englishman obtained from +him the loan of an old gunboat, armed and manned her at his own expense, +went up the Hoang-ho, and settled an outstanding account with certain +pirates and an individual by the name of Ah-fu. + +Then Drake and he revisited the ruined palace, and brought away Genghiz +Khan's hoard, which the two men shared and brought to England, where +they arrived about Christmas time. + +Frobisher was now an immensely wealthy man, and a famous one, too, for +he found that the account of his services with the Chinese Navy had +reached home, and that his name was in everybody's mouth. + +He was surprised, on the day following his arrival, to receive a visit +from Dick Penryn, who, after the first warm greetings had passed, handed +him a document intimating that the former sentence of the court martial +had been reversed; that Frobisher had been reinstated in the British +Navy, with the rank of captain; and that a ship was waiting for him as +soon as he cared to take command. + +He had, however, a little business of his own to transact first; and the +nature of it became apparent, a little more than a year later, when +Captain Murray Frobisher, of Her Majesty's cruiser _Dauntless_, +presented to a grateful and astonished country no less than four +splendid battleships of the latest design, built in the mother country +with part of the proceeds of his share of the hoard of the ancient +"Conqueror of Asia". He did not intend, he said to the deputation who +waited upon him to thank him, that his country should ever be exposed to +the danger of the fate that had overtaken China. If China had had more +ships she might have come off victorious in her war with Japan, in spite +of the manifold disadvantages to which she had been subjected. These +were disadvantages of a kind to which Great Britain, he knew, would +never be exposed; but he wanted his beloved country to possess a good +"margin of safety." + +After this generous and unparalleled gift, will it surprise readers very +much to learn that the lieutenant who was once cashiered from the Navy +for losing his ship is now Captain Sir Murray Frobisher, Baronet, +holding the rank of post-captain on board one of the battleships which +he himself presented to his country? + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Chinese Command, by Harry Collingwood + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A CHINESE COMMAND *** + +***** This file should be named 23118.txt or 23118.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/1/1/23118/ + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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