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diff --git a/33559-8.txt b/33559-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c68bcda --- /dev/null +++ b/33559-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7882 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, At the Fall of Port Arthur, by Edward +Stratemeyer, Illustrated by A. B. Shute + + +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: At the Fall of Port Arthur + Or, A Young American in the Japanese Navy + + +Author: Edward Stratemeyer + + + +Release Date: August 28, 2010 [eBook #33559] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AT THE FALL OF PORT ARTHUR*** + + +E-text prepared by Carol Brown, Curtis Weyant, and the Project Gutenberg +Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page +images generously made available by Internet Archive/American Libraries +(http://www.archive.org/details/americana) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustration. + See 33559-h.htm or 33559-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/33559/33559-h/33559-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/33559/33559-h.zip) + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/American Libraries. See + http://www.archive.org/details/atfallofportarth00straiala + + + + + +Soldiers of Fortune Series + +AT THE FALL OF PORT ARTHUR + +Or + +A Young American in the Japanese Navy + +by + +EDWARD STRATEMEYER + +Author of "Under the Mikado's Flag," "On to Pekin," "Two Young +Lumbermen," "Old Glory Series," "Colonial Series," +"Pan-American Series," etc. + +Illustrated by A. B. Shute + + +[Illustration: "It is coming this way!" yelled Larry.----_Page 84._] + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Printer's logo] + +Boston: +Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co. +1930 + +Copyright, 1905, by Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Company + +All rights reserved + +AT THE FALL OF PORT ARTHUR + +Printed in U.S.A. + + + + + PREFACE + + +"AT THE FALL OF PORT ARTHUR" is a complete tale in itself, but forms the +third volume in a line issued under the general title of "Soldiers of +Fortune Series." + +The story relates primarily the adventures of Larry Russell and his +old-time sea chum, Luke Striker, already well known to the readers of my +"Old Glory Series." Larry and Luke are aboard of their old ship, the +_Columbia_, bound from Manila to Nagasaki, with a cargo designed for the +Japanese Government. This is during the war between Russia and Japan, +and when close to the Japanese coast the schooner is sighted by a +Russian warship and made a prize of war. + +As prisoners both Larry and Luke see something of life in the Russian +navy. When close to Vladivostok, the Russian warship falls in with +several ships of the Japanese fleet, and after a thrilling sea-fight +surrenders with her prize. This brings Larry and Luke before Admiral +Togo, and as Larry's brother Ben, with their mutual friend, Gilbert +Pennington, is already in the Japanese army, Larry enters the Japanese +navy and Luke follows suit. The siege and bombardment of Port Arthur are +at their height; and the particulars are given of many battles both on +the sea and on land, leading up to the ultimate surrender of that brave +Russian commander, General Stoessel, and the fall of the city. By this +surrender the Japanese obtained many thousands of prisoners of war, +hundreds of cannon, with large quantities of ammunition, and several +scores of vessels, useful for either fighting purposes or as transports. +Moreover, this victory placed the entire southern portion of Manchuria +under Japanese control, giving the army untrammeled use of the railroad +running from Port Arthur to Liao-Yang, a city on the road to Mukden, +captured some time before, as already related in another volume of this +series, entitled "Under the Mikado's Flag." + +As I have mentioned in a previous work, it is as yet impossible to state +what the outcome of this terrific conflict will be. So far victory has +perched largely upon the standard of Japan. The Russian navy has been +practically shattered and its army fought to a standstill. The cost of +the war has been tremendous to both countries. Countless thousands of +lives have already been sacrificed. Would that peace were soon at hand! + +Again I thank my young friends for their appreciation of my former +stories. May the present tale fulfill every reasonable expectation. + + EDWARD STRATEMEYER. + + + CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER PAGE + + I. LARRY AND HIS FRIENDS 1 + + II. A STORM ON THE PACIFIC 10 + + III. LARRY LEARNS SOMETHING 20 + + IV. THE RUSSIAN SAILOR'S PLOT 29 + + V. SIGNS OF A MUTINY 38 + + VI. THE FIGHT FOR THE SHIP 47 + + VII. THE MUTINEERS IN POSSESSION 56 + + VIII. TURNING THE TABLES 66 + + IX. CLOSE TO A WATERSPOUT 76 + + X. SOMETHING ABOUT WAR AND FIGHTING SHIPS 86 + + XI. AN ORDER TO LAY-TO 95 + + XII. TAKEN AS A PRIZE OF WAR 103 + + XIII. PRISONERS ON THE _Pocastra_ 113 + + XIV. PROGRESS OF THE WAR 122 + + XV. A SHARP NAVAL BATTLE 132 + + XVI. ABOARD A JAPANESE WARSHIP 140 + + XVII. THE RETAKING OF THE _Columbia_ 148 + + XVIII. A CLEVER RUSE 156 + + XIX. THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE ENEMY 164 + + XX. LARRY BEFORE ADMIRAL TOGO 171 + + XXI. LETTERS OF INTEREST 180 + + XXII. A MEETING AND A PLOT 189 + + XXIII. THE ATTACK IN THE DARK 198 + + XXIV. THE DEFENSE OF THE POWDER TRAIN 206 + + XXV. BOMBARDING A PORT ARTHUR FORT 215 + + XXVI. BEN MEETS CAPTAIN BARUSKY 223 + + XXVII. A FIERCE BATTLE AT SEA 232 + + XXVIII. THE SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR 240 + + XXIX. FROM ONE DIFFICULTY TO ANOTHER 248 + + XXX. A SURPRISE FOR LARRY 258 + + XXXI. A CALL TO REPEL BOARDERS 266 + + XXXII. FALL OF PORT ARTHUR--CONCLUSION 274 + + +AT THE FALL OF PORT ARTHUR + + +AT THE FALL OF PORT +ARTHUR + + + + +CHAPTER I + +LARRY AND HIS FRIENDS + + +"Unless I miss my guess, Luke, we are going to have a storm." + +"Jest what I was thinking, Larry. And when it comes I allow as how it +will be putty heavy," replied Luke Striker, casting an eye to the +westward, where a small dark cloud was beginning to show above the +horizon. + +"Well, we can't expect fine weather all the time," went on Larry +Russell, inspecting the cloud with equal interest. "We want some wind +anyway," he added. "We are not making this return trip to Nagasaki +nearly as fast as we made the trip to Manila." + +Luke Striker, a bronzed and weather-beaten Yankee sailor, rubbed his +chin reflectively. "I was jest thinking o' the day I spied the old +_Columbia_ in Manila harbor," he said, meditatively. "Tell ye, Larry, +the sight 'most struck me dumb. 'The _Columbia_,' sez I to myself. An' +then I thought I must be a-dreamin'. I wanted to find this ship ag'in in +the worst way." + +"The ship certainly seems like a home to me, Luke--and I reckon she +always will seem that way. I've traveled a good many miles in her, since +I first struck her at Honolulu in the Hawaiian Islands," responded Larry +Russell. + +"Yes--both of us have. But we never took no trip like this +afore--carryin' a cargo for the Japanese Government, with that +government at war with Russia." Luke Striker lowered his voice. "What's +the outlook? Does the old man reckon to fall in with a Russian warship +afore we can reach Nagasaki?" + +"Hush, Luke; you mustn't mention our cargo," came from Larry Russell, +hastily. + +"I ain't mentionin' it to anybody but you." + +"Captain Ponsberry is in hopes that we shall not meet any Russian +warships." + +"But what if we do?" + +"Then we shall have to show our heels as best we can." + +"A sailing vessel can't show much o' a pair o' heels to a man-o'-war." + +"That is true." + +"I suppose, if the _Columbia_ was overhauled by a Russian warship, +they'd consider us a prize of war; wouldn't they?" continued the old +Yankee sailor. + +"They would, unless Captain Ponsberry could get out of it in some way." + +"How do you think he might get out of it?" + +"Well, you must remember that our cargo doesn't belong to the Japanese +Government yet. We are carrying it from Manila to Nagasaki for the +Richmond Importing Company. The Russians would have to prove their case +against us before they could claim the schooner as a legitimate prize of +war." + +"I see. Well, I reckon as how them Russians would do 'most anything to +square accounts with the Japs. So far, accordin' to my notions, they +have been losin' ground right along in this war." + +"Yes, and they'll lose more before the Japs are through with 'em, Luke. +But that storm is coming up fast," went on Larry Russell, with another +examination of the black cloud. "I'll have to tell the captain. If we +don't shorten sail it may do us some damage." + +With the last-mentioned remark Larry Russell walked aft, toward the +companionway of the _Columbia_, a staunch three-masted schooner that +hailed from Gloucester. He was second mate of the craft and as such it +was now his duty to inform Captain Nat Ponsberry that a storm was +approaching. + +To those of my young friends who have read "Under Dewey at Manila" and +other volumes of the "Old Glory Series" Larry Russell needs no +introduction. He was one of three brothers, who, left in the charge of a +miserly step-uncle, had thought it best to go away from home and seek +fortune in various parts of the globe. Larry had drifted to San +Francisco and then to Honolulu, where he had fallen in with Captain Nat +Ponsberry and the _Columbia_, as already mentioned. He, with his sailor +friend, Luke Striker, had been cast away, and while adrift on the +Pacific had been picked up by the Asiatic Squadron under Commodore +(afterward Admiral) Dewey, to serve with honor during the memorable +battle of Manila Bay. + +Since those days a great many things had occurred to the Russell boys. +Ben, the oldest of the three, had served as a young volunteer in Cuba +during the advance on Santiago, and as an officer with the army in the +Philippines, and Walter, the third brother, had served in the navy in +Cuban waters and elsewhere. In the meantime the miserly step-uncle had +reformed, and now thought "his three boys," as he called them, "the best +young fellers in all America, barrin' none!" + +Larry Russell was a natural sailor, and when his term in the navy came +to an end he could not bear to think of giving up the sea. He heard that +his old ship was bound for a trip to Japan and other ports, and at once +communicated with Captain Ponsberry, with the result that he became +second mate of the schooner, the first mate being, as of old, Tom +Grandon, a personal friend of Captain Ponsberry. + +At this time Walter Russell had gone into business, and was doing +remarkably well. But Ben was doing nothing, and Larry persuaded his +oldest brother to come aboard the ship at Manila, for the trip to +Nagasaki and Port Arthur. This was just at the outbreak of the war +between Russia and Japan, but the brothers at that time knew nothing +about the tremendous conflict so close at hand. + +The _Columbia_ was carrying a cargo for the Richmond Importing Company, +represented in Japan and China by Gilbert Pennington, who had served +with Ben Russell in our army in Cuba and the Philippines. From Manila +Gilbert had gone to China, to fight the Boxers, as already described in +"On to Pekin," the first volume of this "Soldiers of Fortune Series." +With the end of the Boxer conflict, Lieutenant Pennington, as he had +then become, turned from war to business, and soon made a number of +business transactions which were highly gratifying to the company that +he represented. + +When the _Columbia_ arrived at Nagasaki, Captain Ponsberry learned that +the war had begun and that to get to Port Arthur--a Russian stronghold +in Manchuria--was out of the question. While he was awaiting orders +Gilbert Pennington appeared on the scene. Gilbert had had great +difficulties in getting away from Port Arthur, having been suspected by +the Russian officials of being a spy. He wished to know at once if the +ship's cargo was safe. + +"As safe as when we left home," had been Captain Ponsberry's reply. + +"Good!" answered the young agent, and then he wished to know if anything +had been done about selling the goods. Captain Ponsberry replied that he +had been ordered to do nothing until he received word from Gilbert. This +suited the young representative; and the upshot of the matter was that +the cargo, instead of going to a Russian port, was sold to the Japanese +Government at a price considerably above the ordinary market value. + +Gilbert Pennington was enthusiastic about joining the Japanese army for +a campaign in Manchuria and he imparted a large share of this enthusiasm +to Ben Russell. As a result both enlisted and became captains in a +special command, under a Major Okopa, who could speak very good English. +The part of the army to which they were assigned landed at Chinampo, in +Korea, and in the second volume of this series, called "Under the +Mikado's Flag," I related the particulars of the crossing of the Yalu +River and of the many skirmishes and battles leading up to the terrific +ten-days' contest before Liao Yang. During these fights Ben and Gilbert +did their full duty as officers, and when the Russians retreated to the +North both were well content to take a much-needed rest. But additional +struggles were still in store for them, as will be learned in the pages +which follow. + +At first Larry Russell had been inclined to follow his brother and his +friend Gilbert into the Japanese army. But Captain Ponsberry did not +wish to lose his services as a second mate, and when it was decided that +the _Columbia_ should make a quick run to Manila and back, for another +cargo for the Japanese Government, he made up his mind to stick to the +ship. + +The run to Manila from Nagasaki was made without special incident, and, +once at the main seaport of the Philippines, Captain Ponsberry lost no +time in getting on board the cargo the Richmond Importing Company had +ready for him. The cargo was a valuable one and it was calculated that +if rightly sold it would yield the company a profit of five or six +thousand dollars. + +"You have got to take care and not run into any Russian warship," said +the agent of the company at Manila. "If you do you may have a whole lot +of trouble in explaining matters to the Russian commander's +satisfaction. I see by the reports that the Russians have already held +up several English and South American ships." + +"I shall keep a sharp lookout for 'em," was Captain Ponsberry's reply. + +"And another thing, Captain," went on the agent, in a lower tone; "you +want to watch your crew." + +"What do you mean?" + +"I don't like the looks of two or three of them. For all you know they +may be more than willing to expose you--if you fall in with the +Russians. Can you trust your first and second mates?" + +"I can! They are as honest as myself." + +"Then caution them to keep an eye on the hands. One of those fellows +looks like a Russian to me--the chap with the heavy black beard." + +"You mean Semmel. He says he is a Pole and that he hates the Russians." + +"Humph! Well, I saw him talking to a lot of Russians night before last. +And when they passed a Jap the whole crowd jeered at the little brown +man." + +"Semmel, too?" + +"Yes." + +"Then I shall watch him," answered Captain Ponsberry, decidedly. + +"Do, but don't let him know it. Some of these foreign sailors are ugly +when they find out they are being suspected." + +"Trust me to manage him," returned the commander of the _Columbia_; and +there the talk on the subject came to an end. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +A STORM ON THE PACIFIC + + +Larry found Captain Ponsberry working over a chart on the cabin table, +laying out the course of the ship. The commander of the _Columbia_ was a +bluff, hearty individual and he and the young second mate thought a +great deal of each other. + +"Well, what is it?" asked the captain, looking up quickly. + +"I came to report that a storm is coming up from the west," answered +Larry. + +"Humph! I was afraid we'd catch it sooner or later. Is it close up yet?" + +"It's coming up pretty fast." + +Captain Ponsberry said no more, but threw down his parallel rulers and +his pencil. Catching up his cap, he mounted to the deck, and the young +second mate followed at his heels. The captain gave a long look to the +westward and then a gaze around the remainder of the horizon. + +"Tell Cal Vincent to call all hands to shorten sail!" he called out to +Larry. "Tell 'em to tumble up quick, too--thet storm ain't none too far +off for comfort!" + +Larry passed the word to Cal Vincent, who was the boatswain of the +_Columbia_, and soon the whistle piped up shrilly, and those who were +below or in the forecastle, came on deck in a hurry. Already the wind +was freshening, ruffling up the whitecaps in all directions. The sky, +that had been so blue a short while before, became leaden, and the +depths of the ocean took on a somber hue. The barometer indicated a +great and immediate change. + +"Lay aloft there, men!" cried Captain Ponsberry. "Our sails are mostly +new and we don't want them ripped up if we can help it. Skip along +there, Peterson!" The latter words to a big sailor who was moving across +the deck at a snail's pace. + +The sailor addressed, scowled. It was not his watch on deck and he hated +to have his midday nap disturbed. + +"Got a nail in ma boot," he said. + +"Well, haul it out--after the sails are trimmed," returned the captain, +and then turned to another hand: "Semmel, what's the matter with you?" +This to the suspicious-looking sailor with the heavy black beard. + +"Nodding," grumbled Semmel, and turned away sulkily. + +"Then get a move on, or we may lose a stick as well as a sail," and +there followed a perfect volley of orders in a tone that none of the +sailors misunderstood. Up to the yards they crawled like so many +monkeys, and soon the creaking of halyard blocks was heard, as the +topsails came down. The jib and flying jib were also taken in, and a +little later the main-course and the mizzen-course. + +"Reckon we can stand the fore-course for a little while longer," said +Captain Ponsberry to Tom Grandon. "What do you think?" + +"We can, unless it comes quicker nor it is coming now," returned the +first mate. + +"Well, keep an eye on the wind and reef her as soon as it begins to look +nasty," said Captain Ponsberry, and returned to the cabin, to finish his +nautical calculations. + +The _Columbia_ had left the last of the Philippines behind and was +headed north through the China Sea toward the lower extremity of +Formosa. She was not as new a ship as when Larry had first boarded her +at Honolulu, for since that time she had seen half a dozen years of hard +service. But Captain Ponsberry was a careful man and believed in making +repairs as soon as they were needed, so there was small danger of her +opening her seams or going to pieces even in the stiffest of blows. She +leaked a little--the best of ships do that--but a short pumping every +morning kept the water at the bottom of the well. + +As second mate, it was Larry's duty to see that everything on the deck +was "ship-shape," and this was especially necessary when a storm was +coming up. He made a tour of the ship, his keen eyes taking in every +detail. + +As it happened, an hour before he had set the sailor Semmel to work +stowing away some odds and ends of rope. He had supposed that this task +was long since finished, but now he found the ropes scattered about as +before. + +"See here, Semmel," he called out, "why didn't you stow away those ropes +as I told you?" + +"Stow dem avay in a leetle vile," answered the sailor with the heavy +beard. + +"You'll stow them away now," returned Larry, sharply. He did not at all +fancy the manner of the hand he was addressing. "I told you to do it an +hour ago. We don't want anything loose on deck when this storm hits us." + +"Vincent kicked de ropes out dare," growled Semmel. "I had nodding to do +mit 'em." + +"That isn't here or there. I told you to stow them away, and I want you +to do it. If you don't, I'll have to report you to the captain." + +"Oh, I do him!" grumbled Semmel, but he glared at Larry as if he wished +to chew the young second mate up. "You put all dare vork on me, hey?" he +added, after a pause. + +"You've got to do your share of it." + +"Humph!" Semmel seemed on the point of saying more, but shut his teeth +and began to arrange the ropes in proper order. Larry watched him for a +moment and then walked away. As soon as his back was turned the sailor +shook his fist at the young second mate. + +"You vait!" he muttered. "Chust vait, you Jankee rat!" + +The sky kept growing darker, and soon came a puff of wind much heavier +than any that had gone before. The _Columbia_ had been moving over the +waves on an even keel, but now she gave a sudden lurch to starboard. + +"Reckon it's time to take them reefs in the fore-course," said Grandon to +Larry, and soon the sailors were at work on the sheets, leaving just +sufficient canvas up to make the schooner mind her helm. It was hard +work, for the sudden gusts made the sail snap and crack like a whip. + +So far it had not rained a drop, but now came a sudden downpour, the +drops "as big as hen's eggs," to use Luke Striker's manner of describing +them. Then came a flash of lightning out of the western sky, followed by +a rumble of thunder. + +"This is going to be an old-time storm," was Larry's comment, as he met +Luke Striker near the forecastle. "I'll have to get my oilskin out." + +Luke already had his raincoat on and soon the young mate was similarly +provided. Wind and rain were increasing, and presently there came a +flash of lightning and a clap of thunder that made everybody jump. The +thunder brought Captain Ponsberry to the deck in a hurry. + +"Did that hit us?" he questioned, looking around anxiously. + +"No, sir, but it was pretty close," replied Grandon. + +"Is everything secure?" went on the commander, to Larry. + +"Yes, sir." + +It was difficult to converse further, for the wind was now whistling +through the rigging, driving the rain in sheets across the deck. All had +to hold fast for fear of being swept overboard. On every side the sea +was lashing itself into a foam and the waves were growing higher and +higher. At one instant the _Columbia_ would seem to be riding on top of +a mountain, the next she would sink down and down into the trough of the +sea. + +"Well, Larry, how do you like this?" questioned Captain Ponsberry, as he +took a position beside the second mate. + +"Oh, I don't mind it at all," was the cheery answer. "I used to mind the +storms, but I've got used to them." + +"This isn't a plaything we are getting." + +"Oh, I know that--you can see it by the way the wind is driving us. But +we are not near any land, are we?" + +"No." + +"Then we'll be sure to outride it. I feel I can bank on the old +_Columbia_ for almost anything." + +At this Captain Ponsberry laid an affectionate hand on his second mate's +shoulder. + +"Reckon you love the old craft about as well as I do," he said. + +"I don't know about that--you've been on board so many more years than +myself. But to me she is a second home." + +"I see. Well, let us hope we get through with this trip in safety." + +"Don't you imagine we'll do it?" questioned Larry, quickly. + +"Certainly. But you must remember that we may have trouble if we fall in +with any Russian warship." Captain Ponsberry lowered his voice. "Did you +have trouble with Semmel?" + +"A little. I ordered him to coil up some ropes and he didn't obey me +right away. But he stowed them away afterwards." + +Captain Ponsberry drew a long breath. "The more I see of that chap the +less I like him." + +"I never liked him from the start," answered Larry, frankly. "But you'll +have to give him credit for being a good all-round sailor." + +"There is no doubt but what he is that, Larry. But he has a bad eye." + +"What do you think he could do to harm us?" + +"Nothing--unless we fell in with a Russian warship. In that case, if he +was a Russian sympathizer, he might expose the fact that while we are +carrying a cargo for the Richmond Importing Company the goods are really +meant for the Japanese Government." + +"Does he know that?" + +"I'm not sure, one way or the other. What I am afraid of is, that he may +know a good bit more nor we suspect." + +"I see." The young second mate mused for a moment. "I'll tell you what +I'd do, if I thought he was going to play me foul--and we fell in with a +Russian warship. I'd clap him below decks, out of sight until the +warship went on her way again." + +"That's easily said; but I can't make him a prisoner unless I can prove +something against him." + +"You can lock him up if he is sulky and won't obey orders." + +"Yes, that is true. Still----Phew!" + +The captain broke off short, for a vivid streak of lightning flared all +over the upper masts of the ship. The thunder-clap was as sharp as it +was deafening, and for the moment all on board thought the _Columbia_ +had surely been struck. Then came a downpour which made even the boldest +of the sailors seek shelter. + +"That was closer than I like," was Larry's comment, after it was +ascertained that the ship was unharmed. + +"'Most knocked me overboard," came from Luke Striker. "Gosh! reckon my +hair's singed," and he put up his hand and ran his fingers through his +grayish locks. "Don't want another like thet nohow!" + +A few minutes later came another flash of lightning, but this was to the +eastward, showing that the center of the storm had passed them. The wind +was apparently going down, but the sea was as angry as ever and would be +for hours to come. + +Luke had retired to the forecastle with several other sailors. Larry's +watch on deck was also at an end, and he was just on the point of going +below, when from the west came a curious humming sound which made the +young second mate pause. The humming increased, and then of a sudden the +_Columbia_ was caught in a hurricane blast that threw her far over on +her side. + +"Help!" Larry heard, in the voice of Captain Ponsberry. "Somebody help +me, quick, or I'll go overboard!" + + + + +CHAPTER III + +LARRY LEARNS SOMETHING + + +The accident which had happened to Captain Nat Ponsberry was certainly a +curious one, although similar to that which once cost the life of a +young officer in our navy. + +When the hurricane blast reached the _Columbia_, the captain was in the +act of slipping on a lined raincoat,--a big affair, with long sleeves +and an extra high collar. One arm was in the coat and the other was +going down the sleeve when it caught in the lining. At that instant the +shock threw the captain across the deck and almost over the railing. He +caught at the railing with his free hand, but his other hand remained a +prisoner in the coat sleeve, while the garment itself stuck in a bunch +across his shoulders. + +"Help!" he roared again. He tried to pull himself up, and to free the +hand in the sleeve, but found both impossible. + +Larry did not wait for a second cry for assistance. He knew the captain +so well that he felt the officer would only call when in dire peril. He +ran out on the slippery deck in double-quick order. + +"Hullo, where are you?" he yelled. + +"Here! Help!" + +The young second mate caught sight of the captain not a moment too soon. +Another lurch of the _Columbia_ had thrown him completely over the rail, +and there he clung with one hand, while the spray was flying all over +him. + +Not waiting to count the possible cost, Larry slid rather than ran to +the rail. Years before he had learned a trick which now stood him in +good stead. He wound his legs around the under rail, catching the upper +one with his left hand. Then he clutched Captain Ponsberry by the +tangled-up arm. + +"On deck there!" he yelled. "Throw a rope this way, and hurry up about +it!" + +"What's the trouble?" came from Tom Grandon, who had been in another +part of the ship and had not heard the captain's cry. + +"The captain is almost overboard. Throw us a rope." + +Tom Grandon was quick to act. The rope came whizzing toward Larry, and +in a twinkling he had it around his body and also around the captain. + +"Haul in!" he called, and Grandon and two sailors did so. Over the rail +came Captain Ponsberry, still fighting to release the tangled-up arm. In +a moment more all danger was past. + +"Well, how in the world did this happen?" questioned Grandon. + +"Tell ye--soon as I can git free o' this consarned coat!" spluttered +Captain Ponsberry, and he gave the garment a jerk that ripped one of the +sleeves completely in half. "Did ye ever see sech foolishness?" he +added. And then he told how the lurch of the ship had carried him over +the rail just when he could use but one hand. "After this I reckon I'll +put on my coat afore I go on deck," he concluded. + +"It was a lucky thing that Larry heard you cry out," said the first +mate. "I was at the wheel, helping Groot." + +"That's right, Tom." The captain turned to the youth. "Larry, you're a +brave one, and always was. I ain't going to forget this!" + +"Oh, don't say anything about it," came from the young second mate, +modestly. "I know you'd do as much for me, if I needed it." + +"Well, I would, an' there's my hand on it," cried Captain Ponsberry, +heartily, and gave Larry a grip that made him wince. + +The storm kept up for the remainder of the day. But its worst fury was +spent, and during the night the wind went down to nothing more than a +stiff breeze, which was just what was wanted. All of the sails were +again set; and the schooner resumed her course as before. + +Before leaving Manila Larry had purchased a number of newspapers printed +in that city in English. So far he had had no chance to look the sheets +over, but now came two days in which there was little to do, and he +spent several hours in devouring the news, while he also let his friend +Luke do some reading. + +"Tell ye what, this 'ere war between Russia and Japan is goin' to be a +big thing," said Luke, after reading an account of the first fights on +land and on sea. "It ain't goin' to be no such short affair as our +little rumpus in Cuby." + +"You are right, Luke; this war is going to be a long and bitter one." + +"Who is goin' to win, do you think?" + +"I'm sure I don't know. Russia is a vast country, with millions of +people and with an immense army and navy. I suppose she can put five +times as many men in the field as Japan can." + +"But them Japs know how to fight." + +"Indeed they do--they have proved that already. And what is to their +advantage, they are closer to Korea and Manchuria than Russia is. They +can get on the fighting ground quicker,--which counts for a good deal." + +"How those Russians must have been astonished when the Japanese warships +sailed into 'em at Port Arthur last February. I don't believe they were +expecting an attack." + +"Hardly, for war had just been declared. But you wouldn't have caught +Uncle Sam napping like that, Luke." + +"Right ye are, lad; it ain't his style. An' then to see how them Japs +have been a-blowin' up the Russian warships ever since. They must have a +fine navy." + +"Yes, and good gunners, too. I was told in Nagasaki that quite a few +American gunners were on their ships--fellows who served under Dewey at +Manila and under Sampson and Schley off Cuba." + +"I believe you, lad. When a feller gits it in his bones to fight on a +warship there ain't no life on a merchantman goin' to satisfy him. Some +jackies would rather fight nor eat--you know thet as well as I do." + +"Well, I shouldn't mind doing some fighting myself. You know I was on a +stand about going with Ben and Gilbert Pennington." + +"Where do you reckon they are now?" + +"In Manchuria, I suppose, fighting as hard as they can. I thought I +would get a letter from them before we left Manila, but nothing came." + +"I suppose the mails are all upset, on account of the war," put in Cal +Vincent, who sat nearby, sewing a button on his shirt. "If you'll +remember, Nagasaki was in a big state of excitement while we were there +last." + +"Did they say anything about any Russian warships bein' in these parts?" +questioned Luke. + +"No." + +"It would be strange if we did fall in with them." + +"Which puts me in mind," came from the boatswain, and then he gazed +around to see if any other persons were near. "Semmel says he ain't no +Russian, but it's dollars to doughnuts he is," he continued, in a +lowered tone. + +"Have you discovered anything new?" demanded Larry. + +"Yes and no. Last night I overheard him and Peterson talking in a +suspicious kind of a way. I didn't catch much, for they talked partly in +English and partly in a foreign language. But I am sure they are +favoring Russia, and Semmel said something about doing something to harm +Japan." + +"I don't see how they could do anything on board of this ship," came +from Luke. + +"You didn't hear anything definite?" + +"Can't say that I did," answered the boatswain. + +"We had better watch them closer than ever." + +"All right; I'll do my share," responded Vincent, and Luke Striker said +the same. + +That very afternoon Larry had another quarrel with the sailor with the +long beard. Semmel had a bucket of dirty water which he was carrying to +the ship's side. As Larry passed he pretended to stub his toe and +allowed some of the dirty water to flow over the young second mate's +foot. + +"Semmel, what did you do that for?" cried Larry, indignantly. + +"Canno help dat," said the sailor. "I slip." + +"You did it on purpose!" + +"Oh, no!" And the sailor grinned wickedly. + +"I say you did. If you try anything like that again, I'll make it warm +for you. Get a swab and clean the deck up at once!" + +As Semmel sauntered off, and while Larry was stamping the water from his +shoe, Captain Ponsberry came up. He had seen the trick played from a +distance. + +"What did you tell Semmel?" he questioned, sharply. + +"Told him to swab the deck up. I think he slopped the dirty water over +me on purpose." + +"Just my idea of it. I'll tell him what I think of it." And striding +after the bearded sailor Captain Ponsberry gave him a lecture not to be +readily forgotten. + +"I won't have any of your dirty underhanded work aboard of my ship," he +concluded. "Either you'll behave yourself, or I'll put you in irons." + +"In irons!" ejaculated Semmel, scowling viciously. + +"That is what I said and that is what I mean. Ever since you came on +board you have been acting in this same dirty fashion and I want it +stopped. Now swab up that deck, and see that you make a first-class job +of it. For two pins I'd make you black Russell's shoes." + +"No black nobody's shoes," growled Semmel, but in such a low tone that +Captain Ponsberry could not hear him. He cleaned the deck in his own +ugly, independent manner, muttering imprecations against both Larry and +the captain in the meantime. + +As a matter of fact, even though he had denied it to Captain Ponsberry +and others, Ostag Semmel was really a Russian by birth, having been born +and raised in the seaport of Kolaska. He had been drafted into the army, +but not wishing to serve under a military rule which is unusually +severe, he had run away to sea and become a sailor. + +Life on the ocean suited Semmel very well and he would have remained +away from Russia had it not been for the fact that a rich uncle had died +leaving him a property valued at two thousand dollars--a small fortune +in the eyes of a man of this Russian's standing. He wished to go back to +claim his inheritance, but feared to do so, for he knew that once on +Russian soil he would be arrested for desertion, and might be sent to a +military prison for a great number of years. + +From a friend in Manila he had heard of something which interested him +greatly. This was the news that another deserter from the Russian army +had been pardoned for his offense because he had taken home with him +important news concerning the movements of a certain Japanese warship. + +"If I could only do as well," he told himself, over and over again, and +then, when he signed articles for the _Columbia's_ trip, he listened +eagerly to some talk he overheard about the ship's cargo. When he began +to suspect the truth--that the cargo was meant for the Japanese +Government--his eyes glistened cunningly. + +"If I can only let Russia know of this!" he reasoned. "All will go well +with me. If I can only let Russia know!" + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE RUSSIAN SAILOR'S PLOT + + +Captain Ponsberry's stern manner made Ostag Semmel wild with hatred, and +when he went back to the forecastle after swabbing up the deck he was in +a fit mental condition for almost any dark deed. + +For a good half-hour he lay in his bunk in a corner, brooding over his +ill-luck and wondering what he could do to revenge himself upon both the +master of the schooner and Larry. Larry he especially disliked--the very +open-heartedness of the young second mate made him long to do the lad +harm. + +At the end of the half-hour another sailor came in. It was Carl +Peterson, his close friend. Peterson was a burly tar who had visited +nearly every quarter of the globe. He loved to drink and carouse, and +was ever ready to lend a hand in any excitement that offered. There was +a rumor that he had once led a mutiny on a Danish merchant vessel, but +this he denied, laying the blame entirely on others. + +"Is that you, Peterson?" demanded Semmel, in his native tongue, for he +knew that the other could speak Russian fluently. + +"Yes," came in a rough voice from Peterson. He gave a coarse laugh. "A +fine job you made of it, to pour dirty water over Russell and then have +to swab up the deck for it." + +"Who told you of that?" + +"Didn't I see it with my own eyes--and heard what the captain said, +too." + +"Bah! It makes me sick!" growled Semmel. "I am sick of the ship--the +crew--everything!" + +Peterson gave a short toss of his head, which was covered with a shock +of fiery red hair. "What are you going to do about it? Even if the +captain treats you like a dog, what shall you do, Ostag Semmel? He +thinks we are all curs--door mats to wipe feet on!" + +"He shall find out that I am neither a dog nor a door mat!" muttered the +bearded Russian. "By my right hand I promise you that!" + +"Talk is cheap--it takes wind to make the mill go," answered Peterson. +To an outsider it would have been plain to see that he was leading +Semmel on, in an endeavor to find out what was in his companion's mind. + +"It will not end in talk." + +"Bah! I have heard that before." + +"I have been thinking," went on Ostag Semmel, slowly. "Can I trust you?" + +"You know you can." + +"You do not love the captain--do not love that Russell?" + +"Do I act as if I did?" + +"Good! Now, how many on board of this ship?" + +"Fourteen men, counting in ourselves." + +"You count fairly. Fourteen, how many are our friends?" + +"Postnak and Conroy, at least." + +"Then we are four, so far. Now, what of Groot and Shamhaven and Jack +Wilbur?" + +"Groot is a good fellow and a man who wishes to make money." + +"And Shamhaven will do almost anything for money--he once told me so. He +took a sailor suit from a store in Manila without paying for it." + +"I know that too. The tailor was rich and didn't need the money," and +Peterson gave another coarse laugh. + +"Then we are six--to stand up for our rights. And Jack Wilbur will make +seven--just half the number on the ship." + +"How can we count that Wilbur in? He is a Yankee." + +"He is a weakling and we can manage him,--and I think we can manage some +others, too--when we get that far." + +"How far do you mean?" demanded Peterson, although he knew about what +was coming. + +"Is anybody else near here?" + +"No," and Peterson took a careful look around. + +"Supposing we seize the ship--in the name of the Russian Government? +They have a Japanese cargo on board, the captain cannot deny it. We can +take the ship, sail her to some Russian port, and win both prize money +and glory. Is it not a grand scheme?" + +"Ha, that is fine!" Carl Peterson's eyes glowed voraciously. "Ostag, you +are a man after my own heart! We might become rich!" + +"Then you like the plan?" + +"Yes--providing we can make it work. But it is a big undertaking. If we +were caught we might swing from a yardarm for it." + +"We can make it work--I have another plan for that. I have thought it +out completely. We can--but more later," and Ostag Semmel broke off +abruptly, as several sailors entered the forecastle. A little later he +began to complain in broken English to a sailor named Jack Wilbur that +he was suffering from a severe stomach ache. + +"Sorry to hear on it," said Wilbur, who was a very mild foremast hand. +"Anything I can do for you?" + +"I dink not," answered Semmel. "I dink de poor grub ve git mak me feel +pad." + +"Didn't notice that the grub was poor," answered Wilbur. + +"Very poor--not so goot as py my las' ship," answered Semmel. "Some grub +here not fit to eat." + +It was soon noised around that Semmel was not feeling well and that he +had complained that the food dealt out at noontime had made him sick. As +soon as Captain Ponsberry heard of this he went to interview Jeff, the +colored cook, who, as of old, was singing gayly to himself among the +pots and pans of the ship's galley. + +"Wasn't nuffin de mattah wid dat grub, Cap'n Ponsberry," exclaimed Jeff, +after hearing what the commander of the ship had to say. "It was jess as +good as we always has." + +"Was it thoroughly cooked?" + +"Yes, sah--I don't 'low nuffin to go from dis yere galley 'less it am +well cooked." + +"Are your pots and kettles clean?" + +"Yes, sah--yo' can see fo' yourself, sah." + +The captain did see, and moreover he knew that Jeff was usually a +careful and conscientious culinary artist who always gave the men the +best his stock afforded. + +"Well, be careful of what you cook and how you cook it after this," said +Captain Ponsberry. + +"Would yo' mind tellin' me, sah, who is kicking, sah?" asked Jeff, +respectfully. + +"Semmel says he was made sick by what he ate." + +"Huh, dat scab!" grunted Jeff. "He ain't no 'count at all, he ain't!" +And the cook turned away in disgust. + +"It looks to me as if Semmel was trying to make trouble all around," +said Tom Grandon, when he and the captain and Larry talked the matter +over. + +"I never liked that man from the first time I clapped eyes on him," came +from Larry. "He's a sneak--and worse." + +"I shall watch him pretty closely after this," said Captain Ponsberry. +"One discontented fellow like him can upset the whole ship if he sets +out to do it." + +"They can't complain of the grub," went on the first mate. "It's as good +as on any merchantman, and better than the law requires." + +"I guess it was the deck-swabbing that gave him the stomach ache," said +Larry, and this made the captain and Grandon smile. + +The next day when the sailors sat down to their dinner two or three of +them sniffed suspiciously at the food they were eating. + +"This don't taste just right to me," said Shamhaven. "The meat tastes +decayed." + +"And the vegetables ain't much better," put in Conroy,--a sturdy +Irish-American, who was one of the best seamen on the schooner. + +"Dat dinner am fust-class," cried Jeff. "I ain't gwine to stand yere an' +see you growlin' at it." + +"It certainly tastes a bit off, Jeff," put in Jack Wilbur. "Taste it +yourself." + +The cook did so, and his face looked doubtful for a moment. + +"Guess dat needs a little salt an' pepper," he said, slowly. It did not +taste nearly as good as he had anticipated. + +As there was nothing else to do, and they were hungry, the men ate the +meal, grumbling to themselves as they did so. Luke said but little and +ate sparingly, and his example was followed by Cal Vincent. + +The captain, Grandon, and Larry ate in the cabin and the dinner served +to them was first-class in every particular. + +"Guess Jeff is spreading himself, just to show what he can do," remarked +Larry to the first mate, after he had finished his repast. + +"It's very good, Larry," answered Tom Grandon. + +By the middle of the afternoon three of the men were complaining of +feeling sick and all attributed their ailments to what they had eaten +for dinner. + +"Ha! vat I tole you?" cried Semmel. "Didn't I say de grub vos pad? Not +maybe you belief me, hey?" + +"I shan't stand for any more poor grub," came from Shamhaven. "If I +can't get good stuff I'm going to the captain about it." + +The sickness of the hands worried Captain Ponsberry greatly and he +opened up his medicine chest and gave them such remedies as he thought +were best. + +At supper time Jeff was extra cautious in selecting and preparing the +food. Nevertheless, the men who ate of it were suspicious and more than +half the meal went to waste. The captain was very thoughtful, but said +little or nothing. + +On the following day the wind died down utterly and it was exceedingly +warm. With nothing to do, the majority of the hands gathered at the bow +to talk of matters in general, and the food in particular. Semmel and +Peterson were of the number, and both did all in their power to magnify +the outrage, as they termed it. + +"Der captain don't haf any right to gif us such grub," said Semmel. "It +vos against der law." + +"On some ships there would be a mutiny over this," added Peterson. + +Larry overheard a part of the conversation and it set him thinking. Luke +Striker also grew suspicious. + +"Unless I am mistaken, this is some of Semmel's work," said Larry to the +old tar. "He is doing his level best to make trouble on the ship." + +"Well, he better mind his business," grumbled Luke. "I don't reckon the +captain will stand fer any underhanded work." + +Without appearing to do so, Larry continued to keep his eyes on Semmel, +and about an hour before dinner he saw the bearded sailor approach the +cook's galley and look inside. Jeff was below, getting a case of canned +goods. With a swift movement, Semmel stepped into the galley, raised the +lid of a big pot full of stew that was on the stove, and sprinkled +something over the food. Then he hurried out and sneaked forward once +more. + +"The rascal!" murmured Larry. "So this is his game. I wonder what he put +into that pot?" + +For the moment the young second mate thought to confront Semmel and +demand an explanation. Then he changed his mind and hurried for the +cabin, to tell the news to Captain Ponsberry. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +SIGNS OF A MUTINY + + +"I've found out something important, Captain Ponsberry," said Larry, as +he entered the cabin. "I now know what's the matter with the grub." To +all salt-water sailors food is grub and nothing else. + +"Well, what is the matter with it?" questioned the master of the +_Columbia_, quickly. + +"It's being doctored, that's what's the matter." + +"Doctored?" + +"Yes, sir,--doctored by Semmel, too." + +"Will you explain what you mean, Larry?" demanded the captain, intensely +interested. + +"I just saw that rascal go into the cook's galley. Jeff wasn't there, +and Semmel took the lid off of a big pot on the stove and sprinkled +something inside." + +"What!" Captain Ponsberry leaped to his feet "Are you certain of this?" +he demanded. + +"I am--for I saw it with my own eyes." + +"What was that stuff he put into the pot?" + +"I don't know." + +"Did he touch anything else?" + +"No. He was in a tremendous hurry and wasn't in the galley more than a +minute at the most." + +"The scoundrel!" Captain Ponsberry clenched his fists. "Larry, you are +positive you are making no mistake?" + +"I saw the thing done just as I told you. The stuff was in a bit of +white paper. When he went forward he threw the paper overboard." + +"Did anybody else see this?" + +"I don't think so. But----" + +At that moment came a knock on the cabin door and Luke Striker appeared. + +"Excuse me, sir," he said, touching his cap. "But I've got something +important to report." + +"What is it, Striker?" + +"I jess see that air Semmel go in and out o' the cook's galley." + +"That is just what I am reporting!" cried Larry. "Did you see what he +did, Luke?" + +"No. He wasn't in there only a minit. It looked suspicious to me, +though--with all hands gittin' sick from the grub." + +"This is all the evidence I want," said Captain Ponsberry. "We'll soon +make an end of this. Larry, send Semmel to me." + +The young second mate left the cabin with Luke and both hurried toward +the bow, where Semmel and Peterson were conversing in low tones. + +"The captain wants to see you at once," said Larry to the bearded +sailor. + +His tone was so sharp it made Semmel start. + +"Vat he vants?" he queried. + +"Go and find out for yourself." + +"Maybe you git me in droubles, hey?" and the bearded sailor scowled. + +"I reckon as how you're gittin' yourself into trouble," drawled Luke, +dryly. + +"You keep your mouf shut!" cried Semmel. "I no talk to you, no!" + +"The captain wants you to report; are you going to do so or not?" +demanded Larry. + +"Sure I go," answered Semmel, with a toss of his head, and he slouched +toward the stern. His manner was so aggressive that Larry picked up a +belaying pin before following him. + +Captain Ponsberry had just appeared on deck. He had armed himself with a +short club,--a sure sign to those who knew him that something unusual +was in the wind. His face was stern and forbidding, and all hands +gathered around to see what was the trouble. + +"Semmel, I want to have a talk with you," he said, in a loud voice, as +the bearded sailor came up. + +To this the sailor nodded but did not answer. + +"I want to know what you were doing in the cook's galley a short while +ago." + +"De cook's galley?" The sailor acted as if he was puzzled. "I no go by +de galley, captain." + +"You were in the galley and you put something into the stew-pot. What +was it?" thundered Captain Ponsberry. "Tell me the truth, or I may take +it into my head to break every bone in your body!" And he shook his club +in the sailor's face. + +"I put noddings in de pot," cried Semmel. "I no go in de galley--I no +been in de galley two, tree days. It is a lie!" + +"I saw you go in," came from Luke. + +"And so did I," added Larry. "And I saw you sprinkle something into the +pot." + +"What, did dat good-fo'-nuffin furiner put somet'ing in ma eatin'?" +shrieked Jeff, who had come up. "Oh,--yo'--yo'----" + +"Never mind, Jeff, I'll attend to this," interrupted the captain. + +"Yes, sah, but dat monkey-faced----" + +"Never mind now--fall back there," added the captain, and the cook fell +back, but shook his fist at Semmel. + +"I not in de galley," reiterated the bearded sailor. "Russell an' +Striker no tell de truth." + +"It is true," cried Larry. + +"Thet's so, an' you can't squirm out o' it," broke in Luke. "I saw ye as +plain as day." + +"I want to know what you put into that stew-pot?" continued Captain +Ponsberry. + +"I no go near de galley. I----" + +"I know you went into the galley and I know you put something into the +stew. For the last time I ask you, what was it?" + +For reply Ostag Semmel simply shrugged his shoulders. + +"Are you going to tell me the truth?" + +"I reckon the truth ain't in him," grumbled Luke, under his breath. + +"I say noddings more," came sourly from the bearded sailor. + +"Put that man in irons," commanded Captain Ponsberry, turning quickly to +Larry and Grandon. "If he won't talk now, perhaps he'll talk after he +has spent a day in the brig." + +"Vat! you put me in irons!" shrieked Semmel. "You no got right to do +dat, no!" + +"Haven't I?" answered Captain Ponsberry, in a voice that cut like a +whip. "I'd like to see anybody dispute over it. Larry, Tom, do as I +command." + +"Yes, sir," answered Larry, and ran off to get a pair of handcuffs while +Tom Grandon stationed himself beside Ostag Semmel, belaying pin in hand. + +"You no mak me a prisoner!" fumed the bearded sailor. "You got no +right!" + +He continued to rave, saying that it was a plot against him, because he +had been the first to complain about the vile food served to the hands; +that he had not been near the galley and that the captain, Grandon, and +Larry knew it. He even appealed to the other sailors to stand by him, +and several came forward to argue with Captain Ponsberry. But the master +of the schooner was obstinate and would not listen. + +"I know what I am doing, men," he said, quickly but firmly. "He is a +scoundrel and a spell in the brig will do him good. After this I reckon +you'll find the grub all right." + +"I no like--" began Peterson, once more. + +"You shut up, Peterson, or I'll put you in the brig with Semmel," cut in +the captain, and Peterson fell back with the rest, but with a brow that +was dark and distrustful. + +By this time Larry had returned with the handcuffs and despite the +resistance he offered, Ostag Semmel was made a prisoner. Then the first +and the second mates led him to the schooner's brig,--a narrow, V-shaped +room in the bow of the boat, usually used for storing lanterns and oil. +The smell in the closet--for it was nothing else--was far from pleasant, +and a day in the brig usually made a prisoner repent and promise to do +better. + +"I mak trouble for dis!" growled Semmel, as the door was closed and +bolted on him. "I mak trouble, yes! You got no right to do dis, no!" + +"And you haven't any right to doctor the grub," answered Larry, and then +he and Grandon walked away. + +"That fellow is a first-class villain, to my way of reasoning," was the +first mate's comment. "I believe he'd do almost anything to get square +for this." + +After Ostag Semmel had been placed in the brig Captain Ponsberry called +all hands to him once more and related what Luke and Larry had seen. The +stew was inspected, but nothing suspicious could be seen about it. + +"If any of you want to try that stew you may do so," said the captain. +"Of course, if Semmel didn't touch it there can be nothing in it that +can hurt you." But all, even to Peterson, declined to even taste the +food. It was one thing to think Semmel innocent but quite another to run +the risk of being made sick or poisoned. In the end the stew was dumped +overboard and Jeff prepared an entirely new dinner for all hands. + +"You must keep close watch on all of the men," said the captain to Larry +and Grandon, when quietness had been restored. "Semmel was the worst of +the lot, but I do not like the way Peterson and one or two others are +acting." + +"I don't see what they can do," answered Larry. + +"They might start a mutiny," came from the first mate. + +"Would they dare go as far as that?" + +"Sometimes sailors get strange notions, and the old Harry himself can't +stop them," said Captain Ponsberry. "A thing that in itself doesn't +amount to much will start them off, and they'll imagine that everything +is going wrong. When I was a lad, on board the _Mary Eliza_, Captain +Snapper, we had a mutiny just because the coffee wasn't right." + +"Yes, and I can remember that they had a mutiny on the old brig +_Chesterfield_ because Captain Roe's wife brought a cross-eyed yellow +cat on board," added Grandon. "Not a man would hoist a sail until that +feline was put ashore. And when, two months later, the brig lost her +foremast in a gale, the sailors said it was on account of that same cat, +she having scratched the mast before she was taken away!" + +"Well, I hope we don't have a mutiny," said Larry. "I'd like to suggest +something, Captain Ponsberry," he went on, to the master of the +_Columbia_. + +"Fire ahead, Larry." + +"You know we can trust Luke Striker. Why not have him report just what +the other hands are doing?" + +"That's an idea, and I will act on it. Yes, I'd trust Striker as quick +as I'd trust you. If there is to be trouble we certainly want to know of +it as soon as possible," concluded the captain. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE FIGHT FOR THE SHIP + + +The day to follow was Sunday, and contrary to expectations, it passed +quietly. As there was hardly any wind, the old _Columbia_ made slow +progress, and the sailors had little or nothing to do. As was his usual +habit, Larry read his Bible, and Captain Ponsberry held a short church +service, which less than half the crew attended. + +"It's plain to see that the men are sulky," said Tom Grandon, towards +evening. "We are certain to hear something from them shortly." + +Luke had been told to report anything unusual, but it was not until +after dark that he sought out Captain Ponsberry. + +"I ain't got much to say," said the old tar. "But to my mind Peterson, +Groot, and Shamhaven are doin' a powerful lot of confabbin'. More'n +that, I saw Peterson cleaning up a pistol he's got." + +"Are any of the other hands armed?" + +"I ain't seen no other shootin'-irons," answered Luke. + +The captain had expected to interview Semmel once more, but found the +fellow so surly he gave up the attempt. As the brig was so hot and +uncomfortable, the master of the schooner had the door fixed so it could +be left open several inches, with a chain at the bolt to keep it from +going further. + +At four o'clock Monday morning Peterson came on duty, followed by +Shamhaven and some others. All made their way to the bow and began to +talk in a low but earnest fashion. Then Peterson went below, to where +Semmel was still confined in the brig. + +"We are ready to move now," said he, in Russian. "What do you think?" + +"Let me out and I will show you what I think," growled Ostag Semmel. +"The captain is a dog--and Grandon and Russell are dogs, too!" + +Peterson was prepared to unlock the chain which held the brig door and +did so. Then he handed a pistol to the Russian. + +"The captain and Russell are in their staterooms," said Peterson. "Only +Grandon is on deck, with Vincent and with the men we can trust to help +us." + +"We can't trust Vincent." + +"I know that." + +"Where is Striker?" + +"Asleep in his berth." + +But on this score Carl Peterson was mistaken. Luke had pretended to go +to sleep, but he was now in a corner on deck, watching with keen eyes +all that was occurring. Presently he saw Semmel in company with Peterson +hurry towards the bow, and he felt that the time for action had arrived. + +"Hi, Mr. Grandon!" he called out, running up to the first mate. + +"What is it, Striker?" + +"They've released Semmel and they are arming themselves." + +"You don't say!" Tom Grandon was stunned for the instant. "Tell the +captain and Russell of this at once!" + +"Aye, aye, sir!" + +Rushing down the companionway, Luke entered the cabin and knocked on the +door of Captain Ponsberry's stateroom. + +"Wake up, captain!" he called, loudly. "Wake up! There is going to be +trouble putty quick, to my way o' thinkin'!" + +"What has gone wrong now?" demanded the master of the _Columbia_, as he +hurried into his clothes and armed himself. "Where is Grandon?" + +"On deck; he sent me to tell you. They have set Semmel free and some of +'em are arming themselves." + +"A mutiny!" roared Captain Ponsberry. "Striker, you'll stand by me, of +course?" + +"That I will, sir--to the end." + +"Good. I know Vincent will do the same. Do you know anything about the +others?" + +"I think you can count on Jeff the cook." + +"What of Wilbur?" + +"He's so weak-kneed I don't know what he'll do," answered Striker. + +By this time Larry was out of his stateroom. With his door ajar he had +heard all that had been said. + +"Oh, Luke, do you think they'll try to seize the ship?" he gasped. + +"Don't know what they'll do. They're a plumb crazy lot," growled the old +tar. "It was a mistake to take such fellers as Semmel and Peterson and +Shamhaven aboard." + +"That is true, but when Devine and Larson got sick and went to the +hospital at Manila I had to get somebody," answered Captain Ponsberry. +He brought out several pistols. "Here, Larry, take one of these, and a +cutlass, too, and you, Striker, can arm yourself likewise." + +There was no time to answer, for the master of the schooner was already +striding through the cabin in the direction of the companionway. An +instant later came a yell from the deck, followed by heavy footsteps and +then the report of a pistol. + +"Drive dem to de cabin!" came in the voice of Semmel. "Drive dem along, +kvick!" And then followed another yell and the sounds of half a dozen +blows. + +"Below there!" came in Tom Grandon's voice. "Help! help!" + +"I'm coming!" called up Captain Ponsberry. + +"Don't you dare to step on deck, captain!" yelled down the voice of +Shamhaven. "Don't you dare to do it!" And the sailor appeared, pistol in +hand, at the top of the companionway. + +"Shamhaven, what does this mean?" demanded the master of the _Columbia_. + +"It means that we have taken possession of the ship, that's what it +means," came from Groot. + +"Of you come up here, you maybe git killed," put in Ostag Semmel. "You +stay down dare, you hear?" And then, as the captain started to mount the +stairs, he threw down a belaying pin. In the semi-darkness the captain +did not see the object, and it struck him on the top of the head, +rendering him partly unconscious. + +Larry and Luke were close behind their leader and both were alarmed to +see him go down, uttering a deep groan as he did so. + +"Is he killed?" questioned the young second mate. + +"I don't know," was the old tar's response. "Shall we go up?" + +"Keep back there!" was the call from above. "Put a step on those stairs +and it will be the worse for you!" + +At that moment came a cry from Cal Vincent. The boatswain had been +attacked from behind and was given no chance to defend himself. Then +came a roar from Jeff, who came rushing toward the companionway as if +all the demons of the deep were behind him. + +"Sabe me! sabe me!" he screamed. "Da is gwine to pirate de ship! Sabe +me!" And then he came plunging down headlong, directly on top of Larry, +Luke, and the prostrate captain. + +This unexpected coming of Jeff sent the young second mate and the old +tar flat on Captain Ponsberry, and for the moment there was a struggle +all around. In the meantime some sailors on the deck began to drag a +heavy hatch toward the stairs. Soon this was placed in position, and +then those below were virtually prisoners. + +"Oh my, sabe me!" groaned Jeff once more, as he managed to get on his +feet in the cabin, followed by Larry and Luke. "Don't you let dem swing +me from de yardarm!" + +"Jeff, where are Grandon and Vincent?" demanded Larry. + +"I dunno, sah--dead, I guess," answered the cook. "Oh, dis am de +awfulest t'ing wot I eber heard tell ob!" he added, woefully, and wrung +his hands. + +The lantern in the cabin was turned up and Larry gave his attention once +more to Captain Ponsberry, who was now opening his eyes. + +"Oh, my head!" came with a shiver. "My head!" + +"I'm glad they didn't kill you," said Larry, kindly. "Luke, help me +carry him into the cabin. We'll put him on the couch." + +This was done, and they did what they could to make the master of the +schooner comfortable. But it was a good half-hour before Captain +Ponsberry could sit up and do any rational thinking. + +On deck all had become suddenly quiet. Occasionally those below could +hear a footstep near the companionway, showing that one or more of the +mutineers were on guard. The hatch shut off the view on deck, and the +windows in the ceiling of the cabin were also boarded over from the +outside. + +"They have us like rats in a trap," said Larry, bitterly. + +"And for all we know Vincent and Grandon are both dead," returned Luke +Striker, soberly. "I must say, lad, we seem to be in a bad way and no +mistake." + +"Dey'll throw us overboard, I know dey will!" groaned Jeff, who was +almost white with terror. "I neber see sech goin's-on in all ma life!" + +To fight the mutineers further was, just then, out of the question, and +Larry turned his attention again to Captain Ponsberry. At last the +captain seemed fully to comprehend what had occurred. He once more moved +toward the companionway, pistol in hand. + +"You can't get out that way, sir," said Larry. "They have placed the +fore hatch over the stairs." + +"And they are armed, too," put in Luke. "Be careful, sir, or they'll +shoot you down." + +"And this on my own ship!" came bitterly from the master of the +_Columbia_. "That is what I get for treating the dogs better than they +deserve. Where are Grandon and Vincent?" + +"Either shot down or taken prisoners. They called for help, and that was +the last we heard of them." + +"And are all the others in this dastardly plot?" + +"I reckon they are," answered Luke. "Them foreigners, Semmel an' +Peterson, must have stirred 'em up powerfully." + +Still weak from the blow received, Captain Ponsberry sank down once more +on the cabin couch. There was a lump as big as a walnut on the top of +his head, and he had Jeff bathe it with water and then with witch-hazel, +which made it a trifle more comfortable. + +A short while later came a sudden wild song from the deck of the +schooner, followed by a clinking of glasses. + +"They are treating themselves to grog," said Luke. "I suppose, now they +have the run of things, they'll drink all they want of the stuff." + +"More than likely," returned the captain. "Well, it is their turn just +now--perhaps before long it will be my turn!" And he smiled +significantly. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE MUTINEERS IN POSSESSION + + +As my old readers know, both Captain Ponsberry and Luke Striker were +Yankees to the backbone, and it galled them exceedingly to see the +schooner in the hands of a number of mutineers, and especially +foreigners. + +"We've got to git the ship back, no two ways on it," growled the old +tar. "Captain, I'm willin' to fight to the end, if ye give the word." + +"And I'll fight, too," said Larry, promptly. + +"Don't you go fo' to fight dem rascallions!" whined Jeff. "Yo' will all +be killed suah!" + +"I would like to know what has become of Grandon and Vincent," came from +Captain Ponsberry. "As we stand now, we are but four to seven or eight. +If we could get Grandon and Vincent to aid us we would be six against +them." + +"Perhaps all the hands are not in the mutiny," suggested Larry. "Why not +try to sound them?" + +"I was thinking of doing that." + +A little later Captain Ponsberry called up the companionway. At first +nobody paid any attention to him, but presently the hatch was shoved +aside a few inches and Ostag Semmel looked down. Behind him was +Shamhaven. + +"Semmel, what does this mean?" asked the captain, as calmly as he could. + +"It means dat ve haf de ship," replied the Russian, with a grin. + +"You are carrying matters with a very high hand. Where are Grandon and +Vincent?" + +"I not tell you dat." + +"We had a right to mutiny," said Shamhaven. "The grub wasn't fit to eat +and was getting worse every day." + +"That's a tale gotten up for the occasion, Shamhaven, and you know it. +Semmel doctored the food to make you dissatisfied." + +"Well, we don't think so," grumbled the sailor. "I don't think so, and +Groot and the others don't either." + +"Has Jack Wilbur joined you?" + +"Certainly he has," was Shamhaven's ready reply, but his look belied his +words. + +"Ve are all pount to stick togedder," said Semmel. "You might as vell +gif up--der sooner der petter for you!" + +"I don't propose to give up, you rascal." + +"Ton't you call me a rascals, no!" shouted Ostag Semmel. "I vos now der +captains, yes, do you hear? Captain Semmel!" + +"Bosh!" put in Luke Striker, in disgust. "Why ye ain't fit to be the +skipper 'f a canal-boat!" + +"If you try to navigate the ship you'll sink her on the rocks," put in +Larry. + +"You had better consider what you are doing, Shamhaven," went on the +master of the _Columbia_. "Remember, if I regain possession of the +schooner I can make it go hard with you." + +"You no get dare schooner again, not much!" came from Peterson, who had +just come up, followed by Jack Wilbur. + +"Wilbur, are you in this?" demanded the captain. "If you are, I must +confess I didn't think it of you." + +"I ain't goin' to eat poor grub," answered Wilbur, lamely. + +"The grub is all right and you know it. It was doctored up by Semmel, +and I----" + +"You stop dat talk!" roared Semmel, and then he added: "Maybe you gif in +after you are goot an' hungry, hey?" + +"What, do you want to starve us out?" cried Larry. + +"You see--chust vait!" answered the Russian, and with this the hatch was +again put in place and the conference came to an end. + +Captain Ponsberry was fairly boiling with wrath, but even so he realized +that prudence is often the better part of valor. + +"There is no use of trying a rush to the deck," he said. "Those rascals +would surely shoot us down. Just now some of them are in the humor for +anything." + +"Perhaps we can do something to-night," suggested Larry. + +"They talk about starving us out," said Luke. "Ain't there nothin' to +eat here?" + +An inspection was made of the cabin pantry, which brought to light some +preserves, some pickles, a pot of cheese, and a tin of fancy crackers. + +"About enough for one meal," said Captain Ponsberry, grimly. + +"And a pretty slim one at that," added Larry. "But I say, captain," he +added, suddenly, "isn't there a door leading from the back of the pantry +down into the hold?" + +"There was once--but I had it nailed up years ago, for we never used +it." + +"If we can open that, we might get something from the hold." + +"Going to eat machinery?" demanded Luke. + +"No--canned goods, Luke; I know Jeff had some placed there, for he +didn't have room in his store-room." + +"Dat am a fac'," put in the cook. "I'se got lots ob t'ings in dat dar +hold." + +"Then that settles the starving question," said Captain Ponsberry. "I've +got a small saw and a hammer down here somewhere. We can use them on the +door." + +"And that gives me another idea," went on Larry. "The hatch covering +over the companionway belongs to the fore hatch. If we can reach that +opening from here, why can't we steal on deck when we get the chance and +try to make the mutineers prisoners?" + +"Eureka!" shouted Luke. "That's the talk, Larry. Fer your years you've +got a wonderfully long head on ye. We'll make 'em prisoners or chuck 'em +overboard!" + +"The idea is worth considering," said the captain. "But we must be +careful." + +A search was made and the hammer, small saw, and also a chisel were +found. Then they cleaned out the pantry, took down several shelves, and +thus uncovered the small door which had been nailed up. + +"Don't make any noise, or they'll suspect that we are up to something," +said Captain Ponsberry. + +"Let Jeff rattle some dishes," said Larry, and while he and Luke worked +on the door, the cook began to handle the dishes in such a rough manner +that several were broken. He also tried to sing a couple of verses of +his favorite song, "My Gal Susannah!" but his voice was so shaky that +the effort was, artistically, a failure, although it added to the noise, +which was all that was desired. + +"They're pretty happy down there," said Wilbur to Shamhaven, as he +listened to the sounds. + +"Oh, they're putting on a front," growled Shamhaven. "They'll sing a +different tune when their stomachs are empty." + +"I don't know about this mutiny," went on the weak-kneed sailor, +nervously. + +"Oh, it's all right and you needn't to worry, Wilbur. If we stick +together we'll make a couple of thousand apiece out of this game." + +"But what shall we do if we fall in with a Russian warship?" + +"Semmel has that all fixed. He'll expose the captain and state that the +_Columbia_ is carrying a cargo for the Japanese Government, and that he +took possession in the name of the Czar. With this war on they won't ask +too many questions so long as they can give the Japs a black eye." + +"I see. But supposing we fall in with a Japanese warship?" + +"Then Semmel is going to turn the command over to me and I'll tell them +that the cargo was really meant for the Japanese Government but that +Captain Ponsberry, just before we left Manila, sold out to the Russian +agents and was going to Vladivostok. I'll add that we refused to go to +the Russian port after signing for Nagasaki, and all of the men can back +me up. That will put the captain and his friends in limbo and give us +some prize money. Oh, we'll come out ahead, don't you worry," concluded +Shamhaven, confidently. + +The day passed slowly and the mutineers held several meetings, to settle +upon just what they were going to do. But all had been drinking more +than was good for them and the conferences ended in nothing but talk. +Semmel was the accepted leader, but it was plain to see that Shamhaven +objected strongly to playing a secondary part, and Peterson also wanted +a large "finger in the pie." + +As they worked with care, it was a good hour and a half before Larry and +Luke managed to take down the door leading into the hold. Even when this +was done they found on the other side several heavy cases of machinery +almost impossible to budge. + +"We can pry those out of the way," said the captain. + +"A foot or so will do it," returned Larry. "Then I think I can crawl +over the top." + +They continued the work, and a little later the young second mate was +able to squeeze his way to the top of the cargo in that vicinity. + +"Be careful, Larry," warned the captain. "If a case should shift with +the ship you might get a crushed leg. You had better take a candle +along." + +"I will, sir." + +Luke was as anxious to get into the hold as the young second mate, and +he too squeezed his tall, lank form through the opening. Guided by the +faint light of the candle, they crawled over a number of cases of +machinery and war goods until they drew close to the middle of the ship. + +"Here we are!" cried Larry, in a low voice, and pointed to some cases of +canned goods. "Beans, corn, tomatoes, salt pork, condensed milk--we +won't starve just yet, Luke." + +"An' here are some barrels o' flour," added the old tar. "No, they can't +starve us nohow now." + +They had brought the chisel and hammer along, and with extra caution +opened some of the cases. Taking with them all the goods they could +carry, they returned to the cabin. + +"This is splendid!" cried Captain Ponsberry. "With this stuff on hand we +can hold the cabin indefinitely." + +"How is I gwine to cook?" questioned Jeff. + +"Over the two lanterns, Jeff. It will be slow work, but our time is our +own. Luckily there are pots and tins in the pantry." + +"All right, sah." + +"Of course, I am hoping that we shall not have to stay here long," went +on the captain. "But it is best to be prepared." + +That those on deck might not see the cooking going on, one of the +staterooms was cleaned out and Jeff went to work in this. In the +meantime Semmel called down the companionway once more. + +"Are you gettin' hungry?" he asked. + +"Tell him yes," whispered Larry. + +"Why?" questioned the captain, in an equally low tone. + +"Then he'll think we are getting ready to come to terms and he won't +watch us so closely." + +"I see." Captain Ponsberry raised his voice. "Yes, we are hungry," he +called up. "What are you going to send us, something good?" + +"Ve send noddings. Maybe you talk business soon, hey?" continued the +rascally Russian. + +"Perhaps." + +"How soon?" + +"Well, perhaps to-morrow morning." + +"Not before dot, hey?" + +"No." + +"All right den; you can go on an' starve so long!" growled Ostag Semmel, +and went away. A moment later he met Shamhaven. + +"What did he say?" asked the latter, anxiously. + +"He comes to terms to-morrow!" answered the Russian, triumphantly. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +TURNING THE TABLES + + +The meal which Jeff prepared put all in the cabin in better humor, and +as soon as it was over a council of war was held. + +It was decided to wait until darkness had set in, and then try to gain +the deck of the ship by way of the fore hatch. In the meantime the door +to the companionway was to be locked and barred, so that the mutineers +could not attack them very well from that direction, should a running +fight ensue. + +As Jeff would be of no use in a struggle he was delegated to remain in +the cabin, to make as much noise as possible, singing and talking to +himself, so that the mutineers might not suspect what was taking place. + +Each member of the party armed himself both with a pistol and a cutlass, +and Larry led the way as before, candle in hand. It was easy for Luke to +follow him, but rather difficult for the captain, who was more portly. + +"Reckon as how ye shouldn't have eaten so much, captain," chuckled the +old tar, as he helped Captain Ponsberry through a particularly narrow +place. + +"True, Striker," was the answer. "But you be careful that you don't slip +into some slit between the cases and go out of sight." + +They soon gained the spot where the canned goods had been found. They +had now to climb over some machinery that reached nearly to the top of +the hold, and then over a varied collection of boxes and barrels and +bags. On the bags lay some of the old sails of the ship and several +coils of discarded rope. + +They were just approaching the open fore hatch when they saw a rope +ladder let down. Instantly Larry uttered a warning and put out the +light. + +"Somebody is coming down," he whispered. + +It was the sailor Wilbur, who had been sent to get some canned goods for +cooking purposes. He came down the rope ladder with a lantern slung over +one arm. + +"We'll make him a prisoner!" cried Captain Ponsberry. "And let us do it +as quietly as we can, so as not to disturb those on deck." + +The others understood and crouched back in the darkness. Then, as Wilbur +passed them, the captain caught him from the back and Larry clapped a +hand over the fellow's mouth. + +"Oh!" spluttered Wilbur, but that was as far as he got. + +"Not a word! Not a sound, Wilbur!" said Captain Ponsberry, earnestly. + +The sailor understood, and being a craven at heart he almost collapsed. +It was an easy matter to take one of the old ropes and tie his hands +behind him. Then Captain Ponsberry confronted the mutineer, making a +liberal exhibition of his pistol as he did so. + +"Wilbur, answer me truthfully," said the master of the _Columbia_. "Are +you all in this mutiny or not? Don't speak above a whisper." + +"I ain't in it!" whined Wilbur. "They dragged me in, they did. I ain't +kicking about grub, or nothing!" + +"Are all the others in it?" + +"Kind of, yes. Groot didn't care much to go in. Guess he wish he was out +of it now." + +"What has become of Grandon and Vincent?" + +"Both of 'em are prisoners in the brig." + +"Are they wounded?" + +"Not much. Grandon had his thumb cut and Vincent got a kick in the back +that lamed him." + +"Is anybody guarding them?" + +"I guess not. All of 'em have got to drinking again. Say, captain, let +me out of this fix and I'll never go against you again, never," +continued Wilbur, earnestly. + +"We'll see about that later," was the grim reply. + +"Captain Ponsberry, I have a scheme," put in Larry, and he drew the +master of the ship to one side. "Wilbur is about the same build as +myself. Let me take his coat and cap and go on deck and down to the +brig. If I can release Grandon and Vincent we'll be sure to knock out +the mutiny in no time." + +"It's a dangerous game, Larry." + +"Oh, please let me do it!" pleaded the young second mate. The hazard was +one which appealed to him strongly. + +The matter was talked over for a few minutes and it was decided to let +Larry have his way. Wilbur was soon stripped of his coat and the young +second mate donned the garment. Then he took the mutineer's cap and +pulled it as far over his brow as possible and turned up the coat +collar. + +"I'll leave the lantern here," he said, and a second later was mounting +the rope ladder slowly and cautiously. + +With his head on a level with the deck Larry paused to reconnoiter the +situation. He knew exactly how dangerous his mission was and that he was +running the risk of being shot. But his life in our navy had made him +bold, and seeing nobody in sight, he leaped out on deck, and hurried +with all speed to the ladder leading to the brig. Soon he was in front +of the barred door. + +"Grandon! Vincent!" he called, softly. + +"Hullo, who's that?" came in the voice of the first mate. + +"It is I, Larry. Is Vincent there?" + +"Yes. Where did you come from?" + +"The cabin." Larry unbarred the door. "Are you hurt?" + +"Not much. How are you?" + +"I am all right, and so are the captain and Luke Striker. They are in +the hold, ready to come on deck. We have made Wilbur a prisoner." + +"Good enough," came from the boatswain. "The rascals! They ought all to +walk the plank!" he added, vehemently. + +The two men had their hands tied behind them, but it was an easy matter +for Larry to liberate them. Then each provided himself with a belaying +pin, and all three of the party stole to the deck. + +From the forecastle and the cook's galley came loud talking, showing +that the mutineers were making themselves at home. One man was trying to +do some cooking. + +"What's keeping Wilbur so long?" he demanded of the others. + +Nobody knew, and one of the crowd, the sailor named Groot, volunteered +to look the missing one up. + +"Let us follow him to the hatch," whispered Larry. "Perhaps we can make +him a prisoner." + +"Right you are," answered Tom Grandon. + +With caution they came up behind the man, and just as Groot leaned over +the open hatchway, they caught him tightly. + +"Keep silent, Groot!" said Grandon. "Keep silent, or we'll throw you +overboard." + +"Stop!" roared the mutineer. "Help! hel----" + +He got no further, for raising his belaying pin, Vincent brought it down +on the mutineer's head. Groot had been the one to lame the boatswain's +back and the latter had not forgotten it. Over went the fellow and sank +down as if dead. + +"Drop him into the hold," ordered Grandon, and this was done just as +Captain Ponsberry and Luke Striker appeared at the foot of the rope +ladder. + +"Another, eh?" said the master of the _Columbia_. "Good enough! How are +you, Tom? How are you, Vincent?" + +"We're ready to fight 'em," answered the first mate. "Come on! They've +got so much liquor aboard they can't do much to us!" + +"Be careful, I don't want anybody shot if it can be avoided," responded +Captain Ponsberry. + +"I think it would be a good plan to dump them all into the hold," said +Larry. "Then we could nail up that pantry door, put the hatch into +place, and keep them at our mercy." + +"If the plan will work, it's a good one," answered the captain. + +One after another they came out on deck, leaving Wilbur and Groot in the +hold. They found the mutineers equally divided between the galley and +the forecastle. The only man in charge of the schooner was Conroy, who +was at the wheel. + +As they advanced upon the forecastle they saw Semmel come out, +accompanied by Peterson. + +"There are the ringleaders!" cried Captain Ponsberry, and rushing up to +them he exclaimed: "Surrender, you rascals!" And he aimed his pistol, +while the others also raised their weapons. + +The Russian and his companion were taken completely by surprise, and +before they could draw any weapons of their own it was too late. Grandon +tripped one up and fell upon him, and then Vincent and Larry tripped up +the other. There was a brief scuffle, the exchange of several blows +which did little damage, and in a trice Semmel and Peterson were thrown +down into the hold bodily, and the ladder was hauled up out of their +reach. + +"Put that hatch over the opening," cried Captain Ponsberry to Larry. +"And then go into the cabin pantry and nail up that door. Be quick about +it, or they may get out!" + +"Aye, aye, sir!" cried the young second mate, and ran off with all +speed. The hatch was large and heavy, but the excitement lent him +strength and he dragged it forward and threw it over the hatchway. + +"Stop dat!" roared Semmel, in a drunken voice, but Larry paid no +attention. His next movement was toward the cabin. + +"Don't yo' tech me!" roared Jeff, in alarm. "Oh, it am yo'!" he added, +as he recognized Larry. "How am de battle gwine?" + +"We've got 'em on the run--four are prisoners in the hold," was Larry's +reply. "Get me that box of nails, Jeff--I must put that door back as it +was!" + +"Yes, sah; yes, sah!" answered the cook, eagerly, and brought forth the +nails in question. Then he helped to put the door into place, and held +it while Larry nailed the barrier. The job was just completed when the +young second mate heard voices from the hold. + +"Hi, dare, you let us out," came from Peterson. "Ve vill mak it right, +yes!" + +"You keep quiet," ordered Larry, and would say no more. Against the door +he and Jeff placed several trunks and boxes taken from the staterooms +opening off of the cabin. + +During this time the party led by Captain Ponsberry had attacked the +balance of the mutineers. There was a brief fight and Shamhaven got a +cutlass cut on the knee. But then the men surrendered, and one after +another was made to drop down into the hold, and the hatch was shut and +battened down. + +The only man who was not thus made a prisoner was Conroy, who begged at +once to be forgiven. + +"They got me to drink, captain," he pleaded. "I didn't know what I was +doing. Forgive it, and I'll be the best man you ever had on board." + +"Can I depend upon you, Conroy?" asked Captain Ponsberry, sternly. + +"You can, sir--I give you my word on it." + +"You won't try to help the mutineers?" + +"No, sir; no, sir!" + +"Very well then, I'll try you. But, remember, if you try any dirty work +it will go hard with you. Now tell me, was Wilbur in favor of this +mutiny?" + +"No, sir, he was not. Semmel forced him into it." + +"What of the others. Who were the ringleaders?" + +"Semmel and Peterson and Shamhaven. The others didn't want to do +anything but complain about the grub," answered Conroy, and then told +the particulars of the mutiny from beginning to end. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +CLOSE TO A WATERSPOUT + + +It was decided to leave the mutineers in the hold undisturbed until +morning. This done, those who had been hurt in the scrimmage had their +wounds attended to, and then Jeff was set to work to prepare a good meal +for all the loyal party. The galley was in a state of disorder, but this +counted for nothing, and Jeff soon had matters straightened out. + +After so much excitement nobody thought of retiring. Luke was stationed +over the fore hatch, to give warning of any attempt on the part of the +mutineers to regain their liberty. He was armed and he threatened to +"blow the hull head off" of anybody who dared to show himself or make a +noise. As a consequence the mutineers did nothing. Two made their way to +the nailed-up door, but finding they could not open it, gave up the +attempt as a bad job. + +As a punishment for his misdeeds Conroy was kept at the wheel during the +whole of the night. He was willing enough to do the extra work if only +the captain would forgive him for his actions. The master of the ship +questioned him closely, and in the end reached the conclusion that only +Semmel, Peterson, and Shamhaven were the leaders in the attempt to seize +the ship and that the others had followed after them like so many sheep. + +"I am glad to hear this," he said to Grandon and Larry. "I think after I +read them a strong lecture they'll behave themselves." + +"But we shall have to watch 'em closely," said the first mate. + +"What will you do with Semmel, Peterson, and Shamhaven?" asked Larry. + +"Put them in irons and keep them there until the end of the trip. When +we reach Nagasaki they can take their choice of leaving or of being +kicked off the ship. If they raise a row I'll hand them over to the +authorities." + +"You ought to have them locked up." + +"True, lad; but with this war on hand the courts won't want to bother +with such a case." + +It was not until nine o'clock in the morning that Captain Ponsberry had +the forward hatch raised once more. Those below were almost dying for +fresh air and water. + +"I want Wilbur to come up," he said. + +"Can't we have some water?" demanded Shamhaven. + +"Yes, if you'll behave yourselves," was the short answer. + +There was a babble of voices, but the master of the ship paid no +attention. Each man who had been thrown below was unarmed, so there was +no danger of any shooting. Presently Wilbur came up the rope ladder +thrown to him, looking sheepish enough. + +"What have you to say for yourself?" demanded the captain, when Wilbur +threw himself on his knees. + +"Don't count it against me, cap'!" he groaned. "I didn't want to go into +it, I tell you! I didn't want to go in!" + +"If I forgive you, will you give me your word to behave yourself?" + +"Yes, sir!" + +"You won't do any more underhanded work?" + +"You can shoot me if I do, captain." + +"Very well; I'll remember that. Now go forward and help put the ship in +good order. Larry, set him to work, and see that he does just what you +tell him." And Wilbur went off, with the young second mate following, +thanking his stars that he had not been swung to the yardarm, for mutiny +on the high seas is a capital offense. + +One by one the mutineers were allowed to come on deck, until only +Semmel, Peterson, and Shamhaven remained below. Those to come up pleaded +to be forgiven and promised to obey orders in the future and let the +captain run the ship to suit himself. + +During the night, Groot had had a bitter quarrel with Semmel, and the +Russian appeared presently with a black eye and two of his front teeth +loose. He was promptly put in irons, and the handcuffing of Peterson and +Shamhaven followed. + +"I have allowed the other men their liberty because you three led them +into this affair," said Captain Ponsberry to the trio of rascals. "I +intend to keep you in irons until the end of the trip." + +At this there was a loud complaint, and the three made all manner of +protestations, but the master of the _Columbia_ was obdurate, and at +last threatened to throw them into the hold again. This quieted them for +the time being, and after being given a square meal and a drink of +water, they were marched off to the brig, which was cleaned of +everything else for their accommodation. + +Fortunately for the _Columbia_ the weather remained fair, so that the +loss of the prisoners was not felt when it came to handling the +schooner. Those who had mutinied were only too glad to get back into +Captain Ponsberry's good graces and they did whatever was required with +an alacrity which was as astonishing as it was gratifying. They ate +whatever was set before them, and soon reached the conclusion that the +food was really better than they deserved. + +"We were fools to follow Semmel," said Wilbur; and Conroy and some +others fully agreed with him. + +But though it now looked as if the men could be trusted, Captain +Ponsberry determined to keep his eyes on them. Vincent was placed at the +head of one watch and Luke at the head of the other, so that, with one +or the other of the mates, the deck was always guarded by at least two +persons that could be depended upon. + +The captain had hoped for favorable breezes following the heavy storm, +but these did not come, and day after day passed with the old _Columbia_ +making slow progress toward Nagasaki. Formosa was passed during a bit of +thick weather, so that nothing was seen of that island. Then the sun +came out again, hotter than ever, so that Larry was glad to keep in the +shade as much as possible. + +"It's not so exciting as it was a few days ago," remarked Luke to Larry +one day, when both were seated in the shade of the forecastle. + +"I am glad that mutiny is at an end," answered Larry. "It's a great +wonder that somebody wasn't killed or seriously wounded." + +"The men didn't have their hearts in the rumpus, thet's why, Larry. If +they had really meant business--well, I reckon some of us wouldn't be +here now to tell the tale." + +"I think Semmel meant business." + +"Yes, he's a heap sight worse nor any o' the others." + +"It was a mistake to take him on board. I tell you, a captain can't be +too careful who he puts in his forecastle." + +"Well, you know the reason--those other hands gettin' sick at Manila. +But I can tell you, I'd rather have a crew of Americans any day." + +"They are hard to get." + +"True fer you." The old Yankee tar heaved a sigh. "The old days are +gone, sure enough. My! my! what times we used to have, when we'd go out, +every man a-knowin' every other man on the ship, an' all about him, too! +Then it was like a big family settin' sail. Now, if you go on a new ship +ye don't know nobody an' nobody knows nobody else." + +"I guess you expect to live and die a sailor, don't you, Luke?" + +"Don't know but what I do, unless somebody leaves me money enough to +live like a millionaire," and the old tar grinned. + +Day after day passed and the _Columbia_ kept on her course, making as +straight a passage for Nagasaki as possible. One day there would be a +fair breeze and the next a dead calm. + +"This is unusual weather for this quarter of the globe," said Captain +Ponsberry to Larry. "Like as not it will end in another hurricane." + +"In that case what will you do, release Semmel and the others?" + +"I may release Peterson and Shamhaven, but not Semmel, for he was the +real ringleader." + +There were strong signs of a storm in the air that night, but they +brought forth nothing, and on the following morning the sun came up as +full and bright as before. The breeze came by fits and starts, from +first one direction and then another, and the man at the wheel had all +he could do to keep the schooner to her course. Sails were shifted half +a dozen times, but without making any improvement. + +"The weather is certainly queer," said Grandon. "Puts me in mind of the +time I was caught in a tidal wave in the South Seas. Before the wave +struck us we had just such cuttings-up." + +"I trust we don't strike a tidal wave," answered Larry. "If it was high +enough it might swamp us." + +"True; but when you're on the deep blue sea, lad, you've got to take +whatever comes," replied the first mate, solemnly. + +Dinner was a quiet affair for all on board, and shortly after the repast +Larry went to the forward deck, to have another chat with Luke. While +the two were talking they were joined by Captain Ponsberry; and soon the +three were conversing about old times once more. + +"Do you remember the swim we once took in the Pacific?" said Larry to +Luke. "The time the sawfish smashed the boat and came after us?" + +"Reckon I do," was the Yankee tar's response. "We had a lively swim fer +it, didn't we?" + +"And the time we visited the island and you turned the turtles?" went on +Larry. "And do you remember that snake that chased us into the water?" + +"I do, Larry. Tell you what, we've had our share of adventures. When +Admiral Dewey----What is it, captain?" + +Luke broke off short and looked at Captain Ponsberry inquiringly. The +master of the _Columbia_ was gazing over the port bow in an earnest, +puzzled fashion. + +"Do you see that little black cloud, Striker?" + +"I do, sir!" And now Luke became all attention and so did Larry. "Kind +o' funny lookin', ain't it?" + +"It is odd," answered the captain. "Do you see how it seems to be +dancing around in the sky?" + +"Is it a cloud?" questioned Larry. "If so, I never saw its like before." + +"I'll take a look at it through my glass," went on the captain, and sent +a sailor for the article. + +The cloud came swiftly closer and they heard a most unusual roaring and +hissing. Then of a sudden the cloud seemed to dip down into the sea. +When it came up, the waters of the ocean followed, and there loomed up +before those on the ship a waterspout ten or fifteen feet thick. + +"A waterspout!" cried half a dozen in concert. + +"And a mighty powerful one, too," said the captain. "I trust it don't +come this way." + +"It is coming this way!" yelled Larry. "Look! look!" + +The young second mate was right, the waterspout appeared to be headed +directly for the schooner. But then it shot off to the westward, +churning the water into a foam behind it. + +"It's going away," murmured Luke, when once more the waterspout made a +curve and then shot directly toward them. It was off the port bow and +less than a hundred feet away. It looked as if the old _Columbia_ was +surely doomed! + + + + +CHAPTER X + +SOMETHING ABOUT WAR AND FIGHTING SHIPS + + +"It's going to strike the ship!" + +"It will cut us to pieces!" + +"Throw the schooner over on the other tack!" + +These and several other cries rang out on the deck of the _Columbia_. +All felt their hearts come up into their throats as the roaring, +swirling mass of water came closer and closer, until the spray drenched +them completely. The ocean was churned into a white foam and the wind +seemed to suck and blow in all directions at once. + +But, just as it looked as if the schooner would be buried beneath a +veritable mountain of water, the waterspout took another curve and slid +away, along the side of the ship and off the stern. The man at the wheel +came close to being carried overboard by the deluge he received and the +_Columbia_ bobbed up and down like a cork. But in another moment the +waterspout was an eighth of a mile distant. + +"What a--a narrow escape," faltered Larry, when he felt able to speak. +"I thought we were bound for the bottom sure!" + +"Thet's the closest I ever was to any waterspout," came from Luke, as he +wiped his wet brow. "Reckon we can thank Providence we ain't in Davy +Jones' locker this minit!" + +Captain Ponsberry did not say much, but kept his eyes fixed on the +waterspout, which was making fantastic curves across the bosom of the +Pacific. At times it was close by and then it would go half a mile or +more away. It was a fascinating scene, full of dread, and gave more than +one onlooker a chill down his backbone. + +"I wish it would go away completely," went on Larry. + +But this was not to be. The waterspout kept within sight for a good +half-hour, although it did not come near them again. At last it grew +less and less, off to the southwestward, and finally vanished +altogether. The glass was used in that direction, but nothing save a +clear horizon could be located. + +"We are clear of it at last," said Captain Ponsberry, and breathed a +long sigh of relief. + +"Waterspouts are mighty dangerous things," said Grandon, after the scare +was over. "When I was on board of the brig _Ben Franklin_ we ran into a +spout off the coast of Brazil, and it knocked off the bow and the +forward rail and nearly sank us." + +"I met one once, off the coast of Cuba," said the captain. "That went +ashore and tore up the trees like so many weeds for a hundred feet +around. A waterspout is nothing to be fooled with, I can tell you." + +On the day following the appearance of the waterspout the weather +changed. There was a slight storm and then a stiff breeze sprang up +which was cheering to all on board. Every stitch of canvas on the +_Columbia_ was spread and the schooner bowled along right merrily. + +"I'd like to know how this war is going on, and how Ben and Gilbert are +faring," said Larry to Captain Ponsberry. "A whole lot may have happened +since we left Manila." + +"Well, you'll probably get word from your brother when you reach +Nagasaki, lad; and we'll get word from Captain Pennington, too." + +"I hope neither of them has been wounded." + +"So do I; but when one goes to the front he has got to put up with the +fortunes of war. Being a soldier of fortune, as it is called, is no baby +business." + +"Do you suppose the Japs are continuing to bombard Port Arthur?" + +"More than likely--if the place hasn't fallen into their hands. They +want to make sure of their footing in lower Manchuria, and they can +never do that so long as the Russians hold a single seaport down there." + +"I suppose Russia has a pretty good-sized navy as well as an army?" + +"Yes, Larry, one of the largest navies in the world. But their fighting +ships are no better than the ships of Japan. You see, the Japanese navy +is not near as old as the navy of Russia. Almost all of the ships are of +the up-to-date types. Most of them have been built since the war between +Japan and China in 1894 and 1895." + +"That would make them only about ten years old." + +"Exactly, and I've been told that some of the ships in the Russian navy +are twenty and thirty years old. More than this, all of the Japanese +guns are of the latest pattern--just as they are on our new warships." + +"I'd like to go aboard of a Japanese warship," cried the young second +mate, enthusiastically. + +"Want to see if it's as good as it was aboard of the _Olympia_, eh?" + +"Yes, sir. Of course the _Olympia_ was old, especially alongside of the +_Brooklyn_, on which my brother Walter served in Cuban waters, but even +so she was a bang-up fighting machine. If she hadn't been she wouldn't +have done her share in sinking that Spanish fleet in Manila Bay." + +"Well, you may have a chance to go aboard of a Japanese ship while we +stop at Nagasaki. There must be a number of them at that port, coaling +up and taking war supplies aboard." + +"How long do you think it will be before we reach that port?" + +"That will depend entirely upon the wind, as you know. If we get just +what we need we may reach there inside of four or five days," answered +Captain Ponsberry. + +As Peterson and Shamhaven were now behaving themselves they were allowed +to come out of the brig and do some work on the deck every morning and +afternoon. Both begged the captain to forgive them, but the master of +the _Columbia_ would promise nothing. + +"You went into this with your eyes wide open," he said. "Now you can +line up and take your medicine." + +Semmel was exceedingly bitter at not being allowed his liberty for at +least a few hours a day and said he would denounce the captain at the +first opportunity. But Captain Ponsberry soon cut him short. + +"You keep a civil tongue in your head," he said, sternly. "Unless you +do, I'll put you down on hard-tack and water." And thereupon Semmel +became sullenly silent. + +Towards evening of the day upon which Larry had the conversation about +warships with Captain Ponsberry a Chinese junk, heavily laden with +grass-covered boxes, was passed. Nobody on board could speak English, so +the hail that was sent over the water brought no results. + +"We are getting closer to the coast shipping," said the master of the +_Columbia_. "I suppose we'll meet quite a few vessels from now on." + +During the night an unexpected gale came up and the schooner was blown +far out of her course. The gale came from the westward, so the vessel +was blown to the east. + +"This will make the trip a day or two longer," grumbled Grandon, after +the gale had spent itself. + +"Yes, but as we didn't lose a spar or a rag of canvas we can be thankful +that it is no worse," responded Larry, who was always ready to look on +the bright side. + +The gale subsided after a blow of twenty-four hours and then the bow of +the _Columbia_ was once more set towards her destination. Only a few +knots had been covered when the lookout reported a vessel in sight. + +"It's a steamer!" cried Larry, for the smoke from the craft's funnels +was plainly to be seen. + +"Maybe she's a warship," returned Tom Grandon, who was beside him. "If +so, I hope she's a Japanese." + +The steamer was coming along at a good rate of speed and soon they made +her out to be a British vessel. She was a "tramp," that is, a vessel +going from port to port, picking up whatever cargo can be found. + +"Ahoy, there!" cried Captain Ponsberry, as the tramp slowed up. "What +ship is that?" + +"The _Lord Duffield_," was the answer. "What ship is that?" + +"The _Columbia_." + +"Where are you bound?" + +"For Nagasaki. And you?" + +"For Hong-Kong." + +A little more talk followed, and the captain of the _Lord Duffield_ +vouchsafed the information that he had sighted a Russian warship the day +before. + +"A warship!" murmured Larry. + +"Which way was she bound?" asked Captain Ponsberry, anxiously. + +"I can't tell you. She stopped us and asked a few questions and then +slipped away in the darkness." + +"What warship was she?" + +"The _Pocastra_, from Vladivostok. I think she used to be in the +merchant service and was built over for the navy." + +The captain of the British steamer could give no further information, +and so resumed his course, and the master of the _Columbia_ did +likewise. + +"Ain't very nice news, is it?" said Tom Grandon. + +"It's very unpleasant news," returned Captain Ponsberry, with a shrug of +his shoulders. + +"What are you going to do about it?" + +"What can we do, Tom? Trust to luck that we get into Nagasaki harbor, or +some other port, in safety." + +"We'll have to keep a sharp lookout for anything that looks like a +warship, unless, of course, she flies a Japanese flag." + +Word was passed around to those who could be trusted, and all day long +one of the mates and a foremast hand were kept on the lookout, taking +turns at looking through the best glass the schooner possessed. + +"This is almost as exciting as being in a war," said Larry, when he was +on duty with Luke. "Don't you know how we looked for the Spanish ships?" + +"Yes, lad; but if we sight a Russian warship it will be small fighting +we'll do, to my way of thinking." + +"Oh, we won't be able to fight at all. We'll simply have to rely on our +wits to keep us out of being gobbled up as a prize of war," responded +the young second mate. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +AN ORDER TO LAY-TO + + +When taking on his cargo at Manila, Captain Ponsberry had considered the +possibility of being captured by a Russian warship, and had talked the +matter over with the agents of the Richmond Importing Company and with a +Japanese official who was doing business on the sly in the Philippines. + +The Japanese Government was willing to pay for the cargo, whether it was +delivered or not--presuming it was "gobbled up" by the Russians, but was +not willing to pay for the ship if the vessel was taken as a prize of +war. + +"That is a risk you must take yourself," said the Japanese official. "We +are willing to pay a high price for the cargo--we cannot do more." And +so the risk--so far as the schooner went--was divided equally between +the Richmond Importing Company and Captain Ponsberry and the other +owners of the _Columbia_. + +As nearly the captain's whole wealth was tied up in his share of the +schooner, he was naturally anxious to make a safe trip, and he often +came on deck to aid the lookouts in watching for the possible appearance +of an enemy. + +"If you see the least thing that looks suspicious, tell me at once," was +his order, and it was strictly obeyed. As a consequence they ran away +from two steamers that afternoon and another steamer the next +morning--all too far off to show exactly what they were. + +"This isn't bringing us much nearer to port," said Larry to Cal Vincent, +who was using the glass at the time. "I don't believe we have made a +dozen knots since yesterday." + +"Well, the old man is a bit nervous," responded the boatswain, in a low +voice. "And I don't blame him. It's no small matter to lose your craft +and be thrown into prison in the bargain." + +"Would they dare to throw us into prison?" + +"To be sure,--if they could prove that we were aiding the Japs." + +"Well, they'll have hard work proving that." + +An hour went by and it began to grow misty. Then came a call from the +bow. + +"Sail in sight!" + +"What is it?" demanded the captain instantly. + +"A big steamer o' some sort." + +Captain Ponsberry ran forward and took the glass. For fully two minutes +he did not speak and then he drew a long breath and put down the glass. + +"I'm afraid she's a warship," he exclaimed, and his voice sounded +unnatural. + +"A warship!" echoed Larry. "Will you let me look?" + +He did so, and it was not long before he could make out the approaching +craft quite clearly. + +"Well?" demanded Grandon, who knew that Larry's eyes were unusually +strong. + +"I reckon the captain is right." + +"A warship?" + +"Yes, not a very large affair, but still a warship. I shouldn't be +surprised if she was the converted vessel the _Lord Duffield_ sighted." + +"Just what I think," put in Captain Ponsberry. "We've got to do our best +to show her a clean pair of heels." + +"The mist may help us to run away," suggested Grandon. + +"Let us hope so." + +Necessary orders were given, and soon the _Columbia_ swung around on +another tack, so that she had the large vessel on her starboard quarter. +But this movement was evidently noted by the stranger, and the latter +headed directly for the schooner once more. + +"She is after us, that is positive," said Captain Ponsberry. + +"There is a bank of mist over to the northward," returned Larry. "Why +not run into that?" + +"Well spoken, lad; we'll do it, and as soon as the mist hides us we can +go over on the other tack and throw her off the scent." + +The mist the young second mate had mentioned was nearly a quarter of a +mile away and it was a question whether they could reach it before the +stranger came up. But fortune favored those on the schooner. The mist +rolled toward them, and in less than two minutes they were hidden as +completely as could be desired. + +"Now to get entirely out of the way," exclaimed Captain Ponsberry, and +lost not a moment in having the sails shifted and a new course set. +Through the mist they heard the other vessel steaming around noisily and +did their best to keep as far away as possible from the sound. + +All during that evening and the night to follow the _Columbia_ kept to +her new course. This was taking her away from Nagasaki, but this could +not be helped. The captain said if it became absolutely necessary he +would run into some other Japanese port. + +When daybreak came the mist was as thick as ever. But there were signs +that it would not last much longer, and by nine o'clock the sun was +struggling to come through the clouds. Nearly everybody was on deck, for +they realized that a fatal moment might be at hand. + +"There she is!" + +The cry came from half a dozen throats simultaneously. There, on the +port bow, loomed up the stranger, not an eighth of a mile away. That she +was a warship there was no longer any doubt, for her forward guns were +plainly to be seen. + +"We're caught now!" muttered Tom Grandon. + +"Not yet!" cried the captain, and gave orders to throw the _Columbia_ +over on a new course. But scarcely had this movement been made when +there was a puff of smoke from the warship, a report, and a shot flew in +front of the schooner's bow. + +"There's our order to lay-to!" ejaculated Larry. "Whoever she is, she +means business." + +As the _Columbia_ did not stop, another shot was fired, this time just +grazing the bow. Seeing there was no help for it, Captain Ponsberry gave +the necessary orders, and down came one sail after another. + +As this was done the warship swung around and then those on the schooner +saw that she flew the flag of Russia. + +"A Russian warship!" ejaculated half a dozen. + +"This looks to me as if the jig was up," murmured Tom Grandon. + +As quickly as it could be done, Captain Ponsberry assembled his men on +deck. + +"Men," he said, briefly, "the officers on board of that warship wish to +find out what they can about us. If you are asked questions say nothing +more than that you shipped for the voyage to Nagasaki and San Francisco, +and that you know nothing about the cargo. Do you understand?" + +"Aye, aye, sir," came from those who were listening. + +"I must depend upon you to help save the ship. If the _Columbia_ is +suspected of being in the employ of the Japanese Government, or of +carrying a cargo for that nation, she will be taken as a prize of war +and we'll go to a Russian prison most likely." + +"I don't want to go to no Russian prison!" cried out Wilbur, his face +turning pale. "I ain't done nothing wrong!" + +"Then keep your tongue from wagging too much, Wilbur," answered the +master of the schooner, grimly. + +"There ain't no use o' fighting, is there?" asked Groot. + +"Fighting?" came from Tom Grandon. "What could the old _Columbia_ do +against a man-o'-war? Why, they'd blow us sky high in no time!" + +"No, there is absolutely no use of attempting to fight," answered +Captain Ponsberry. "Our only hope lays in convincing them that they have +no right to stop us." + +The hands were dismissed and sent forward, and Captain Ponsberry hurried +below, to burn certain papers and secrete others. This was in accordance +with the orders received from the agents of the Richmond Importing +Company at Manila. + +In the meantime the Russian warship had come to a stop in mid-ocean and +now a small boat was lowered, containing a small crew, a coxswain, and a +Russian naval officer. At the same time a signal was hoisted which meant +that the officer was coming on board of the schooner. + +"Unless I miss my guess, this looks rather black for us," said Larry, to +Tom Grandon. + +"I agree with you, Larry," responded the first mate. "But we've got to +take our medicine, no matter how bitter it is." + +"If only that mist had held on to-day! We might have slipped by that +warship nicely." + +"I only hope the old man fixes up his papers so that he can show a clean +bill of health," went on Grandon. "You see, if they can't actually prove +something against us, they won't dare to touch us. They know what Old +Glory means, and Russia has no desire just now to get into trouble with +Uncle Sam." + +"The worst of it is, our cargo may look too suspicious to them. Under +ordinary circumstances they know that the _Columbia_ wouldn't be +carrying such a line of goods in these waters." + +"That's true, too." + +"Besides that, they may have had an agent at Nagasaki and at Manila +spying on us. They may know just what is being done. The Czar's +followers are mighty slick, I can tell you." + +Captain Ponsberry now came on deck and gave quick orders that the +sailors should be lined up, to receive the visitor in a befitting +manner. + +"A little goose grease may help," he drawled, with a knowing glance at +Grandon and Larry. + +The foremast hands did not know much about lining up, but took the +places assigned to them, on the forward deck. Over the side a rope +ladder was thrown, and then Captain Ponsberry, Tom Grandon, and Larry +awaited the arrival of the Russian naval officer with keen interest. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +TAKEN AS A PRIZE OF WAR + + +Slowly but surely the small boat came closer to the schooner. She rode +the long swells of the Pacific with full grace, and Larry could not help +but admire the long, sturdy strokes of the jackies, as they bent to +their task. + +"I don't know but that they can handle a small boat as well as our own +jackies," said Larry. + +"Why shouldn't they? Russian naval training ought to be first-class," +answered Tom Grandon. "They have been at it longer than Uncle Sam." + +"True, but that doesn't always count. Spain had been at it longer than +we had, too, but when it came to war we beat her in double-quick order." + +As the small boat came closer they saw that the jackies were mostly men +of middle age. But the coxswain was younger and so was the naval +officer, who was gazing rather anxiously toward the schooner, as if +wondering what the result of his mission would be. + +"Wonder if that chap can talk English?" queried the first mate. "If he +can't the old man will be up a tree, for none of us can talk Russian." + +"I reckon Peterson and Semmel can talk it," answered Larry. "But we +don't want either of those rascals to open his mouth." + +At last the small boat came up alongside of the _Columbia_. It was no +easy matter to catch the rope ladder without getting bumped, but it was +successfully accomplished, and then the Russian officer lost no time in +coming on board. He at once saluted, and Captain Ponsberry and his mates +did the same, and the sailors in the background did likewise. + +"What ship is this?" asked the Russian naval officer, after a few +necessary formalities were at an end. + +"The American schooner _Columbia_," answered Captain Ponsberry. + +"Would you mind telling me for what port you are bound?" went on the +naval officer, who could speak fairly good English. + +"We are bound for San Francisco, with a stopover at Nagasaki." + +"Ah! What sort of a cargo are you carrying to Nagasaki?" + +"One belonging to the firm for which the _Columbia_ is in commission." + +"The name of the firm, please?" + +"The Richmond Importing Company." + +"Ah!" said the naval officer again, and looked slightly displeased. As +it happened he had a brother in the army at Port Arthur, and had heard +of the doings of Gilbert Pennington at that place, and of how the young +American had accused certain Russians of trying to cheat the company he +represented. + +"What warship do you come from?" demanded Captain Ponsberry, feeling +that he had an equal right to ask questions. + +"The auxiliary cruiser, _Pocastra_, of the Russian navy," answered the +naval officer, politely. + +"And where are you bound?" went on Captain Ponsberry, bluntly. + +"That, sir, is a question only our commander, Captain Titorsky, can +answer." + +"It's queer you are steaming around in Japanese waters." + +"Perhaps so." The Russian naval officer smiled in a knowing way. +"Captain Ponsberry, I am sorry, but I think I shall have to inspect your +papers." + +Captain Ponsberry drew himself up, resolved to put on as bold a front as +possible. + +"This is an American ship, sir." + +"Granted, but I have my orders," returned the naval officer, coldly. + +"If I refuse to let you inspect the papers?" + +The young Russian officer shrugged his shoulders. + +"We shall be under the painful necessity of compelling you to show +them." + +"You threaten me--an American captain!" + +"There is no help for it--I am simply obeying orders. We inspect all +ships that we find in this vicinity." + +"Do you know I can make you pay dearly for this outrage?" + +"You cannot call it an outrage. You are in Japanese waters, Japan and +Russia are at war. You knew that before you came into these waters. Am I +to see the papers or not?" + +The commander of the _Columbia_ knew that the Russian naval officer +spoke the truth. Yet he made one more effort. + +"Very well; I will show my papers, but I shall insist upon you signing a +paper that your ship held us up." + +"You can send the paper to my ship for such a signature from my +captain," said the Russian, evasively. + +By this time four of the jackies of the small boat had come on board. +All were armed and they lined up at the rail, close to the rope ladder. +They were good-natured sailors and grinned broadly at the hands on the +_Columbia_. Not one could speak a word of English, so conversation with +them was impossible. + +Captain Ponsberry led the way to the cabin of the _Columbia_ and the +young Russian officer followed. Getting out such papers as had been +prepared for the occasion, the master of the schooner passed them over. + +"These are correct so far as they go," said the Russian, after an +examination lasting ten minutes had been made. "But----" he paused. "You +have no further papers?" + +"Those are my papers, sir," answered Captain Ponsberry, briefly. + +"Then I will look at a specified list of your cargo." + +"I haven't such a list," was the answer, which was true, as the list had +been burnt up just a short while before. + +At this statement the young Russian frowned. "Every ship carries such a +list." + +"Still, I haven't any." + +"In that case, I shall have to order an inspection of the cargo." + +"Sir, you are going too far!" said Captain Ponsberry, sternly, yet he +knew he had no right to expect anything else. + +"If I am going too far, I am able to take the consequences," returned +the Russian, who was acting strictly under orders. + +"Very well, sir; you can look the cargo over," answered Captain +Ponsberry. "But I shall hold Russia accountable for the outrage." + +The Russian naval officer bowed and hastened up to the deck. He spoke in +his native tongue to one of the jackies who carried several small flags +under his arm. At once the Jackie began to wig-wag to the warship for +further instructions. + +"Search the ship," came back the order, and in a few minutes more +another small boat left the side of the _Pocastra_, containing an +officer and a crew of eight. + +"We are in for it now, that is certain," observed Larry. "They are not +going to let us go until they are sure we are O. K." + +The second boat was soon alongside of the schooner, and the officer in +charge and four men came up on the deck and joined the other Russians +already there. An earnest conversation was held between the two +officers. + +"We'll take a general look at the cargo," said the one who had just +arrived. "It will not do to go too far--in case we find everything as it +should be. We want no trouble with the Yankee government." + +Captain Ponsberry was asked to have the mizzen hatch opened, and this +work was done by Luke Striker and several others. Then two of the +Russian sailors were sent below, and one of the officers went along. + +In the meantime, Peterson, unknown to anybody on board, had slipped off +to the brig. Here he found Ostag Semmel in solitary confinement. + +"Semmel, a Russian warship is close at hand," he said, hurriedly. "An +officer and some men have just boarded us." + +"Release me, Peterson!" returned the Russian sailor. "Release me and I +will show Captain Ponsberry what I can do!" + +"You will not get me into trouble?" questioned Peterson, anxiously. + +"No. Quick--I am sure we can make money out of this." + +With an iron bar, Peterson pried off the lock which had been put on the +door of the brig, and drew back the bolt. Then Semmel came out of his +prison, with his hands linked together. + +As he was making his way to the stern deck Larry caught sight of him. + +"Stop!" he called out, in alarm, realizing what Semmel might do. "Stop, +Semmel!" and he ran to capture the rascal. + +"Get out da vay!" roared the Russian and aimed a blow at Larry's head. +But the young second mate dodged and then caught the Russian by the +legs, hurling him flat on his breast. But now Peterson came behind and +gave Larry a vicious kick in the side, which made the youth let go his +hold. + +"What's the row there?" called out Captain Ponsberry, and looked much +disturbed to see the escaped prisoner. "Put him back where he came +from!" + +"Help!" yelled Semmel, in Russian. "Help, in the name of the Czar! I am +a Russian subject! This ship is in the employ of the Japanese +Government!" + +"He speaks the truth!" called out Peterson, also in Russian. "Help us +and protect us and we will prove it!" And he ran forward to where the +Russian officer on deck was standing. + +"You are Russians?" asked the officer, quickly. + +"We are." + +"Then I shall certainly assist you." He raised his voice. "Let that man +go!" And he pointed at Semmel, now surrounded by Larry, Luke, and Cal +Vincent. + +The latter words were uttered in English, so all of our friends +understood them. The two sailors looked inquiringly at the young second +mate. + +"He is nothing but a mutineer," said Larry. "We locked him up for it. He +ought to have been strung up on the yardarm," he added, bitterly. + +By this time Captain Ponsberry was on the scene, and those who had gone +below were summoned on deck once more. The captain glared at Semmel, who +lost no time in shrinking behind the Russian officers for protection. + +"I can prove the cargo on this ship belongs to the Japanese Government," +said Ostag Semmel. "My friend can prove it, too," he added, pointing to +Peterson. "It is true we tried to seize the ship--to take her to +Vladivostok, or some other Russian port, as a prize." + +"This is assuredly interesting," said the leading Russian officer. "Tell +me your tale in full." + +Despite Captain Ponsberry's protests Semmel told his story in his own +way, and Peterson corroborated it in every detail. Then Shamhaven, +thinking to curry favor, came forward. + +"They tell the strict truth," he said. "I worked with them. We did what +we could for the benefit of the Russian Government. Every bit of cargo +on this ship belongs to the Japanese Government and was to be taken +ashore at Nagasaki. The last cargo of the _Columbia_ was also sold at +Nagasaki to the Japanese Government." + +"When was this?" + +"About two months ago." + +More questions were put to Semmel, Peterson, and Shamhaven, and at last +the Russian naval officer turned grimly to Captain Ponsberry. + +"I have heard their story, and it will be unnecessary to make an +inspection of your cargo, since they have told me of what it consists. +In the name of Russia I claim this ship as a prize of war, and you and +your crew must consider yourselves prisoners." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +PRISONERS ON THE "POCASTRA" + + +Captain Ponsberry had feared the result ever since the unexpected +appearance of Ostag Semmel, so he was not very much surprised when the +Russian naval officer stated that he should consider the _Columbia_ as a +war prize and place those on board under arrest as prisoners of war. + +"This is a high-handed proceeding," said he, as calmly as possible, +although his mind was in a whirl. + +"I do not think so," answered the Russian officer. "Do you submit or +not?" + +"Since it would be useless to fight, we shall have to submit," answered +the master of the schooner. "But, remember, I shall hold you and the +Russian Government responsible for all you do." + +"As you have said that before, there is no use of repeating it, Captain +Ponsberry. We will take command of the vessel at once." + +"What are we going to do?" whispered Larry to Tom Grandon. + +"I don't know--follow the old man, I reckon," answered the first mate. + +"We shall place a prize crew on this ship," went on the Russian officer. +"These men"--pointing to Semmel, Peterson, and Shamhaven--"can remain on +board. The remainder of the crew and the officers, will be transferred +to the _Pocastra_. I will give you a quarter of an hour in which to +attend to your luggage. Please take no more along than is necessary." + +"This is certainly high-handed!" cried Larry. + +"So we've got to go over to that old coal box, eh?" grumbled Luke, when +he heard the news. "It's hard luck, Larry." + +"You're right, Luke, but it can't be helped." + +"What will they do with us?" + +"I haven't the least idea." + +"Will they take us to Russia?" + +"I suppose so--or stow us away in one of those cold and dirty Siberian +prisons until we can get Uncle Sam to make them release us." + +When it came time to depart from the _Columbia_ Larry was allowed to +take only a bundle of clothing along, and Grandon and the common sailors +were treated no better. The captain was allowed a trunk and a suit case. +In the meantime Semmel was questioned once more, and what he had to tell +made the Russians look darkly at our friends. + +"He is pumping all sorts of falsehoods into them, I suppose," said Larry +to Luke, and he was right. Semmel made it appear that Captain Ponsberry +was really an agent of the Japanese Government and that he (Semmel) had +done his best to gain possession of the ship wholly for the benefit of +his own country. + +"If you really did this, it is very worthy of you," said one of the +officers. "But we shall have to investigate before we accept your story +in full." This was not so encouraging, but with it Ostag Semmel had to +be content. + +Fearing that a Japanese warship might put in an appearance at any +moment, the Russians lost no time in transferring the officers and men +of the _Columbia_ to the _Pocastra_ and at the same time a prize crew of +two officers and ten men were taken from the warship to the schooner. +Then the sails of the _Columbia_ were hoisted and off she set to the +eastward, and the warship moved in the same direction. + +When placed aboard the _Pocastra_ Captain Ponsberry was treated politely +and given a small room of his own. But the mates and the ordinary seamen +were not so fortunate. Grandon, Larry, and Luke Striker were hustled off +to a prison pen on one deck of the auxiliary cruiser, and the others to +another pen below, which was even worse. + +"This is certainly hard luck," said Larry, as he threw his bundle into a +corner and sat down on an iron bench, while Grandon and Luke did the +same. "And after we had almost reached Nagasaki, too!" + +"Well, there ain't no use to cry over spilt milk," came from Luke. +"We're prisoners o' war, an' I reckon as how we have got to make the +best o' it. Ain't the first time we've been in sech a fix." + +"That is true, Luke, but it doesn't help the matter any. I guess we have +seen the last of the old _Columbia_." + +"I was afraid of this sort of thing happening ever since we left +Manila," came from Grandon. "I told the old man to be careful, that----" + +"Hush!" whispered Larry. "They may be listening--to make sure that they +have caught the right parties." + +"True for you, Larry; I won't say another word about that. But it looks +dismal, no two ways on't," and the first mate drew a mountainous sigh. + +The prison pen into which they had been placed was an iron structure, +reaching from floor to ceiling, and was not over ten feet square. It had +a solid back and the remaining three sides were built up of stout iron +bars, only a couple of inches apart. There was a door which was doubly +locked, the key being held by a petty officer who could speak broken +English and who rejoiced in the simple name of Rosenvischpoff. For short +Luke nicknamed him Rosey and this name stuck to him. + +"Doesn't look as if a fellow could break out of here very easily," said +Larry, after an inspection of their prison. "This is a regular bank +vault." + +"Wouldn't do you any good to break out," returned Grandon. "As we are on +the ocean, where would you go to?" + +"We might hide until the vessel made a landing." + +"Humph, and that would be in some Russian port, so you'd be just as bad +off." + +"Well, I'm not trying to escape just now. I want to get the lay of the +land first, and try to find out what they are going to do with us." + +From Rosenvischpoff they learned that the _Pocastra_ was one of a large +number of steamers of various Russian lines which had been lately +pressed into the service of the national navy. She had been rushed +through at one of the Russian navy yards and provided with a battery of +four small and four large guns, none, however, over eight inches. She +carried a crew of one hundred and eighty men, drafted principally from +other warships. She had an advertised speed of twenty knots an hour but +rarely made over seventeen or eighteen. She was old and her engines were +constantly in need of repair, much to the disgust of Captain Titorsky, +her commander. + +"Well, Rosey, how goes this war?" asked Luke, pleasantly, as the petty +officer came around to give them something to eat. + +"Big fight all der dime," answered Rosenvischpoff. "Russians kill all +der Japs--sink all der Jap ships, yes!" + +"You're winning right along, eh?" + +"Yes, Russians win--Japs no do noddings, no!" And the petty officer left +the food on the bench and hurried away again. + +"Do you believe that?" asked Larry. + +"No, I don't," came from Grandon. "He told us that simply to scare us, +or else he doesn't know the real truth." + +"Exactly what I think." + +"These Russians are a lot of blowers," growled Luke. "Just look at +Semmel. He was forever tooting his horn, and yet he couldn't do much of +anything." + +"He got us into trouble," said Larry, quickly. + +"That's true, but he had to have this warship with all on board to help +him." + +The food which had been brought to them consisted of a big bowl of stew, +with three spoons, and three chunks of black bread. + +"They are going to treat us to the best," said Grandon, sarcastically. +He lifted one of the spoons and tasted the stew. "Phew, it's hot enough! +Pepper, garlic, and hot water!" + +"Does beat all how these fureigners do love their garlic," grumbled +Luke. "'Twas the same way with them Spaniards in the Philippines." + +"Garlic and grease," added Larry. "And this bread is hard enough to +build a wall with," he continued. "However, we have got to eat or go +hungry." And he partook of just enough to stay his stomach. Luke and +Grandon were not so particular and despite their grumbling managed to +make away with all that remained. + +They saw nothing of the captain, or of the sailors who had been taken +below, and the time hung heavily on their hands. At night they were +given three hammocks and these they slung from one side of the prison to +the other and rested as well as could be expected. The Russian sailors +often came to the pen to gaze at them, but they had been warned not to +attempt to converse with the prisoners, so nothing was said. + +On the afternoon of the third day aboard of the _Pocastra_, those in the +pen heard a loud shouting on deck, followed by a rush of feet. Larry, +who was resting in the corner for the want of something better to do, +leaped up. + +"Something is doing!" he cried to his companions. + +"Here comes Captain Ponsberry," ejaculated Tom Grandon. + +He was right, the captain was coming up in company with Rosenvischpoff +and two sailors. The Russian petty officer opened the door of the pen +and Captain Ponsberry was thrust inside. Then the door was locked as +before. + +"How are you, boys?" cried the captain, cordially. "All well, I hope." + +"We are," answered Grandon. "And you?" + +"I'm well enough, but still angry to think that we lost the _Columbia_." + +"So are we angry," said Larry. "But we've got to stand it. What's that +noise?" + +"They have sighted a Chinese junk, and I reckon they are going to treat +her as they did our vessel," answered the captain. + +The noise on deck continued, followed by quarter of an hour of silence. +Then came a shot, followed by a second and a third. + +"Another order to lay-to," said Larry. "Wonder if the Chinamen will give +in as we did?" + +"They will if they are wise," said Grandon. + +But the Chinamen did not believe in surrendering thus easily. They were +carrying rice for the Japanese army, and thought that this was known to +the enemy. Consequently they did their best to sail away. + +Hardly had the craft started on a new course when the _Pocastra_ opened +a direct fire upon her. The noise below decks was deafening and fairly +shook the iron pen in which our friends were confined. + +"Hullo, that sounds like real war!" cried Larry. "They mean business +now." + +One broadside was followed by another, and the Chinese junk was raked +from end to end with such a deadly fire that more than a sixth of the +sailors and officers were killed. Then the captain flung a white flag to +the breeze in token of surrender. + +"We have won!" cried those on the _Pocastra_, and it was not long before +our friends understood. Small boats were put out, and presently half a +dozen Chinese officers from the junk were brought on board as prisoners. +A fire that had started on the prize ship was put out after some hard +work; and then a temporary crew was put on board, and the junk followed +in the wake of the old _Columbia_, with the warship keeping guard over +both. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +PROGRESS OF THE WAR + + +An hour after the capture of the Chinese junk one of the officers of the +ill-fated craft was thrust into the prison pen with our friends. + +He was a small sallow-eyed Celestial rejoicing in the name of Won Lung, +and it was soon learned that he could speak a little English, he having +once paid a visit to San Francisco. + +"All go up spout!" said he, referring to his own ship. "T'ink we safe +when Russian gunboat come, den all up spout!" + +"Did they sink your ship?" asked Captain Ponsberry. + +"No sink--shoot holes, back, front, side--all up spout. No fightee no +more den--all up spout!" The latter was his pet phrase and he used it +over and over again. + +"You were in the Japanese trade?" + +"Yes--carry rice. Now Russians got rice, got junk--all Won Lung's money +gone up spout!" And the Celestial made an odd little grimace. + +"Well, they took my ship, too." + +"Big schooner your shipee?" + +"Yes." + +"Won Lung weep for you--all ship gone up spout, samee like Won Lung's +ship gone up spout!" + +"Well, we haven't gone up the spout yet," put in Larry, with a laugh. +"Let us thank fortune that we are alive and well." + +"Dat so--Won Lung lose fliends on junk--six, seven, ten--don't know how +many yet," and the Chinese officer shook his head sadly. "Bad war, bad!" + +"Can you tell us how the war is going?" asked Tom Grandon. "These +Russians say everything is a Russian victory." + +"Russians sayee dat?" + +"Yes--they pretend to say they have the Japs about beaten." + +At this Won Lung screwed up his eyes into mere slits. + +"Big lie dat. Japanese win everyt'ing allee timee. Russian warships gone +up spout--Russian army run like--like--up spout!" + +After that Won Lung told them all he knew. It was hard to understand +him, yet they gathered that there had been another sea fight in the +vicinity of Port Arthur, in which the Russian navy had come off second +best, and that the Japanese army that had landed in Korea had driven the +enemy to the northwestward, over the Yalu River, and was now forcing +them back upon Liao-Yang. + +"If this news about the army is true, Ben and Gilbert must be having a +hot time of it," was Larry's comment. "I must say, I am mighty glad they +are on the winning side." + +"Didn't I tell ye them Russians are a lot o' blowers?" came from Luke. +"The truth ain't in 'em half the time." + +"Perhaps they do not get the correct news from the front," came from +Captain Ponsberry. "The censors may keep the bad news back, for fear of +disheartening the rest of the men in the army and navy." + +"They tell me the Russians are very strict about sending out news," +rejoined Larry. + +"It is true, Larry; no country on the globe is stricter. No telegram can +be sent without it is inspected, and the newspapers cannot print a +single scrap of news, or a single editorial, until after the press +censor has passed upon it." + +"If that's the case, I don't wonder that some of the people want to be +free." + +"Russia is more free to-day than she ever was before, and freedom is +bound to come sooner or later--that is, I mean, not such freedom as we +have in the United States, but such freedom as they have in England and +Germany--where, at least, a man can call his soul his own." + +"It's a wonder the Russians will fight for their country, if they are so +ground down." + +"They know nothing better, and besides, they are really patriotic. If +the Czar would only treat them a little better, and give them a little +more liberty, they would be the most faithful of subjects. But when a +man can't do at all as he wants to do, and can't open his mouth about it +either, he is apt to grow sullen and ugly." + +As day after day went by life on the Russian warship became almost +unendurable for Larry and the others. They suffered greatly for the want +of fresh air, and at last made a vigorous protest to the captain of the +ship, when he happened to be passing the pen. As a result orders were +given that they should be allowed three hours on deck each day, one in +the morning and two after dinner. + +"This is a little like," said Larry, when coming on deck for the first +time. "Oh, how good it feels to breathe fresh air once more!" And he +filled his lungs to their fullest capacity. + +For their daily exercise Larry and Luke were chained together, and the +pair inspected with great curiosity as much of the warship as was +allowed. + +"It's not so very different from some of our own auxiliary cruisers," +said Larry. "But, after all, I like ours better." + +"That's right, lad; stick up fer your own country every trip." + +"Well, what do you say, Luke?" + +"I say I'd rather be on one of Uncle Sam's ships than on any other in +the world." + +While allowed to roam around on deck, Larry often looked eagerly for the +_Columbia_, but the schooner and the Chinese junk were too far off to be +distinguished with the naked eye. + +"We'd give a good deal to be back on her deck, wouldn't we, Luke?" said +he. + +"Don't mention it, lad; it makes me sick," grumbled the Yankee tar. + +"I wish I knew just what was being done on land, don't you? Perhaps this +war will end soon, and then we'll be set free." + +"It won't end yet awhile, Larry, mark my words on that," answered Luke. + +The old Yankee sailor was right--the war was far from ended, and here it +may be well to note briefly what was taking place on the sea between +Russia and Japan, while the army of the Mikado was pushing through +Manchuria in the direction of Liao-Yang. + +The loss of the great battleship _Petropavlovsk_ has already been +recorded in "Under the Mikado's Flag." This vessel was sunk by a mine in +Port Arthur harbor, April 13, 1904, and carried down with her Admiral +Makaroff and about five hundred officers and men. At the same time the +battleship _Pobieda_ was also injured by a mine. + +The loss of the admiral's flag-ship was a great blow to Russia, and +while she was trying to recover, Port Arthur was vigorously shelled by +the Japanese fleet, and many buildings were more or less damaged. Some +warehouses were set on fire, but the local fire department, aided by the +Russian garrison, succeeded in putting out the conflagration. + +While the Japanese fleet was hammering at the city and the ships from +beyond the harbor, the Japanese army encircled Port Arthur on land, +taking possession of every available hill beyond the Russian line of +defenses. As a consequence, by the middle of May the city was in a +complete state of siege, nearly all communication with the outside world +being cut off. + +But now came a turn in affairs which, for a short while, made matters +look favorable for Russia. While the fleet of Admiral Togo was +patrolling the whole of the southeastern coast of Manchuria and +protecting the Japanese transports which were pouring troops into the +country, occurred a catastrophe as appalling as it was unexpected. + +On the same day, May 15, the magnificent battleship _Hatsuse_, of the +Japanese navy, was blown up by mines and sunk, and the protected +cruiser, _Yoshino_, also of Admiral Togo's fleet, collided in the fog +with a sister ship, and was a total loss. It is estimated that by these +two disasters seven hundred men were lost. Among the officers who met +their fate were men of marked ability which Japan at this crisis could +ill afford to lose. + +The loss of the _Hatsuse_ is worth relating in detail. She had been +along the coast during a heavy fog, but this had cleared off and the sun +was shining brightly. Not an enemy was in sight, and all was quiet on +the great battleship when, without warning, a terrific explosion was +felt near the stern and a portion of the steering gear was damaged. + +"We have struck a mine!" cried some one on board, and without delay +signals were hoisted for the other vessels in sight to stand by. The +battleship was drifting and the locality was full of mines. It was a +moment of terrible suspense. Then came another explosion, greater than +the first, which ripped large holes through her heavy plates. At once +the battleship began to fill, and presently she sank like a stone to the +bottom of the sea. The other warships put out their small boats with all +speed, and succeeded in rescuing about three hundred officers and men +out of a total of nearly eight hundred. Among those lost were +Rear-Admiral Nashiba and Captain Nakao, the commander of the warship. + +The _Yoshino_ was lost while steaming slowly southward, after a night's +vigil near the entrance to Port Arthur harbor. Other vessels of the +blockading fleet were close by, so each ship had to advance with extreme +caution. But the fog, instead of lifting, became thicker, and at a +little before two o'clock in the afternoon the cruiser was rammed by the +_Kasuga_, another vessel of the fleet. A large hole was torn in the hull +of the _Yoshino_. + +"Out with the collision mats!" cried the commander of the cruiser, and +the mats were brought out without delay and placed over the side. But +the hole was too great to be stopped in that manner. Then the captain +called the entire crew on deck, and ordered the small boats to be +lowered, five on the starboard side and one on the port. Before the +boats could be gotten away, the _Yoshino_ listed heavily to starboard +and went down, smashing the five small boats under her. The other boat +managed to get away, with only a handful of jackies and a couple of +officers. The captain remained on the bridge and went down with his +ship. As soon as possible the _Kasuga_ put out her boats and succeeded +in rescuing about ninety men, out of a total of over two hundred and +fifty. + +It was a great blow to Japan and the Russians were correspondingly +elated. Feeling that Admiral Togo's grip on the sea was now weakened, +the Russian squadron at Vladivostok sailed forth and did much damage to +the shipping on the northern coast of Japan, sinking several merchantmen +and taking a number of others as prizes. The Russian squadron also met +the Japanese transport _Kinshiu Maru_, having on board the 37th regiment +of Japanese infantry. + +"Surrender, or we will sink you!" signaled the Russian commander. The +Japanese refused, and were given exactly an hour in which to think it +over. As they still refused, a torpedo was discharged against the doomed +ship. As she began to sink the Japanese soldiers opened fire with their +rifles, and then the Russians answered with their machine guns, mowing +down the Mikado's men by the score. But the Japanese were brave to the +last, and sank beneath the waves with the cry of _Banzai_! (hurrah!) on +their lips. + +It was an auxiliary cruiser of the Vladivostok squadron which had taken +the _Columbia_ and the Chinese junk as prizes of war. The captain of the +cruiser was now looking for the rest of the squadron, but so far none of +the warships had been sighted. + +"They must have returned to Vladivostok," he reasoned, and then turned +in that direction with the _Pocastra_, never dreaming of what the near +future held in store for himself, his ship, and his crew. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +A SHARP NAVAL BATTLE + + +So far the weather had been good, but following the conversation +recorded in the last chapter there came up a dense fog, and for +twenty-four hours the Russian warship did nothing but creep along in the +gloom. + +During that time, for some unknown reason, Larry and the others were +allowed greater freedom than before. Each had his hands chained behind +him, but all were separate, which allowed each to roam around as he +pleased. + +"This is better than being linked to somebody else," said the youth to +his old sailor friend. "Not but that we got along well enough together," +he added, hastily. + +"You're right--there wasn't no sense in joinin' us together," answered +Luke. "We can't git away if we want to." + +"We might, if we didn't have our hands chained, Luke." + +"How?" + +"If we all got together some night--providing we could keep out of the +pen--and stole one of the small boats." + +"Easier said nor done. The guard would ketch ye an' shoot ye down like a +dog." + +"Oh, I know there would be a great risk. But I hate to think of going to +a Siberian prison, or aboard a Russian prison ship." + +"So do I, Larry. But even if we stole the boat and got away, where would +we go to,--especially if we didn't have much provisions an' water?" + +Larry could not answer that question, since he did not know the location +of the _Pocastra_. It might be that they were hundreds of miles from +land. If so, to take to a small boat with a scarcity of water and +provisions would certainly be foolhardy. + +The fog continued during the night, but swept away as if by magic about +nine o'clock in the morning. At that time the prisoners had had their +breakfast and Larry and Luke were between decks, looking at some +gunners' assistants cleaning out one of the large guns. + +Suddenly came a call from the lookout, followed by half a dozen +commands. As everything said was in Russian, our friends did not +understand a word, but they soon realized that something unusual was in +the air. A shrill whistle sounded out and drums began to beat to +quarters. + +"I'll wager a new hat they have sighted a Japanese ship!" cried Larry, +and scarcely had he spoken when there came a dull booming over the +water. + +"Let us go to the deck an' see what's doing," returned Luke, and both +started for the stairs. But scarcely had they appeared on the deck when +they were ordered below again. + +Larry was right; a Japanese warship had been sighted, and this vessel +had lost no time in discharging a signal gun to a sister ship only a few +miles away. + +Hardly had the youth and his friend reached the lower deck once more +than the Japanese cruiser opened fire on the Russian vessel. The latter +retaliated, and the booming of cannon shook the _Pocastra_ from stem to +stern. + +"This is a fight for fair!" ejaculated Luke, with a broad smile on his +face. + +"I hope the Japs win, Luke!" + +"So do I, lad. But where do we come in, that's what I want to know?" + +"If we could only drop overboard and swim to that other ship!" + +"No use of trying--some of the fellows in the tops would pick us off in +no time. No, we've got to stay right where we are an' take what comes." + +"Where are the others?" + +They looked around, but could see nothing of Captain Ponsberry or Tom +Grandon. They saw Cal Vincent run past, but he was out of sight before +they could stop him. + +Suddenly a crash above them told that a solid shot had struck the upper +works of the Russian cruiser. Then came another crash at the bow. + +"Those Japs know how to fire," came from the Yankee sailor. "Reckon as +how they're going to do their best to blow this ship sky-high. I'd give +'most a dollar to be somewhere else just about now!" And he shook his +head anxiously. + +The Russian gunners were working with a will, and so were their numerous +assistants. The _Pocastra_ was swung around, and now both ships were +broadside to each other. The thunder of the guns was terrific and the +smoke rolled around in all directions. + +"Puts me in mind o' the battle o' Manila Bay, eh?" remarked Luke, as he +and Larry stood at a distance, watching the Russians work one of the +guns. + +"You are right, Luke, only----" + +Larry got no further, for at that moment came another crash on deck. The +_Pocastra_ shivered and heaved, and to those below it was as if she +would surely sink. + +"They're pumping it into us, sure as you're born!" sang out the old +Yankee tar. "Hullo, what's this?" + +There was a rush of several gunners across the deck. "Beware of that +gun!" yelled one in Russian, and then a stampede followed. + +In the midst of the confusion came a fearful explosion from below. A +portion of the flooring was ripped apart and one of the gunners was +instantly killed and several wounded. A great volume of smoke rolled up, +and splinters and bits of iron and steel flew in all directions. + +Both Larry and Luke were almost stunned by the explosion and for the +moment could do nothing but clutch each other in terror. Both were +struck by the flying splinters, but neither was seriously wounded. They +staggered back and began to cough, for the dense smoke was strangling. + +"Must have been a torpedo----" gasped Luke. + +"Or else a magazine!" spluttered Larry. "Let--let us get--get out of +here. I'm--choking--to--to--death!" + +It was really a magazine which had exploded. This tore a good-sized hole +in the _Pocastra's_ side, in a spot impossible to get at in the +confusion. In the meantime a solid eight-inch shell struck the Russian +ship squarely in the stern, doing additional damage and killing and +wounding two officers and nine men. + +Almost choked to death, Larry and Luke crawled to where the ladder ran +to the deck. The Russian jackies and gunners were swarming up, along +with all the prisoners. + +"Larry, are you safe?" came in the voice of Captain Ponsberry, and he +loomed up, with Tom Grandon, Cal Vincent, and the Chinese petty officer +beside him. + +"So far I am," answered Larry. "But I--I--must have air!" and he began +to cough. + +The jam on the ladder was terrific, and in the midst of the _mêlée_ a +Russian gunner and the Chinese petty officer got into a quarrel. The +gunner threw the Celestial down, but he bounced up like a ball, and in a +twinkling the Russian received a blow in the stomach which sent him +staggering back into the crowd and the deadly smoke. + +"No knock me up the spout!" sang out the Celestial. "Ship go down I go +uppee!" And soon he was out on the upper deck. + +Fighting, surging, pushing, and yelling the Russians and our friends got +to the deck at last. Captain Ponsberry had his coat literally ripped +from his back, and Cal Vincent had an arm almost torn from its socket. +For this he gave a Russian gunner a rap in the mouth which knocked loose +several teeth. It was a case of each man for himself, and many fought +like wild beasts. + +At last Larry found himself free of the crowd, with Luke still beside +him. Captain Ponsberry and Cal Vincent were not far away, but between +surged a great number of Russians. The _Pocastra_ was listing heavily to +port and had evidently taken a large quantity of water into her hull. + +Two Japanese warships were now at hand and both were firing upon the +doomed Russian cruiser with deadly accuracy. From the fighting tops of +the Mikado's ships came a perfect hail of small bullets which sent the +Russians to the deck by the score. By this fire one of the _Columbia's_ +sailors was killed and Cal Vincent was seriously wounded. A bullet +likewise grazed Luke Striker's thigh, drawing some blood, but the Yankee +tar did not know of this until the conflict was at an end and he saw the +crimson stain on his shoe top. + +At last the Russian captain saw that to fight further would be useless. +The _Pocastra_ was in danger of going down at any moment. The guns could +no longer be used, and he ordered the colors lowered and put up a signal +of surrender. + +A wild cheer came from the two Japanese warships when it was realized +that the battle was won. "_Banzai! Banzai!_" rent the air over and over +again. "Hurrah for the Mikado! Down with the Russians!" + +A little while after the fighting came to an end, several small boats +put off from the two Japanese warships and half a dozen of the Mikado's +naval officers presented themselves at the _Pocastra's_ side. The +Russian ship still listed heavily, but after the smoke below had cleared +away it was ascertained that the damage done was not as great as had +been imagined. One of the magazines which had been in danger of blowing +up had been flooded, and the rush of sea water had likewise put out a +fire that had started in the stern. + +As soon as order could be restored on board of the _Pocastra_ a complete +surrender was made to the Japanese, the Russian captain giving up his +sword. Then a general conference was had lasting over an hour. At the +end of that time, much to their surprise, the Americans were asked to go +over to one of the Japanese warships. + +"We'll go, and glad of the chance," said Captain Ponsberry; and soon the +transfer was made. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +ABOARD A JAPANESE WARSHIP + + +"What a beauty of a ship!" + +Such was Larry's exclamation as he stepped aboard of the Japanese +warship. The vessel was, like the Russian prize, an auxiliary cruiser +and named the _Mimora Juri_. She was but three years old and had been +used for passenger service between Japan and China. For such a small +cruiser she carried an unusually heavy battery, and everything was +shined up to the last degree,--the work having been undertaken directly +after the battle was over. The _Mimora Juri_ had suffered but little +damage during the contest and only a handful of men had been killed and +wounded. + +"This looks more like Uncle Sam's navy than anything I have seen yet," +said Luke. + +"Well, I don't know that the decorations aboard our ships are quite so +fine," returned the youth. "But then this isn't an ordinary fighting +ship. Some of the auxiliary cruisers we used during the war with +Spain--those that used to be trans-Atlantic steamers--were just as fine +as this and finer." + +As soon as those from the _Columbia_ reached the Japanese warship the +wounded were taken in charge by the surgeons and placed in the sick bay, +as the hospital on a naval vessel is called. This was also in the best +of order, with nice, swinging cots, and appliances of the latest +designs. + +As there were many things to be arranged between the two Japanese +vessels and the Russian prize, our friends were not interviewed until +late in the evening. In the meantime, some of the Russians were made +prisoners, and a prize crew was placed aboard of the _Pocastra_. Then +the two Japanese warships moved away, with the captured cruiser between +them. + +"Those Russians must feel sick," was Larry's comment. "It's worse for +them, in a way, than if their ship had gone down." + +"Well, we all thought she was sinking," returned Captain Ponsberry. "If +she had sunk I reckon some of us wouldn't be here to tell the tale." + +When evening came, a guard who could speak a little English conducted +Captain Ponsberry, Larry, and Tom Grandon to the commander's cabin. Here +they were met by Captain Tonkaka, who, being a graduate of the Japanese +naval school, could speak not only English but also several other +foreign languages. It may be mentioned here that the Japanese naval +academy of to-day is one of the foremost institutions of its kind in the +world. + +"I will hear your story, Captain Ponsberry," said the Japanese captain, +politely, as he motioned his visitors to be seated. + +In a plain, direct manner the master of the _Columbia_ told his tale, +starting from the time the schooner left Manila with a cargo intended +for the Japanese Government. He told of the trouble with Semmel and of +the mutiny, and then of the capture by the _Pocastra_. + +"You have assuredly been unfortunate," said Captain Tonkaka. "Have you +any idea where your schooner is now?" + +"I have not, but I thought she must be close to the Russian ship--she +and that Chinese junk, too. The _Pocastra_ was taking them to +Vladivostok as prizes." + +"Ah!" The Japanese captain mused for a moment. "I dare say you would +like to gain back your ship?" he continued. + +"Indeed I would!" cried Captain Ponsberry. "I'd give a pretty dollar to +do so!" + +"I shall interview the captain of the Russian warship again to-morrow. +It may be that he will tell us where she is--although I doubt it." + +After this a few questions were put to Larry and Tom Grandon and both +corroborated what Captain Ponsberry had said. They were also questioned +concerning the treatment they had received while on the _Pocastra_. + +"You may be thankful that the treatment was no worse," said Captain +Tonkaka. "Of late some of the Russians have treated their prisoners in a +most brutal fashion." + +"We are thankful," replied the master of the _Columbia_. + +The majority of the staterooms aboard of the _Mimora Juri_ were occupied +by the officers of the cruiser, but one small room was turned over to +Captain Ponsberry, and a larger apartment was turned over to Tom Grandon +and Larry. At Larry's solicitation Luke Striker was allowed to "bunk in" +with the first and second mates. + +"This 'ere ship is jest about next to a palace," was Luke's comment. +"Ain't seen nothing so fancy in a long time." + +The Japanese warships were bound for the nearest naval station with +their prize. They could readily have made eighteen knots an hour, but +the crippled Russian cruiser could not make over ten, and so this was +the rate of speed set for all three. + +The Americans were allowed the freedom of the ship and Larry and Luke +spent many hours in inspecting the guns and other equipments, and in +watching the Japanese jackies in the gun and cutlass drills, their +physical exercises, and in their drills to fight fire and to lower the +small boats. Everything on board ran as smoothly as clockwork, much to +their delight. + +"I can tell you what, Luke!" cried Larry, enthusiastically, "this beats +the Russians all hollow! I never saw anything so well done!" + +"Almost beats our own navy, doesn't it?" + +"Well, I don't know about that. But it is certainly just as good. That +drill to fight fire is immense, and their physical exercises ought to +make each man's muscles like iron." + +"They are a sturdy lot, lad, no two ways about that,--and they +understand just how to keep themselves in the pink of condition." Luke +rubbed his chin reflectively. "Do ye know what I have in mind to do?" + +"I think I can make a pretty good guess," came quickly from Larry. + +"Well?" + +"You're thinking that you'd like to join the Japanese navy, just to have +a mix-up or two with the Russians." + +"You've struck the nail on the head, lad. And why not, seeing as how we +are out here in fighting waters, and with no ship of our own to go +aboard?" + +"Well, I feel a good bit that way myself. Ben is in the army, and so is +Gilbert Pennington. If they can make a record for themselves why +shouldn't I do the same? As it was I came close to joining the army with +Ben." + +"So you told me before. But you're a born sailor, Larry, not a soldier." + +"I don't deny it. I'd rather be on board of a ship than on land any +day." + +"Yes, to a fellow as gets used to the sea the land seems a strange +place." + +From the Japanese on the warship who could speak English our friends +learned much concerning the war. They were told that Admiral Togo's +fleet was keeping a strict guard over the harbor approach to Port +Arthur, and that a portion of the Japanese army was hemming in the city +on the land side and had lately captured several hills of importance. + +From Captain Tonkaka the Americans obtained permission to station +themselves in one of the fighting tops, and here they spent hour after +hour, on the lookout for the _Columbia_. Captain Ponsberry was +particularly anxious to find his vessel, and kept scanning the Japan Sea +through a fine spyglass the Japanese captain loaned him. + +"If I can gain possession of that ship, I am going to fix Semmel and +Peterson," said the master of the _Columbia_. + +"Both of them declared that they took possession of the ship for the +sake of the Russian Government," said Larry. "That being the case, they +should be treated as prisoners of war." + +"Exactly my idea, Larry." + +"Semmel is a thoroughly bad egg," came from Tom Grandon. "He will lie +out of his troubles if he can possibly do so." + +"It will be a shame if we don't find the _Columbia_ again," went on +Larry. "Think of those rascals taking her to Vladivostok and getting +their share of the prize money! It makes me sick!" + +"Captain Tonkaka tells me that other Japanese warships are in this +vicinity," said Captain Ponsberry. "They may fall in with the schooner +even if we don't. But what they will do with her, in that case, there is +no telling. They might claim her as a prize also, and if they did, I'd +have some trouble in getting my property back." + +What the Japanese captain had said was true. In order to counteract the +doings of the Russian squadron which was raiding the northern and +eastern coasts of Japan, the Mikado had sent out a flying squadron of +six or seven vessels, all of which, though not large, had good sailing +powers. + +Owing to the heavy mists, the flying squadron became separated, and two +of the vessels fell in with the _Pocastra_, as already described. Of the +other ships some proceeded up the coast to Korea and caught two Russian +colliers loaded with coal and another ship carrying steel rails for the +Manchuria railroad. The remainder of the squadron put further to sea, +and on the fourth day out caught sight of two Russian steamers loaded +with munitions of war. A chase ensued, lasting three days, and several +shots were exchanged at long range. But a mist, coming up one night, put +an end to the chase, and chagrined to think that the enemy had given +them the slip after all, the Japanese turned back once more, to look for +the other vessels of the flying squadron. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE RETAKING OF THE "COLUMBIA" + + +"We are in for another storm!" + +It was Larry who made the remark. He was in one of the tops with Luke, +gazing anxiously to the westward, where the black clouds were beginning +to pile up. + +"Right you are, lad--and it's going to be a heavy one, unless I miss my +guess." + +The storm broke half an hour later, and the wind and rain were so +furious that our friends were glad to leave the top and go below. But +some of the Japanese sailors did not appear to mind the lashing of the +elements and remained on deck as if nothing out of the ordinary was +occurring. + +"These chaps beat me!" said Larry. "They are certainly as tough as pine +knots. I never saw their equal." + +"I'm beginning to think that the Japanese are a wonderful nation," put +in Tom Grandon, seriously. "I used to look at them as something like the +Chinese. But there is a wide difference between them and the Chinks." + +"A Chinaman isn't in it alongside of a Japanese," came from Captain +Ponsberry. "The Japanese are up-to-date and very progressive; the +Chinese are about a hundred years behind the times." + +The storm continued for the best part of half a day. There was but +little thunder and lightning, but the wind blew a perfect gale. Yet even +the _Pocastra_ did not seem to mind the wind, and all three of the +warships proceeded on their way at only a slightly reduced rate of +speed. + +"Such a gale as this will play havoc with the sailing vessels," said +Larry. "I wonder how the old _Columbia_ is making out?" + +"I was thinking that same," rejoined Captain Ponsberry. "To tell the +truth, I'd rather have her go to the bottom than see her taken to a +Russian port as a prize." + +When the storm cleared away, Larry was one of the first to go on deck, +to get a whiff of "washed air," as he called it. The others followed. + +"I see a sail!" cried the youth, a moment later, and at that instant +came a cry from the lookout. Far to the eastward was a sailing vessel +flying a signal of distress. + +"She looks familiar to me!" ejaculated Captain Ponsberry, and ran to get +Captain Tonkaka's glass. One glance through the instrument was enough. + +"The _Columbia_!" + +"Are you sure?" cried Larry. + +"She certainly is the _Columbia_," said Tom Grandon, after a look +through the glass. "She has lost her fore topmast and part of her +bowsprit." + +"And a part of the stern rail is gone," added Larry, after he too had +used the glass. "Let us tell Captain Tonkaka," he added, starting to go +below. + +The news that the _Columbia_ was in sight was soon circulated throughout +the ship, and Captain Tonkaka at once signaled to the other warships +that he was going to her assistance. Then the _Mimora Juri_ steamed away +on her new course. + +As they drew closer to the schooner they could see that the storm had +treated the gallant old ship roughly enough. Many of the sails were in +ribbons, and not only the fore topmast but also half a dozen of the +spars were gone. One end of the forecastle was stove in, and a part of +the stern was a wreck. + +"This is the worst yet!" cried Larry. "They must have caught more of the +gale than we did." + +"They didn't know how to handle her, that's the reason of it," came from +Captain Ponsberry. "We have taken her through a worse blow than that; +eh, Tom?" + +"I think so," answered the second mate. + +As soon as the Japanese warship was close enough a boat was lowered and +an officer went aboard of the schooner, followed by several of his crew +and Captain Ponsberry, Grandon, and Larry. + +The Russians having the schooner in charge were meek enough. As a matter +of fact the gale had terrorized them, and all had imagined they were +surely going to the bottom of the sea. They did not like it to find +themselves in the hands of the enemy and were astonished when they +learned that the _Pocastra_ had been captured. + +"It was a fearful storm," said the Russian officer who was in charge. +"Several times I fancied the masts would all go by the board. I shall +never want another such experience. One man was washed overboard and +several were badly hurt by the wrecking of the forecastle." + +"Were any of my former men injured?" asked Captain Ponsberry. + +"It was my fellow countryman, Ostag Semmel, who was swept overboard and +drowned," answered the Russian officer. + +"Semmel!" ejaculated Larry. He drew a long breath and his hatred of the +man died all in an instant. "Poor chap! That was rough on him!" + +"It certainly was rough," answered Captain Ponsberry. "And what of the +others?" + +"Both Peterson and Shamhaven were hurt, but not seriously. They are +below resting," was the answer. + +It was found that some of the seams of the schooner had opened but that +no alarming quantity of water was running into the well. The Russians +were asked to surrender as prisoners of war and this they did willingly, +and were transferred to the Japanese warship. Then Captain Ponsberry was +asked if he wished to take charge of the _Columbia_ again. + +"Will a duck swim!" he cried. "Of course I want to take charge. Hasn't +she always been my ship? And my crew will want to go with me, I know." + +"But the wreckage----" began Captain Tonkaka. + +"I'll attend to that, sir,--don't you worry. Only give me back my ship, +that's all I ask." + +"It shall be as you say, Captain Ponsberry. But when you get to Nagasaki +you will have to settle matters with the Japanese Government. It is, all +told, a rather peculiar case. In one way, she is now a Japanese prize of +war, and in another way she is not." + +"I understand, and the courts will have to settle the tangle, sir. I'll +do what is fair, and I know the Richmond Importing Company will do the +same." + +"Then you can go aboard of the ship as soon as you please." + +"Thank you very much." + +Captain Ponsberry had returned to the warship for just this talk, and +now he lost no time in getting back to the _Columbia_, taking with him +all his crew, including Cal Vincent, who was just about able to get +around once more. + +"Hurrah!" cried Larry, "this seems like home once more, doesn't it?" + +"That's what it does," answered Luke. "But there is plenty of work +ahead, I can tell you that, lad." + +"I don't care--work will help to pass the time." + +When Peterson and Shamhaven saw Captain Ponsberry they did not know what +to say. The loss of their leader, Semmel, had humbled them greatly. + +"I'm not going to say much to you, seeing as how both of you are hurt," +said the master of the _Columbia_, briefly. "But understand, I want no +nonsense from either of you." + +"I'll do all I can to assist you, captain," said Shamhaven, humbly. "All +I want is another chance." + +"Which you'll not get from me," was the quick rejoinder. "I know you +thoroughly, Shamhaven, and I am done with you. You and Peterson aided +the Russians and you can now consider yourselves under arrest. When we +get into port I'm going to hand you over to the Japanese authorities." + +Both of the culprits wanted to argue, but the captain would not listen. +Their hurts were inspected and they were told that they would be allowed +three days in which to recuperate, after which they would have to do +their share of duty. + +"I don't like this," growled Shamhaven, after the interview was over. +"Peterson, we are in it deeper than ever." + +"Dat is so," was the answer, with a scowl. "Vell, ve not put up mit him, +hey? Maybe, ven we git near shore, we run avay, Shamhaven." + +"Yes, if we can get the chance. But I don't know where you are going to +run to--especially if you haven't any money." + +"Ve git money." + +"From where?" + +"I ton't know dot yet, no, but ve git him, yes. Captain Ponsberry must +haf some, and dot Larry Russell, too. Vonce I see Russell mit a money +pelt vot haf some gold in him, yes." + +"A money belt with gold? You must be dreaming." + +"No, I see him mit mine two eyes. He count der gold. He haf more as +dirty pieces." + +"That is worth remembering," answered Shamhaven. And he began to +speculate upon what he could do in Japan if he was free and had a money +belt full of gold. + +That Larry had a money belt was true. He had purchased it several years +before, while on shore duty in the Philippines. He was a saving fellow +and found the belt useful in which to place his wages and the money +which he occasionally received from home. Strange as it may seem, the +belt had not been taken away from him by the Russians, and it now +contained nearly three hundred dollars. The money was mostly in +gold,--for he had found that gold could be used no matter where he went. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +A CLEVER RUSE + + +As soon as Captain Ponsberry was in charge of the _Columbia_ once more +he set about without delay to put the schooner in proper condition for +the run to Nagasaki. The broken-off foremast was allowed to remain as it +was, but a temporary bowsprit was set into place, and the damage to the +forecastle and to the stern repaired. A temporary rail was also nailed +up, so that there might be no danger of anybody slipping overboard. + +In all this work the sailors and the ship's carpenter did their best, +and the captain and his mates helped. Sails were also sewed up, or +replaced, and inside of forty-eight hours the old _Columbia_ was once +more on her way. The water taken aboard was pumped out, and the pumps +were kept going two hours each morning and two hours each afternoon. + +"She will do now," said the captain, after the heaviest of the work was +over. "But when we reach Nagasaki I'll have to put her in the dock for +regular repairs. I shouldn't dare to take her to Manila or to San +Francisco in such a condition." + +"It will take a long time to have the repairs made in Japan," said +Larry. "All the shipyards are busy on government work." + +"True, lad, but that cannot be helped. The law would not allow me to +sign a crew with a ship that was not seaworthy." + +"Then we'll have a long lay-off when we reach Nagasaki." + +"Exactly, Larry. But I shan't keep you. If you want to go elsewhere----" + +"Not on another sailing vessel, Captain Ponsberry. But you know how it +is with Luke Striker and myself. Ever since we were in our own navy we +have had a hankering after warships, and----" + +"And you think of joining the Japanese navy?" put in the master of the +schooner, quickly. + +"That's it. You know how I spoke of joining the army with Ben and +Gilbert." + +"To be sure--and I told you I couldn't spare you." + +"But now, if you haven't any use for me any longer----" + +"Why, Larry, if you want to fight for Japan, go ahead and fight!" +ejaculated Captain Ponsberry. "I don't blame you. I'd fight myself if I +was a younger man and hadn't any obligations on my shoulders. I suppose +Ben is doing great things in the army and you'd like to match him in the +navy, eh?" + +"If I join the navy I'll do my best." + +"Will Striker go with you?" + +"Oh, yes, Luke and I always go together, if we can. He was my chum when +we fought under Dewey and he has been my chum ever since." + +"And a good fellow, too, Larry--a man with a heart of gold. If it wasn't +that you and Tom Grandon were with me, I should have made him a mate +long ago." + +"I don't doubt that, sir--and he is worthy of it." Larry paused for a +moment. "Of course, I don't know if they want any of us in the navy." + +"Didn't you tell me before that they had several men you had met while +under Dewey and some your brother Walter had met while fighting in Cuban +waters?" + +"Yes, but that was some time ago." + +"If they took those chaps then it's likely they will take you +now--unless, of course, they have all the men they want--which I doubt." + +"We shall not go as ordinary jackies. Ben got a commission as a captain, +and Luke thinks he might go as a gunner and I might go as an assistant +gunner. We occupied those positions before we left our navy." + +"Then I should certainly strike for the positions. They may need gunners +even if they don't need common seamen," responded Captain Ponsberry. + +As fortune would have it, the run to Nagasaki was made without incident +worthy of special mention. Once there was a scare on board, as the water +in the well hole increased with alarming rapidity. But the new leak was +discovered in time, and the ship's carpenter had little difficulty in +repairing it. They also sighted a vessel they thought might be a Russian +warship, but she proved instead to be a Japanese coastwise freighter, +carrying lumber from one port to another on the northern coast of Japan. + +As the _Columbia_ drew closer to Nagasaki both Peterson and Shamhaven +grew more anxious over what was to become of them. Neither desired a +term in a Japanese prison, and both wondered what sort of a charge +Captain Ponsberry and the captain of the Japanese warship would prefer +against them. + +So far Captain Ponsberry had allowed them their liberty, but through the +talk of a couple of sailors they presently learned that they were to be +cast into the ship's brig and placed under guard as soon as the schooner +dropped anchor. + +"This looks black for us," said Shamhaven, moodily. "I wish we were out +of it." + +"I haf a plan got, yes," answered Peterson. + +"To get away?" + +The other nodded. + +"Then let me hear the plan by all means, Peterson." + +"It vos--vot you call him--risky, yes. Maype ve get shot--you no like +him, no?" + +"Of course I don't want to get shot. But what is your plan?" + +"So soon like de ship come up by der harbor we vatch our chances an' +trop oferpoard, yes." + +"And swim ashore?" + +"Maype ve schwim by some udder poat, yes. Of ve got money we go to +leetle poat--gif Jap mans money to take us avay, you see now?" + +"You mean to watch for some small Japanese boat--a bumboat, eh? And +bribe the boatman to take us to some place of safety?" + +"You got him now, yes." + +"That's good enough if we can find the bumboat and get the money with +which to do the bribing." + +"Captain Ponsberry got money--an' Russell he got money pelt, like I told +you." + +"Oh, I haven't forgotten about that money belt," returned Shamhaven. +"And I wouldn't mind taking it if I could get my hands on it. But +Russell must wear it most of the time." + +"I t'ink he not put him on by der night dime, no." + +"What do you know about Captain Ponsberry's money?" + +"He got money in a leetle pag--I see him vonce." + +"How much do you think?" + +At this Peterson shrugged his shoulders. + +"No can tell dat--maype a thousand dollars." + +There was a pause, and Shamhaven drew a long breath. + +"One thing is certain," he resumed. "I don't intend to go to a Japanese +prison, or an American prison either, if I can help it, and if we cut +loose here in a strange country we are bound to need more or less money +with which to get along. Without money a fellow can't do a thing in a +strange country." + +"We git money--chust you vait," said Peterson. + +At last the _Columbia_ came into sight of the shipping of Nagasaki. But +it was now dark, and a heavy fog was hanging over the harbor, so it was +impossible to make the proper landing before the next day. They came to +anchor and the necessary lights were hung out. + +"This is our chance," said Shamhaven. "It is now or never!" + +He had heard that Peterson and himself were to be made close prisoners +directly after supper. He watched his chance and when nobody was looking +motioned his confederate to leave the forecastle and steal silently +toward the stern of the ship. Each carried a block of wood, to which was +attached a bit of iron, to make it sink from sight. + +"Now then!" whispered Shamhaven, and threw the block he carried +overboard. It struck the water with a loud splash, and the block carried +by Peterson immediately followed. + +"Hullo, what's that?" came in the voice of Tom Grandon. "Who threw +something overboard?" + +"Sounded like somebody jumping into the water," replied Captain +Ponsberry, who was on deck with the first mate. + +An examination was made, but in the fog and darkness nothing could be +discovered. + +"It was mighty queer," was Grandon's comment. "Somebody must have done +it." + +"Where are Shamhaven and Peterson?" + +"In the forecastle, I suppose. Do you think----" + +"I don't know what to think. See if they are there." + +At once Tom Grandon ran off, and made a tour not only of the forecastle +but also of the forward deck. He called the men's names several times, +and others quickly joined in the hunt. + +"They are gone!" he ejaculated, running back to where Captain Ponsberry +stood. + +"Gone? Then it must have been them jumping overboard that we heard!" + +"Like as not--and they are a good bit away from the schooner by this +time." + +"Bring a lantern and we'll take a look around." + +A lantern was brought, and a few minutes later a small boat was lowered, +manned by Luke and three other sailors. Captain Ponsberry went with +them, and the searchers remained out the best part of an hour. + +"They've given us the slip clean and clear," declared the master of the +_Columbia_, on returning. "It was a risky thing to undertake in such +weather as this." + +"Yes, and for all we know they may be at the bottom of the harbor," +answered Tom Grandon. + +"Which place might be jest what they deserve," grumbled Luke Striker, as +he helped to stow away the small boat once more. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE ENEMY + + +As soon as Peterson and Shamhaven threw the blocks of wood overboard +they darted for the companionway of the schooner and crept noiselessly +down to the cabin. + +The apartment was deserted, and the swinging lamp over the center table +was turned low. On the table rested several charts which Captain +Ponsberry had been consulting before joining Tom Grandon on deck. + +It was Larry's watch below and he was improving the time by taking a +much-needed nap. He lay on the berth in his stateroom, with the door +wide open to admit the fresh air. + +"Make no noise!" whispered Shamhaven. "If we are discovered the jig is +up with us." + +"Russell is here, yes?" came from Peterson. + +"Sh-sh! Yes--over in yonder stateroom." + +They closed the door leading to the companionway and then tiptoed their +way to where Larry lay. + +"More than likely he keeps his money belt under his pillow when he +sleeps," said Shamhaven. "Wait till I find out." + +He shoved his hand under the headrest with caution and presently his +fingers came into contact with a strip of leather and chamois. He pulled +on it gently, but it refused to budge. + +"Lift his head a little," he said, and Peterson started to do as +requested. But the movement, gentle as it was, caused Larry to open his +eyes. + +"Wha--what are you doing here?" stammered the young second mate, when, +waiting for no more words, Peterson clapped a dirty hand over his mouth. + +"Keep still, you! If you no keep still I hit you good, yes!" + +"Confound the luck," muttered Shamhaven. "I didn't want him to know what +we were up to." + +Larry began to struggle and with an effort threw aside the hand over his +mouth. + +"Le--let up!" he spluttered. "I want you----Help!" + +"Shut up!" cried Shamhaven, fiercely, and struck him a swinging blow in +the temple. Another blow from Peterson followed, and then, with flashing +lights darting through his brain, Larry lost consciousness. + +Both men bent over him to see if he would move. When he lay as still as +if dead they looked at each other with satisfaction. + +"He won't bother us any more--at least, not for awhile," was Shamhaven's +comment. + +"Quick, de money belt!" came from Peterson, and as he raised up Larry's +head, Shamhaven secured it and stowed it away in the bosom of his shirt. +"You no keep him!" he went on, in alarm, showing that he did not trust +his companion in crime. + +"We'll divide up afterwards," said Shamhaven, briefly. "Now to locate +the captain's little pile." + +Both tiptoed their way into Captain Ponsberry's stateroom. Here there +was a small safe, with the door closed. + +"A safe, eh?" said Shamhaven. "Wonder if we can open it?" + +He knelt down and tried to work the combination lock. The safe was old +and out of order and the captain had had the combination lock made as +simple as possible in consequence. Soon there came a click, followed by +another, and the bolts shot back. + +"Luck is with us!" cried Shamhaven. + +"Dare is de leetle pag," came from Peterson, and reaching into the safe +he drew the article forth. There was a slip string at the top which he +pulled apart. + +"Gold!" he cried. "See--dirty--forty bieces of gold!" And then he shut +the bag again, and placed it into his own shirt bosom. + +"Remember, half of that is mine," came sharply from Shamhaven. He +fancied there might be more in the bag than in the money belt. + +"Yes,--an' haf de money-pelt money ist mine, yes," returned Peterson. + +"Right you are, Peterson. Now to get away from the ship." + +"Let us lock Russell in de stateroom first." + +"A good idea!" + +The door was closed and locked. Larry still lay unconscious and there +was no telling how soon he would come to his senses. + +They heard the tramping on the deck and the departure of the small boat. +Now those in the boat came back and the search for the missing men came +to an end. + +With the slyness of a pair of cats, the evildoers crept up the +companionway once more. Nobody was in sight, and they crawled rather +than walked to the rail of the schooner. Both were good swimmers and not +afraid to trust themselves to reach some other shipping in the harbor. +Yet as an extra precaution each provided himself with a life-preserver. + +"Are you ready, Peterson?" + +"Yes." + +"Then over we go." + +A small rope was handy, and lowering this, each slid along it into the +waters of the harbor. Then they struck out swiftly but silently; and in +a few minutes the fog and darkness hid them completely from view. + +It was the best part of an hour before Larry returned to his senses. His +head ached as if ready to split open and for several minutes he could +not remember where he was or what had occurred. + +"Oh, my head!" he groaned. "Oh!" And he turned over and tried to sit up, +with the result that he pitched out on the floor of the stateroom. This +aroused him and he got up as quickly as he could. + +"Those rascals attacked me!" he muttered. "They struck me over the head! +I remember now! Oh, how my head spins,--just as if I was in a +merry-go-round! I wonder----" + +He dropped on the berth and snatched away the pillow. One glance was +sufficient to show him how he had been robbed. + +"That's why they attacked me!" he cried. "Wonder where they are now? +Perhaps they ran away from the ship!" + +Leaping up again he stepped to the door, and finding it locked, began to +pound away lustily, at the same time yelling at the top of his lungs. In +a few minutes this brought down Captain Ponsberry, followed by Luke, who +had been told to come along, the captain fearing that something had gone +wrong. + +"What's up here?" demanded Captain Ponsberry as he flung open the door. + +"Where are they?" came the counter-question from Larry. + +"They? Who?" + +"Peterson and Shamhaven?" + +"Gone--slid away in the fog." + +"They have robbed me!" + +"You don't say!" ejaculated the master of the _Columbia_. "You are +sure?" he went on. + +"Yes. My money belt is gone. They came while I was asleep, and when I +woke up both hit me,--and I don't know what happened after that. I just +came to my senses and found myself locked in." + +"The villains!" burst in Luke. "Those chaps ought to be swung up to a +yardarm!" + +The captain listened to Larry's story and then was prompted to take a +look around the other staterooms. As a result he speedily discovered +that the safe had been tampered with and that his own money was gone. + +"They are worse rascals than I thought them," said Captain Ponsberry, +bitterly. "I am sorry that I did not make an example of them from the +start." + +There was a good deal of speculation concerning what had become of +Shamhaven and Peterson, and another search was instituted, lasting until +the following day, but not a single trace of the evildoers could be +found. + +"Well, I am out the whole of my savings," said Larry to Luke. + +"It's a shame, lad," replied the Yankee tar. "But if you need ready cash +don't fail to draw on me. As long as I have a shot in the locker half on +it is yours." + +"Thank you, Luke; I know you'd say that. You're the proper kind of a +friend to have." + +"Avast, Larry, with your compliments. Wouldn't you do the same fer me?" + +"Indeed I would!" + +"Then it ain't worth talkin' about. Jest the same, I hope we run into +them rascals some day; don't you?" + +"I do. But more than likely they'll give the _Columbia_ and us a wide +berth after this," returned Larry. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +LARRY BEFORE ADMIRAL TOGO + + +As soon as the _Columbia_ could make the proper landing, Captain +Ponsberry went ashore and reported his arrival to the authorities, and +also reported the escape of Shamhaven and Peterson. The authorities had +already heard of the capture of the _Columbia_ from the Russians, and +said that the schooner would have to remain at Nagasaki until the whole +case could be adjusted. The Japanese were inclined to favor both the +Richmond Importing Company and the owners of the vessel, so it was not +likely that our friends would lose much in the end. In the meantime the +_Columbia_ could be put in a dry-dock and given the overhauling that she +needed. + +"We shall do all we can to locate Shamhaven and Peterson and get back +your money," said an official of the secret service department. But his +hands were so full with other matters of greater importance that little +attention was paid to the disappearance of the two rascals. + +"Well, this will tie me up at Nagasaki for some time to come," said +Captain Ponsberry to Larry, on the third day after arriving at the +Japanese port. + +"Which means, I suppose, that I can join the Japanese navy if I wish," +returned the young second mate, quickly. + +"I don't want to force you to leave the ship, lad. But you said----" + +"I know, Captain Ponsberry, and I am glad of the chance to get away. +Luke and I have talked it over once more, and yesterday we met a gunner +named Steve Colton--he served on the _Brooklyn_ at the time Walter did. +He is now a gun captain on board of Admiral Togo's flagship, and he is +almost certain he can get us good positions. He says gunners and +gunners' assistants are just now badly needed." + +"Then go by all means, Larry, and make even a bigger record for yourself +than your brother Ben is making in the army. Perhaps, when this war is +over, you'll come back to the old _Columbia_, eh?" + +"More than likely, and I guess Luke Striker will come, too." + +What Larry had said about meeting Steve Colton was true. As readers of a +story of mine entitled "Fighting in Cuban Waters" know, Colton had been +a gun captain under Commodore Schley, and as such had become fairly well +acquainted with Walter Russell and had also heard of Larry, who was at +that time serving under Admiral Dewey at Manila. + +A detail from Admiral Togo's flagship had been sent ashore at Nagasaki, +and Larry and Luke, as they walked through the streets, had met several +of these men. Hearing two of them speaking English they had halted the +pair; and introductions had followed. + +"So you are Larry Russell," said Steve Colton. "Any relation to Walter +Russell that once served on the U. S. Cruiser _Brooklyn_?" + +"Walter is my brother," replied Larry, quickly. + +"Oh, so you are the chap that was cast away in the Pacific and picked up +by Admiral Dewey's flagship, eh?" + +"The same, and this is the friend who was with me, Luke Striker." + +"Glad to know ye both." Steve Colton shook hands. "This is my friend, +Bob Stanford--he hails from San Francisco and is a gunner's mate with +me. What are you doing in this corner of the earth?" + +A long talk followed, in which Larry and Luke told their story, and +Steve Colton and his friend related how they had come to join the +Japanese navy. + +"It's this way," said Colton. "I've got the fighting blood in my veins +and it won't come out. As soon as this war broke out, I cut sticks from +'Frisco with Bob and we comes to Tokio. There I met another American who +was in the navy here, and it wasn't two days before we were booked for +Admiral Togo's flagship. We've been down to Port Arthur twice, and I +reckon we'll go again before long." + +"Perhaps we'll go up to Vladivostok next time," came from Bob Stanford. +"I've heard something of bombarding that Russian port." + +Colton and Stanford had a couple of hours to themselves and Larry and +Luke invited them over to the _Columbia_. In return they were asked to +come over to Admiral Togo's flagship, the gunners having the privilege +of bringing their friends aboard during the brief stay in Nagasaki +harbor. + +"You can come aboard to-morrow," said Steve Colton. "They have an +inspection and drill, and you can see how they do it in the Japanese +navy--not but what it's a good bit like it's done on Uncle Sam's +warships." + +Larry and Luke were very willing to go aboard of the Japanese warship, +and were taken out by Colton the next day, and introduced to several +gunners and others who could speak a little English. They were also +taken before the head gunner, who took them to the commander of the +warship. + +"They both served under Admiral Dewey at Manila," said the head gunner, +and this made the commander smile quietly as he shook hands and told +them to make themselves at home. + +"Everything is as clean as a whistle," was Larry's comment, as they +walked around the forward part of the warship and through the gun decks. +"The Japs certainly know how to take care of things. Luke, just look at +how the brasswork shines!" + +"That's the way it ought to be," was the Yankee tar's reply. "No +slackness, an' I'm glad on it. I love a clean ship above all things." + +Steve Colton and Bob Stanford were enthusiastic over the gun they +commanded and explained how it worked. It was certainly an effective +weapon and Larry and Luke were thoroughly interested. + +"I could handle sech a gun myself," said Luke. "An' do some damage, too; +eh, Larry?" + +"Anyway, I'd like to try it," returned the youth. + +Orders were now being issued for the inspection and drill, and presently +nearly all on board of the flagship hurried to the main deck. Here the +marines were drawn up in long lines, with the officers in their proper +places. The sailors and gunners were also at hand, each togged out in +his best, for inspection by an admiral on any warship means a great +deal. + +Presently Admiral Togo appeared, followed by several other naval +officers of lesser rank. He was in full dress, with many decorations on +his breast, and carried his sword. He proved to be a man well along in +years, with a round face, and small mustache and goatee. + +"He looks like a fighter!" whispered Larry. + +"True for you, lad," returned Luke. "An' I reckon he knows how to handle +men." + +What our friends said about Admiral Togo was true. He was a fighter and +a born leader of men. When the Naval Academy of Japan was inaugurated he +was one of the first graduates, and he was sent by the government to +complete his nautical education in England, where, during 1873 and 1874, +he served on the training ship _Worcester_, making a record for himself +as a first-class pupil in every respect. + +On returning home Togo Heihachiro--to use his full name--found a great +task confronting his people. They were becoming civilized as we term +civilization and needed a modern navy. He set to work with vim and +vigor, and then and there laid the foundation of that navy which is +to-day known as one of the most effective in the world. + +The navy had scarcely come into existence when there came rumors of war +with China. The rumors grew, and China became more and more hateful +toward the Japanese. To the outside world it looked as if China, with +her vast territory and her immense number of people, would swallow up +the sons of Nippon bodily. + +At last it was discovered that China was transporting troops with which +to begin the war. Togo waited for no instructions from his home +government. He went at the Chinese with vigor. The war followed, and +after a number of thrilling contests the Japanese were victorious, and +Admiral Togo emerged from the struggle covered with glory. + +"He is the man to lead us to victory against the Russians!" was the cry +throughout the navy, when war was declared between Russia and Japan, and +how he sent his ships to Port Arthur and other places, and what +effective work was done by them, has already been related. In the whole +of the Japanese navy, to serve on the admiral's flagship, the _Mikasa_, +was considered a great honor. + +The inspection and drill were exceedingly interesting to Larry and Luke, +and they watched both with close attention. After it was over Admiral +Togo addressed the men briefly and then turned to the commander of the +ship. + +"See, he is pointing to us!" whispered Luke. "Hang me if I don't think +he is talking about us to the captain!" + +"An officer is coming," replied Larry, and a moment later one of the +admiral's staff came hurrying to them. + +"Are you the two Americans who served under Admiral Dewey at Manila?" +questioned the staff officer. + +"We are," answered Larry. + +"Admiral Togo wishes you to come to him." + +"Oh, Luke, we are going to be presented to the admiral!" cried Larry. + +"Great pewter!" groaned the Yankee tar. "I didn't expect this nohow. But +I don't care," he added, bracing up. "He ain't no bigger nor Dewey. Come +along." + +He followed the staff officer and Larry did the same. They felt that the +eyes of many of the sailors and marines were on them, and stepped out as +firmly as possible. Coming up to the admiral, they took off their caps +and saluted. + +Admiral Togo surveyed the two Americans with interest. He had heard how +they had come to serve under Dewey at Manila and he smiled pleasantly as +he held out his hand, first to Larry and then to Luke. + +"Let me give you a welcome, my men," said he. "I have been told your +story. I hope this visit to my ship has interested you." + +"Very much, sir," answered Luke. + +"I liked the drill, sir," answered Larry, with a smile. "It was fine. +And everything is so clean! Really, I don't think it could be cleaner!" + +At this Admiral Togo smiled again. "That is a compliment,--since it +comes from one who has served in the American navy." + +He then asked them to remain where they were, while some of the men went +through an exercise with their cutlasses. There was also a gun drill, +and they were asked to show how they had handled a gun during the battle +of Manila Bay. + +"You are well drilled, I can see that," said the admiral, on dismissing +them. "They tell me you think of entering our navy. If you wish to do so +I think likely we can find suitable openings for you." + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +LETTERS OF INTEREST + + +The enlistment of Larry and Luke Striker into the Japanese navy came +sooner than anticipated. A new warship was being fitted out at a harbor +some forty miles from Nagasaki, and Steve Colton and Bob Stanford were +transferred to this. Two new gun crews were badly needed on the new +ship, and inside of forty-eight hours our friends had signed the muster +roll and were put into training, under Colton. The positions occupied +were those of gunner and gunner's mate. + +"Hurrah for Nippon!" cried Larry, enthusiastically. "Luke, after this we +have got to learn to yell _Banzai!_ in true Japanese style." + +"This gun is a beauty," replied the Yankee tar, as he looked the piece +over. "I reckon as I can make her do considerable damage if I get the +chance." + +"And I'll help all I can," said Larry. "Won't Ben and Gilbert be +surprised when they hear of this?" he added. + +"They might know you'd do something of the sort." + +"That's so, too. By the way, I'm going up to the post-office to-day and +see if there are any letters." + +Much to the satisfaction of our friends they found over a score of men +on the warship who could speak English. Some, of course, could speak but +little, yet they could make themselves understood. On the other hand, +both Larry and Luke began to pick up the Japanese language remarkably +fast. + +"If we keep at this for six months we'll be regular Japanese," said the +youth. "It's not so hard as I thought it would be." + +They found the discipline on the warship very strict and were called on +to "toe the mark" continually. Yet all the officers were as considerate +as they were firm, so there was little of hardship. + +When Larry called at the post-office for letters he found two good-sized +epistles awaiting him. One was from his brother Walter, and ran, in +part, as follows: + + "There is nothing particularly new in this part of the + globe. I am doing very well in my new business and it looks + now as if I should make a big thing of it. I rather think I + am more cut out for work on land than for life on shipboard, + although I don't regret the time I spent in the navy. + + "Uncle Job is feeling very well these days and is building a + new wing to the old house--going to put in a library of good + books he tells me. He is as dear an old chap now as anybody + would want for an uncle. + + "I suppose you will hear from Ben and Gilbert. I am + expecting a letter every day. It's queer you didn't go with + them, but I suppose the old _Columbia_ with her crew suits + you better." + +"I am glad everything is all right at home," thought Larry, as he +finished reading the communication. "A new wing to the house, eh? Uncle +Job must be spreading himself. Reckon he has found out there is +something more to live for in this world than mere money." + +The second letter was from Ben, as he could tell by the handwriting. It +had been on the way a long time and had been sent to half a dozen +places, including Manila. There was a great deal about life in the +Japanese army, and also a full description of the capture of Liao-Yang. +Ben then continued: + + "We are now on guard a few miles outside of the city. Our + camp stretches for many miles, and we are doing all in our + power to strengthen our position. What the next move will be + there is no telling. One report is, that our particular + command will help to chase the Russians to Mukden, while + another report has it that we are to march southward, to aid + in the attempt to take Port Arthur. + + "I have already told you what trouble Gilbert had with that + rascally Russian merchant, Ivan Snokoff, and with Snokoff's + confederate, Captain Barusky, of the Russian army. Well, at + Liao-Yang we found Snokoff disguised as a Chinaman, and + Gilbert made the fellow pay over all that was coming to him + for the Richmond Importing Company. In the attempt to + capture Snokoff, Gilbert shot him in the leg. It was only a + slight wound, but the Russian was as mad as a hornet, and he + vowed he would get square some time. He is now in the + hospital here, but they expect to let him leave in a few + days. He really ought to be put under arrest, but as he has + paid up the money he owed, there doesn't seem to be any way + of holding him. It's out of the question to go to court with + the case. I helped Gilbert to put Snokoff under guard, and + he is as angry at me as he is at Gilbert. I don't know if he + will dare to do anything or not, but both of us are keeping + our eyes open." + +Larry read this letter twice before he stowed it away. He was always +interested in war news and he thought the description of the great +battle of Liao-Yang very realistic. He shook his curly head when he +thought of Ivan Snokoff. + +"He must be an underhanded rascal if ever there was one," he mused. "And +to think he disguised himself as a Chinaman! I'll wager Gilbert thought +it a fine thing to expose him and make him pay up. But he and Ben had +better look out, or Snokoff and that Captain Barusky may cause them a +lot of trouble." + +Larry had an hour to himself, and he spent the time in answering both +letters, telling briefly what had happened to him since the trip to +Manila and how he and Luke were now in service on board of the Japanese +warship _Shohirika_. He added that he liked the position of gunner's +mate very much, and that he meant to make a record for himself if given +the opportunity to do so. He also told about the doings of Shamhaven and +Peterson, and said he hoped to bring them to justice, although he +realized that looking for them was as bad as "looking for a pearl on the +ocean bottom." + +The letters finished, he addressed and posted them, and then he and Luke +took a short stroll through Nagasaki, past the many curious shops, and +the fine residences. Some of the shop windows displayed flaring war +pictures, done in glaring colors,--all telling of tremendous Japanese +victories on land and sea. + +"They certainly believe in tooting their own horn," said Larry, with a +laugh over one of the pictures. "Just see this one, Luke--one Japanese +officer mowing down three Russians with his sword!" + +"They ain't no worse nor we had at home during the Spanish war, lad. I +know one picture I see o' a Rough Rider riding down half a dozen Spanish +soldiers. An' the truth o' the matter is, them Rough Riders didn't have +no horses at all but fought on foot!" + +"You're right, Luke. We'll have to put all such pictures down as freaks +of the artist's imagination. But I guess I know why some of them are put +out--to draw the young fellows into the army and navy." + +"Right ye are. Some fellers seeing a picture like that want to march to +glory right off,--an' so they go an' enlist. When it comes to hardtack +an' black coffee----" + +"Hold on, Luke. Remember you are in Japan. Here it is rice and tea." + +"So it is, Larry. Say, but I had to laugh yesterday, when I see some of +them jackies on board o' our ship gettin' out their teapots with tea." + +"It did look funny. But they do the same thing in the army, so I have +been told. They can make the Japanese soldier and sailor do everything +as we do it but give up his tea." + +"Well, I reckon tea is better nor rum." + +"Certainly it is,--and if I were an officer I'd let them have all the +tea they wanted--if they would fight any better for it." + +"Those Russian sailors and soldiers drink an awful lot of _vodka_. I +should think they would try to stop that. A half-drunken sailor or +soldier isn't of any account." + +"They are so used to having it, I've been told, that to stop it would +bring on a regular mutiny. It's hard to break off using a thing when you +are used to it." + +"Right ye are, lad; a habit if it ain't proper is something awful." + +All was bustle throughout Nagasaki, for several regiments of soldiers +had come in, bound for some transports which were to take them to +Manchuria. Banners were flying everywhere, and from a distance came the +music of a band. + +"Wonder how soon we will leave," said Larry, when he and his old friend +were returning to the warship. "Now that we have enlisted, I'd like to +see some fighting." + +"Maybe we'll get more fighting than we want, lad. But I'd like to get +into it myself," continued the Yankee gunner, with a grin. + +Two days more were spent at Nagasaki, and then, on a clear morning, the +_Shohirika_ left the harbor and steamed off in company with two sister +ships. They were to join a squadron bound for the western coast of +Korea, but where they were to go after that there was no telling. + +Captain Ponsberry came to see Larry and Luke off. "Take good care of +yourselves," said the master of the _Columbia_. "An' teach them Russians +the lesson they deserve." + +"We expect to do our duty," answered Larry. + +Life on the Japanese warship proved to be very much like life in the +American navy. There were hours set apart for various drills and +exercises. Each day they had to go through the movements of handling the +gun, fighting with cutlasses, putting out a fire, and manning the small +boats. They also had to keep their ditty bags and grass hammocks in good +order, also their eating utensils, and each had to do his share of +cleaning up. Twice a week the ship's surgeon examined each man, to see +that he was perfectly healthy. + +"I like this keeping things clean," said Larry. "It is bound to make for +good health." + +"They tell me that Japanese sailors and soldiers are among the +healthiest in the world," answered Luke. + +In a few days the southern point of Korea was passed and the bow of the +warship was pointed toward the eastern coast of Manchuria. They were now +getting close to the battleground and the lookout was constantly +watching for the appearance of the ships of the enemy. + +"We'll have a fight before very long--I can feel it in my bones," +declared Larry. And he was right; but before telling of that contest, +and what surprising results it led to, we shall have to tell of +something else which occurred, to delight Larry exceedingly. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +A MEETING AND A PLOT + + +"Some Japanese transports are coming up," said Larry, two days later. +"Six of them, and they are crowded to the rails with soldiers." + +"I reckon we are to act as an escort to them," replied Luke. "They would +need an escort, if they fell in with a Russian cruiser or two." + +The Japanese transports were bound for the coast of Manchuria, to land +near the village of Petaka. Soon they fell in behind the _Shohirika_; +and then those on the warship knew that they were going to go close to +shore, if not to make an actual landing. + +A fog came up that night, which made the transports hold off. But the +next day was as bright and clear as before, and about noon land was +sighted to the westward. A patrol boat was sent ahead and came back +stating that all was clear for a landing. Then the warships went closer +and the transports followed. + +On the following day Larry found himself on shore--having been taken +along by one of the officers of the ship to interview an English +merchant who wished to sell some goods to the Japanese. The officer +could speak some English, but wanted somebody along who could help him +out in case he could not make himself clearly understood. + +The landing was at a small Chinese town which was partly in ashes--the +Russians having tried to burn it down before leaving. There were a dozen +shops, but all were closed and with the windows boarded up. Many of the +Chinese had fled to the country beyond; and a Japanese regiment was on +guard to preserve order and to keep the Chunchuses, (Chinese brigands) +from looting the place. + +"This shows what war will do," thought Larry, as he walked along beside +the Japanese naval officer. "I suppose some of the Chinese have lost all +they possessed--and through no fault of their own either." + +The business with the English merchant was transacted quicker than +anticipated, and, not caring to go back to his ship at once, the naval +officer visited the camp of the Japanese regiment, taking Larry with +him. + +"We expect another detachment here this afternoon," said one of the +regimental commanders to the naval officer. "They are to escort a powder +train through the mountains." + +A little while later the detachment came in on foot, looking somewhat +tired and dusty from a long tramp through an exceedingly rough country. +As the soldiers came to a halt in the public square of the seaport +village, Larry uttered a cry of amazement: + +"Ben!" + +"Why, Larry, can it be you?" came in a tone of astonishment, and on the +instant Ben Russell rushed forward and caught his brother by the hands. +"I must be dreaming!" + +"I guess I'm dreaming myself!" said Larry, and gave his brother a warm +hug. "This beats the Dutch! I thought you were at Liao-Yang. How are you +and how did you get here?" + +"One question at a time, please," returned Ben, with a happy smile. "I'm +pretty well, although I had a little dose of fever a couple of weeks +ago. Our Japanese doctor fixed me up in double-quick time. Our command +was ordered down here to look after a powder train. There was a report +that either the Russians or the Chunchuses were going to try to capture +it or blow it up. Now, how have you been, and what are you doing here? I +thought the old _Columbia_ was at Nagasaki." + +"You want to know as much as I do, Ben." There was a pause and both +laughed merrily, they felt so happy. "I'm as sound as a fiddle. The +_Columbia_ is at Nagasaki and likely to stay there for some time. Allow +me to introduce myself, Lawrence Russell, gunner's mate aboard of the +Mikado's cruiser _Shohirika_. My head gunner is Luke Striker, Esquire." + +"Never!" burst from Ben. "Well, this certainly is news. So you and Luke +enlisted? Have you had any fighting?" + +"Not exactly. But we have seen some rough times," answered Larry, and +then, as soon as Ben could get away for a quiet half-hour, he related +his story in detail, just as I have set it down in these pages. + +"You are assuredly a lucky chap, Larry, not to be in a Russian prison +this minute," said his brother, after the young sailor had finished. + +"Perhaps I am lucky, Ben. But it wasn't much of luck to have that +Shamhaven and Peterson walk off with my money belt." + +"That is so, but as the amount taken wasn't a fortune I shouldn't worry +about it. I can let you have any money you need." + +"I don't need any, and, besides, Luke is acting as my banker. But now +tell me about yourself." + +"There isn't very much to tell, outside of what I put down in that +letter you received. As you know, Gilbert and I are both attached to +this command of Major Okopa." + +"Where is Gilbert now?" + +"His company was to bring up the rear. They'll be here very shortly. +Since the battle of Liao-Yang we have been on special duty, looking +after the pack and powder trains, and have seen very little of fighting. +We are reinforcing our lines daily, and I think the Russians must be +doing the same. I expect some more heavy fighting soon, unless winter +steps in and puts a stop to everything. The nights are already rather +cool," added Ben. + +It was half an hour later that the company under Gilbert came in, having +in their custody two Chinese bandits that had tried to steal four horses +belonging to two Japanese army carts. + +"So it's really you, Larry!" cried the young Southerner, as he shook +hands. "I'm mightily glad to see you and see you looking so well. I +suppose Ben has told you all the news." + +"Yes, and Larry has been telling some too," put in Ben. "He has seen +almost as much of the Russians as we have." And then Larry's story had +to be told again. + +"I don't know where we shall go after we leave here," said the young +sailor. "Are you going back to Liao-Yang?" + +"We don't know that either. Our orders are to escort the powder train +wherever it may be sent," said Ben. + +For two days the Japanese warship remained in the harbor of the seaport +village and during that time Larry managed to see quite a good deal of +Ben and Gilbert. He wished he could take them on board of the cruiser, +but this was not permitted. + +On the third day the _Shohirika_ received orders from a dispatch boat +which steamed into the harbor, and an hour later the anchors were hove +apeak and she steamed away, carrying Larry and his old Yankee friend +along. Ben and Gilbert stood on a dock watching her departure. They +waved their handkerchiefs at Larry and he waved his own in return. + +"I wonder when I'll see Larry again," mused Ben. He felt rather sober at +the parting from his younger brother. + +"Oh, you'll see him again before long," answered Gilbert, trying to be +cheerful. + +"Maybe not. It all depends upon where that cruiser sails to. She may go +half around the world." + +"More than likely she has been sent to take part in the bombardment of +Port Arthur." + +"Do you really think we'll be sent to Port Arthur, Gilbert?" + +"It is not unlikely, Ben." + +The pair watched the cruiser fade away in the distance, and then +returned to that part of the village in which Major Okopa's command had +been located. + +"By the way," said Gilbert, as they hurried along. "There is one thing I +forgot to tell you. Meeting Larry drove it completely out of my mind. On +the way to this village we stopped at a place called Wikelipe, and there +I met, whom do you suppose?" + +"I don't know, I'm sure." + +"That rascal Ivan Snokoff. He was at his same old tricks--selling things +to the inhabitants at exorbitant prices. When he saw me he shook his +fist at me and my men and then ran away and hid." + +"Why didn't you root him out, Gilbert?" + +"What good would it have done? Besides, I didn't have time. The fight +with the brigands made us lose three hours. But do you know, I think +Snokoff has it in for me." + +"Yes, and in for me, too," added Ben. "He hasn't forgotten how I brought +along the guard that placed him under temporary arrest." + +There was no time to say more, for the command was to move in half an +hour and both of the young captains had to round up their men for that +purpose. The powder train was at rest outside of the village and the men +were scattered here, there, and everywhere. + +Evening found the command to which Ben and Gilbert belonged ten miles on +their way through the mountains. Only the officer in charge of the +powder train knew the destination of the precious stores. The train +consisted of eighteen carts, each pulled by four horses. + +Although none in Major Okopa's command knew it, the train was followed +by a Chinaman named Kee Lung, who lived in Wikelipe, the place where +Gilbert had seen Ivan Snokoff. Kee Lung was well known to Ivan Snokoff +and had been asked by the rascally Russian to keep his eyes on Gilbert +and on Ben and to report their movements. He had watched Gilbert's +meeting with Ben and Larry and heard something of what was said and had +thus managed to make out that two of the party were brothers. + +As the powder train approached Wikelipe, Kee Lung went ahead to find +Ivan Snokoff. This was not difficult, as he knew exactly where the +latter was hiding. A conference lasting an hour ensued. + +"Do as you have promised and you shall have fifty _yen_," said Ivan +Snokoff. + +"You will not fail to pay?" queried Kee Lung. + +"By the heads of my ancestors I promise it," was the rascally Russian's +answer. + +"'Tis enough. I shall do as I have promised," returned the Chinaman. And +he bowed himself from Ivan Snokoff's presence. Left to himself, the +rascally Russian rubbed his hands gleefully. + +"Ha, I trust he is successful!" he muttered to himself. "Once Pennington +and Russell are in the power of us Russians I shall show them what it +means to insult and degrade a Snokoff!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +THE ATTACK IN THE DARK + + +Two days later Gilbert and Ben were seated in their tent talking about +the meeting with Larry when one of the guards came in and saluted. + +"A messenger to see Captain Russell and Captain Pennington," said the +guard. + +"Show him in," returned Ben, briefly, thinking it was a simple message +about camp duties. He was rather surprised when a Chinaman entered, +bowing low as he did so. + +"Dis Clabtain Lussell?" asked the newcomer. + +"That is my name." + +"Dis Clabtain Plennington?" + +"Yes," answered Gilbert. + +"Sailor man send Chung Wow," went on the Chinaman. "Sailor man want see +bloth." He pointed to the two young captains. "Sailor man say he blother +you." And now he pointed at Ben alone. + +"Said he was my brother?" cried the young captain. + +The messenger nodded. "Name allee same Larry Lussell." + +"Gracious me!" ejaculated Ben. "Gilbert, what can this mean? I thought +Larry sailed away on that warship." + +"So did I. But she may be back in port." + +"Sailor man hurt." The Chinaman pointed to his side. "Sick--he shot--say +you clome to-night." + +"Sick? shot?" repeated Ben, and a cold chill went down his backbone. +"That is the worst yet. Where is he?" + +"Big walk down by the sea. Chung Wow show. But must pay--Chung Wow poor +people." + +"Oh, I'll pay you," answered Ben, hurriedly. "Gilbert, do you think I +can get away?" + +"Sailor man say bloth clome," put in the messenger. + +"Something is wrong, that is certain," came from Gilbert. He eyed the +Chinaman closely. "There is no mistake about this?" + +At this Chung Wow shrugged his lean shoulders and looked blank. + +"No see mistakee. See sailor mans." + +"I guess he is all right," put in Ben. "Something has happened to poor +Larry. I wonder if I can get away at once?" + +"Let us see the major about this." + +Ben hurried off and caught Major Okopa in his own tent. As the command +was not to move until noon of the next day both readily obtained +permission to absent themselves until that time. + +"But be careful," said the major. "This may be some Chinese trick." + +"We'll be on our guard," answered Ben. + +The Chinese messenger had come in on foot. He said he was hungry and was +given something to eat. Then the three set off, the messenger carrying a +knapsack filled with rations, and each of the young captains carrying +his sword and his pistol. They tried to learn from Chung Wow how far +they would have to travel, but the Chinaman either could not or would +not inform them. + +"Perhaps it might have been as well to have taken a detachment of one +company along," suggested Gilbert. "I must say, I don't like the looks +of this." They were now a good mile away from camp, and in a location +that appeared lonely enough. + +"Well, we are moving down to the seacoast," returned Ben. He was taking +careful note of the direction they were pursuing. + +After that they journeyed along for a good two hours without saying +much. They stepped along briskly, for Ben wanted to learn just what had +happened to his brother. For all he knew to the contrary, Larry might be +mortally wounded. + +Presently they came to a spot in the road where there were a number of +dense trees. Chung Wow began to cough loudly. + +"What's the matter?" demanded Gilbert. For some reason he did not trust +the Chinaman. + +"Slomthing fly in float," was the answer, and Chung Wow coughed again. +Then he walked on, and they came behind him. But Gilbert drew his pistol +and motioned for Ben to do the same. + +"I may be mistaken, but we may be walking into a trap," he whispered. + +"Why, Gilbert, I don't----" began Ben, when without warning a heavy +object dropped upon his head from the limb of one of the trees and bore +him to the ground. Another object dropped on Gilbert, but he squirmed +from under,--to find himself confronted by several Chunchuses. A cry +went up, and a crashing was heard in the bushes back of the trees. + +"A trick, Ben, just as I suspected!" ejaculated the young Southerner, +and he discharged his pistol point-blank at the Chinese bandit in front +of him. This done he made a leap to one side, hurling over Chung Wow as +he did so, and darted forward into some bushes. A shot was aimed at him, +but did no injury, and he kept on, running as hard as he could. + +In the meantime Ben did his best to get up. But one man was on his +shoulders and another had him by the legs, so to move was next to +impossible. Then, as he continued to struggle, he received a heavy kick +from a wooden shoe which stretched him out like a log. + +"He is out of the fight now," said one of the Chunchuses, as he bent +over Ben. "Go after the other. Do not let him escape if you can help it. +Americans are worth a good deal to us in these days!" + +Three of the brigands remained to guard Ben and the others made after +Gilbert. But they could not catch the young Southerner, and after a long +chase they came back. + +"He has gone back to his camp," said one of the Chunchuses to his chief. +"He will have his friends about our ears very shortly." + +As soon as this news was received, Ben's hands and feet were bound, and +four of the Chinamen caught him up as if he were a dead animal and +hoisted him on their shoulders. Off they set at a dog-trot, with the +remaining brigands around them. + +It was the jogging over the rough mountainous road which finally brought +the young captain to his senses. At first he did not realize that he was +on the move. + +"Gilbert!" he called faintly. "Gilbert!" + +Nobody answered him, and now he essayed to sit up. He could not budge +and consequently began to struggle. + +"Be still!" cried one of the Chunchuses, in Chinese. + +"Where am I? What are you doing to me?" queried Ben. + +For answer he received a good shaking and was then dumped on the ground. +His feet were liberated, and the chief of the Chinese brigands ordered +him to move along, pointing the end of his sword at the prisoner as he +did so. + +"Where is my friend?" asked Ben. + +"He is dead," said the chief, laconically. + +"Dead!" burst out the young captain. His heart seemed to become like a +lump of lead. Gilbert, his own true chum, dead! It was too horrible to +believe. + +"Yes, and you will be unless you walk on," added the chief of the +Chunchuses. + +There was no help for it, and, bruised and bleeding, the young captain +took up the march, with his enemies on all sides of him. The gait was a +rapid one, and before they came to a halt once more he was all but +exhausted. + +"Where are you taking me?" he asked. + +"Wait and see." The chief of the Chunchuses grinned wickedly. "I shall +have to trouble you for your valuables," he went on, in his native +tongue, and without further ado stripped Ben of his possessions, +including his watch, money, ring, and sword. + +There was no use protesting, and therefore the young captain did not +attempt it. He was marched along a marshy path, and presently came in +sight of the ocean and a small bay, where two sailing ships and a small +steamer lay at anchor. + +A shrill whistle sounded out, and this was answered by somebody on the +steamer. Then a small boat put in to shore, carrying four sailors and an +officer. As soon as the officer landed, he was called aside by the chief +of the Chunchuses, and a conference lasting several minutes followed. + +"It shall be as you say, Ching Fee," said the officer, in Russian. "It +is too bad you did not get the other, too. I know Ivan Snokoff, and +Captain Barusky too, and there will be money in this. Yes, I'll take him +on board at once. You had better watch out that the soldiers do not get +after you." + +"Trust Ching Fee to take care of himself," said the chief of the +Chunchuses. + +With scant ceremony Ben was conducted to the small boat and told to get +in. He asked where they were going to take him, but could get no +satisfaction. As soon as the steamer was reached, he was conducted to an +empty stateroom and locked in. + +"This is the worst yet!" he muttered, as he sat down. "I suppose they +intend to carry me miles and miles away. Poor Gilbert! I never thought +he would be killed in such a fashion as this! What cutthroats these +Chinese brigands are! It's a wonder they didn't kill me too! Can that +story about Larry be true?" + +There was a little water in the stateroom, and as his hands had been +released, Ben bathed his wounds and bound them up as best he could. He +heard the steamer move away from the shore, and soon the steady pounding +of the engines proved that she was forging ahead at her best rate of +speed. + +He was a prisoner of the enemy, and what they were going to do with him +was a question still to be answered. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +THE DEFENSE OF THE POWDER TRAIN + + +After firing on the Chinese brigands as already described, Gilbert +plunged into the brushwood which was not over half a dozen yards +distant. He heard the shots discharged at him in return, but fortunately +every one went wide of its mark. + +Once in the brushwood he did not stop, but continued on his way for +several rods. Then he paused, wondering if Ben was anywhere in the +vicinity. + +"I hope they didn't kill him," he murmured. "What a trap that was, and +how easily we walked into it!" + +He waited and listened, but nobody came near him. Then, with caution, he +pushed ahead, until he gained once more the road leading back to the +temporary camp occupied by the powder train and the detachment guarding +it. Following this, he ran on at full speed until the welcome camp-fires +greeted him. + +"Major Okopa, we have been attacked by Chunchuses!" he exclaimed, as he +rushed up to the officer's quarters. And in a brief manner he explained +the situation so far as he knew it. + +The Japanese major had taken a strong liking to Gilbert and Ben, and he +lost no time in ordering out a company to round up the Chinese brigands +if they could be located. It was Gilbert's own command and he was given +permission to remain out the whole night and the next day if necessary. + +The young Southerner went at the task with vigor, for he realized that +every moment was precious. He explained the situation to his men, and +they set off at double-quick to where the attack had been made. + +As was to be expected, the spot was deserted. By torchlight they saw the +evidences of the struggle which had taken place. In one spot was a pool +of blood, left by the brigand whom Gilbert had shot in the shoulder. + +"They went off in this direction," said one of the soldiers, who was +good at tracing footsteps. He pointed to a side road, and along this +they ran, keeping eyes and ears on the alert, so as to avoid anything in +the nature of a surprise. + +Two hours later the company found itself on the seashore. But Chunchuses +and vessels were gone and to where it was impossible to find out. But on +the beach Gilbert picked up an empty pocketbook which he knew was Ben's +property. + +"They brought him here most likely," he said. "See, here are the marks +of a rowboat, and of many feet. They have gone off on the water." + +"Then the hunt is at a standstill," returned his second in command. + +The young captain was unwilling to believe this, and the remainder of +the night, and the next forenoon, were spent in an eager search after +the enemy. But it was useless; and at last Gilbert, sick at heart, +ordered his men to return to the camp. + +On the following day the powder train moved onward once more. The first +lieutenant of Ben's company took command of the body, and Ben was marked +"missing" on the roll. + +"It is certainly too bad, and I sympathize with you, Captain +Pennington," said Major Okopa. "Captain Russell is a fine fellow." + +"It takes all the vigor out of me," replied Gilbert. "Ben and I were +like two brothers." + +But Gilbert was given no time in which to grieve over Ben's +disappearance. Two days later, the powder train was attacked by a +detachment of the Russians, who seemed to spring out of the very ground. +One of the wagons loaded with powder was blown to atoms, killing two +horses and three soldiers. + +"_Banzai!_" cried the Japanese, and when the order was given they +attacked the enemy with vigor. It was a hot fight, lasting half an hour, +and the Russians were driven among some high hills, backed up by several +mountains. + +As the powder train had to go through one of the mountain passes so +close at hand, the soldiers were sent ahead, to clear the way of all +Russians that might appear. This was dangerous work, for the enemy had +the advantage of the higher position. But the Japanese were undaunted, +and rushed up one slope after another with a vigor and animation that +was surprising. + +"Can't hold them back, when once they get started," said Gilbert, to the +major. "They are like our Southern bloodhounds, when once they strike +the scent." + +"And that is the way to win victory," answered Major Okopa. + +Not long after this Gilbert found himself at the foot of a steep hill +with his company. At the top of the hill were a number of great bowlders +and behind these some of the Russians were in hiding, sending down a +spiteful fire whenever the opportunity presented itself. + +"We must dislodge those fellows," said Major Okopa. "It is very +dangerous work. Do you think you can accomplish it, Captain Pennington?" + +"I can try," answered Gilbert, modestly, and ordered his company +forward. He turned them slightly to the left, for here a fringe of thin +brushwood offered a shelter that was not great, but much better than +none. + +"Major Okopa expects us to take this hill," he said, in the best +Japanese he could muster. "Let us do our best!" + +"_Banzai!_" came the rallying cry from the men, and up the slope they +rushed, with Gilbert at their side. Crack! crack! went the rifles of the +Russians, and then, without warning, several shells were sent up. One +man of Gilbert's company was killed and two wounded, but they did not +waver. Passing the brushwood, they ran out boldly on the slope above +them. + +Many of the rocks at the top of the hill were loose, and as the Japanese +came closer, the enemy began to send them down in a shower which was +highly dangerous to those below. + +"Beware of the stones!" cried Gilbert. + +He had hardly spoken when he saw that he would have to look after his +own safety. The Russians were working over a rock that weighed several +hundreds of pounds. + +All at once the mass broke loose. There was a yell of delight from +above, and then the big bowlder came rolling straight for Gilbert. Had +it touched him he must surely have been crushed to death. + +But the young Southerner was as cool as he was quick. Pausing to make +certain which way the big stone was coming down, he made a quick leap in +the opposite direction. Then the bowlder went bounding past him, to +crash into some small trees at the bottom of the hill. + +"Are you hurt, captain?" asked his lieutenant. + +"No," answered Gilbert. Then he leaped to the front once more. "Come!" +he cried. "_Banzai!_ Forward for the Mikado!" And on the whole company +went as before, firing rapidly as they did so. The Russians clung to the +hilltop a few minutes longer, and then, as the first of the Japanese +gained a footing there, they broke and fled in wild disorder down the +other side of the hill, and into the woods to the northward. The +Japanese pursued them for two hours but could not catch them, and at +last the chase was abandoned. In this skirmish, called the battle of +Po-yang-ling, the Japanese lost in killed and wounded four men, and the +Russians seven. Three of the Czar's soldiers were also taken prisoners. + +After that the powder train had no more difficulty, and four days later +reached its destination, which was the village of Fanshen, where the +Japanese had established something of a base of supplies for that +portion of the army which was moving southward to join in the siege of +Port Arthur. At Fanshen, Major Okopa's command received orders to go +into camp instead of returning to the vicinity of Liao-Yang. + +"This looks to me as if we were to be transferred to the army in the +south," said the major, after communicating the news to Gilbert. + +"Well, I shouldn't mind helping to take Port Arthur," returned the young +Southerner. "If you will remember, it was my treatment by the Russians +at that place which caused me to take up arms against them." + +"So you said before, Captain Pennington. But do not imagine that the +taking of Port Arthur will be easy. The Russians have fortified it in +every possible manner." + +"Yes,--they were doing that before I came away from there." + +"For months they have been strengthening their fortifications, and +getting in ammunition and supplies in secret. Their chain of forts +extend, so I have been told, for twenty miles and more outside of the +city, and being in a mountainous country, they will be hard to reduce." + +"Don't you think we can capture the place?" demanded Gilbert. + +"Capture it? Most assuredly, captain. But it will mean a great +destruction of life," returned Major Okopa, gravely. + +What the major said about the Russians fortifying Port Arthur was true. +Lieutenant-General Stoessel, the Russian commander at that place, had +under him sixty thousand men, the very flower of the Russian army. On +the side of the sea the town was fortified at a dozen points, only three +of which had been thus far captured under the Japanese army led by +General Nogi. To the northward and the westward were some twenty +defenses, set among the mountains where they were next to impossible to +reach. + +In a work of this kind, it is impossible to relate in detail all of the +many battles fought over the possession of Port Arthur. The first +assault was made in February by Admiral Togo's fleet, and the naval +conflict was kept up for almost three months after that. In the meantime +a Japanese army under General Oku landed at Pitsewo, and after several +battles at Kinchow and Nanshan Hill, drove the Russians back to their +mountain defenses and took possession of the railroad running to +Liao-Yang and Mukden. Thus Port Arthur was cut off from almost all +communication with the outside world. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +BOMBARDING A PORT ARTHUR FORT + + +Larry felt very happy after having met Ben and Gilbert. He had been +afraid he should find that his brother or his friend was wounded, even +though no mention of such an occurrence had been made in the letter he +had received. He knew from experience that Ben was in the habit of +making light of things that went wrong. + +"I suppose it did your heart good to meet 'em both," said Luke, after +the warship was on the way. + +"You're right, Luke; it was a regular touch of old times." + +"Wish I had seen 'em myself." + +"Both wanted to be remembered to you." Larry paused for a moment. "By +the way, I wonder where we are bound now?" + +"Can't say as to that, lad--secret orders, I reckon," answered the old +tar. + +The order to sail was evidently an important one, for scarcely was the +_Shohirika_ out of sight of land than all steam was crowded on. The +lookouts were also doubled, and when night came the strictest watch +possible was maintained. + +Yet, with it all, several days passed without anything out of the +ordinary happening. Drills and exercises went on as before, and both +Larry and Luke made themselves familiar with all parts of the warship. +Both spent much time in familiarizing themselves with such orders as +were given to them in Japanese, so that they might not be too "green," +as Larry termed it, if put to the test. + +During those days spent on shipboard matters concerning the great war +were moving forward steadily. In the vicinity of Liao-Yang both the +Japanese and the Russians made several movements to better their +positions. This brought on a few skirmishes and one heavy battle, in +which the losses were several hundreds on each side. There was also an +advance on the outer forts of Port Arthur, and a fair-sized hill was +captured by the Mikado's men, who, however held the place only at an +enormous loss of life. In moving on the port the Japanese found they +would have to do a great amount of tunneling and entrenching, all of +which consumed time. + +On the ocean the two nations were equally active. Both took several +prizes of war, and in an encounter with the Vladivostok squadron a +Russian warship was hopelessly disabled and a Japanese cruiser was all +but sunk. Another ship belonging to Admiral Togo's fleet struck a mine +outside of Port Arthur and had to be sent back to Japan for repairs. + +So far the weather had been warm, but autumn was now at hand and before +long the nights became cold and raw. + +"This war won't be finished this winter," said more than one. "We are in +for another year of it, sure." + +The _Shohirika_ had been summoned to join the fleet patrolling before +Port Arthur. Two days before that station was reached they fell in with +a sister ship which brought the news of an encounter with a Russian +battleship carrying some troops from Siberia. Both warships had suffered +and become separated in the darkness. + +"This war is certainly warming up," said Larry. "I hope we see some +fighting before it is over." + +"Maybe we'll see more of it than you wish," said Luke, grimly. + +"Don't you worry--we'll see a whole lot," put in Steve Colton, who was +sitting on a ditty chest, playing checkers with Bob Stanford. "Just wait +till we get under Admiral Togo's eye--he'll make us be up and doing." + +The chance to see some of the war came the next day, when they were +ordered to bombard one of the forts to the north of Port Arthur proper. +As soon as they came within four miles of the fort they received a +reception which was as warm as it was exciting. + +"Now, here is where we show what we can do!" cried Luke, as the orders +came to begin firing, and the whole gun company jumped in to assist him. +The magazines were opened up, the windlasses set to work, and soon the +first real shell--not a mere blank for practicing--came up and was run +into the gun. Then the breech-block was swung to and locked, the +electric connection set, and Luke sighted the piece with care, after +having first received the proper distance from the range-finders in the +tops. As soon as the "sight" was "covered" the button was pressed, and +_bang!_ went the gun with a concussion that shook the whole ship. Other +guns followed in rapid succession, until Larry had to stuff cotton in +his ears to keep himself from becoming deaf. As soon as the gun was +discharged, it was opened to let the gases out and then cleaned with wet +swabs and flushed with running water to cool the barrel. + +The bombardment lasted for an hour, and during that time the fort was +hit in a dozen places. Sand, dirt, and rocks flew in all directions, and +once there came a flash which told of an explosion of a quantity of +powder. + +"If we could only hit the magazine it would be good-by to that fort," +said Larry, but this was not to be. + +After the first few shots the fort had remained silent, but now, when +the _Shohirika_ was about to retire, the gunners opened up once more, +and a rain of shot and shell flew all around the warship. One struck the +bow of the vessel, tearing off a few feet of the forward deck and +another entered the forward turret, killing one of the gunner's +assistants. + +"We can be thankful we weren't in that turret," said Luke, when he +received the latter news. + +"Yes, indeed!" murmured Larry, and could not repress a shiver. "I can +tell you, it's mighty risky work after all!" he added, soberly. + +"Well, we've got one advantage over those fellows," put in Colton, after +the firing had come to an end, and the warship was fast getting out of +range. "We can run away, while they have got to stay right where they +are." + +"Oh, they can run away too," said Larry. + +"Not unless they abandon their fort,--and that would be just as if we +should abandon our ship." + +The work at the gun had been severe, and after the bombardment was over +Larry was glad to clean up and take a rest. The perspiration, grime, and +smoke had made him look like a negro, and he used up several buckets of +water before he got himself into as cleanly a condition as was habitual +with him. Luke also took a "scrubbing down," as he called it, and so did +the others. + +What amazed Larry more than anything was the quietness of the Japanese +sailors. Now that the bombardment was ended they said scarcely a word +about it, but went on exactly as before. + +"They are the most matter-of-fact chaps I ever saw!" he declared. "I +believe if the ship blew up they would say 'Very sorry' and swim away. +Now on one of Uncle Sam's ships the men would be all woke up and out for +a jollification. Ben says it's the same way in the army. If they get +excited at all they always seem to be sorry for it afterwards!" + +"That's what ye call a characteristic o' the race, I reckon," returned +Luke. "They're taught to act that way from babyhood. It ain't polite nor +high-toned to git excited. The only thing they kin yell is _Banzai!_ an' +they let thet out loud enough, goodness knows!" + +"I can't understand why we didn't keep at that fort," came from Colton. +"I was just getting the range beautifully when orders came to shut +down." + +"Well, there must be a reason for it, Steve," answered Luke. + +There was a reason for it. Admiral Togo had just received word that +certain ships of the Port Arthur squadron were going to make an attempt +to break out of the harbor, either that night or the next day. +Consequently the _Shohirika_ was needed further down the coast, and +steamed away in that direction as rapidly as her somewhat limited supply +of coal permitted. + +"I don't think the navy will ever find its way into Port Arthur harbor," +said Larry, later on, after studying a map of that locality. "There are +too many forts on the hills outside of the town. They could smash our +ships to smithereens if we got too close." + +"Trust Admiral Togo to know what he is doing," answered Steve Colton. +"He won't go too close. At the same time he ain't going to let the +Russian ships get away any more than Schley and Sampson let Admiral +Cervera get away from Santiago Harbor in Cuba." + +"It's the army that will make Port Arthur a hot place to live in," came +from Bob Stanford. "They can entrench and thus gain a little ground day +by day, and as soon as they win some high point, like say 203-Meter +Hill, it will be all up with General Stoessel, mark my words." + +The night to follow proved to be misty, and so cold that the majority of +the sailors were glad to don their heavy peajackets. Fearing that the +enemy would try to take advantage of the weather, Admiral Togo turned on +all the searchlights his fleet possessed, and these were flashed in all +directions. + +"False alarm," said Luke, after midnight had sounded out on the ship's +bell. "Reckon the Russians don't dare to come out." + +But the old Yankee tar was mistaken. The enemy were on the alert, and at +three o'clock, when the mist was extra heavy, the movement to steal out +of Port Arthur harbor was begun, two torpedo destroyers taking the lead, +and several cruisers following. This brought on a heavy sea-fight +lasting far into the next day, and one which came close to cost Larry +his life. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +BEN MEETS CAPTAIN BARUSKY + + +For several days poor Ben remained a prisoner aboard of the small +steamer. During that time only two men came near him--an under officer +and the sailor who supplied him with food and water. Neither would +answer his questions, so he could not learn where he was being taken or +what was to be done with him. + +One evening there was a slight commotion on the deck, and the course of +the steamer was changed. Then came a blowing of steam whistles lasting +several minutes. Finally the steamer came to a standstill. + +"You are to leave this vessel at once," said the under officer, as he +opened the door of the young captain's temporary prison. "Come, we have +no time to spare." + +"Where am I to go?" questioned Ben. + +"You will soon learn. Hurry!" + +There was no help for it, and soon Ben was on deck. He was made to enter +a small boat and was thus transferred to another steamer--one which had +formerly been in the East Indian trade but which was now acting as a +Russian supply boat. + +"What a dirty craft!" was his mental comment, after having been thrust +into a pen which was little better than a horse stall. The supply boat +was loaded to its fullest capacity, so quarters for all on board were +limited. + +Two days passed and he received food which was scarcely fit to eat. When +he protested he was threatened with a flogging. The air was foul and he +began to fear that he would become sick. + +"I won't be able to stand this much longer," he thought, dismally. "If +they want to kill me why don't they do it at once and have done with +it?" + +On the following morning a surprise awaited him. He heard two Russian +officers pause in front of his pen and one said to the other: + +"Here is the prisoner, Captain Barusky." + +"Is it the fellow named Russell?" was the question from Captain Barusky, +the rascal who had aided Ivan Snokoff to make so much trouble for +Gilbert Pennington. + +"The same." + +"They did not capture his friend?" + +"No--in the struggle he slipped away." + +"I am sorry for that. We wanted Pennington more than we did this fellow. +But I am glad we got at least one of them. As I understand it they work +hand-in-glove with each other;" and then the two Russian officers passed +on. + +Like a flash Ben realized the truth of the situation. His taking off had +been a trap set by Snokoff and this Captain Barusky, who had hired the +Chunchuses to help work out their plot. He was now in the hands of the +enemy in more ways than one. + +"They won't treat me as an ordinary prisoner," he reasoned. "This +Captain Barusky will make it as hard as possible for me--more especially +so as Gilbert managed to escape his clutches. Well, I am glad Gilbert +got away." + +Resolved to "take the bull by the horns," Ben asked the prison guard if +he might speak to Captain Barusky. + +"I will see about it," answered the sailor, and went off to find out. On +his return he stated that the captain would visit the pen some time +during the day. + +The Russian officer came late in the afternoon, when nobody else was +near the pen. There was a sarcastic look on his face when he gazed at +the young captain. + +"So you want to talk to me," he said, abruptly. + +"I do, Captain Barusky. I want to know why this plot was laid against +me." + +"I know of no plot. You are an American in the employ of the Japanese +Government as a spy. Russia captures all the Japanese spies she can." + +"I am no spy." + +The Russian shrugged his shoulders. "That is what your friend, Captain +Pennington, once told me, too. Yet as soon as he got out of Port Arthur +he was made a captain in the Mikado's army." + +"He applied for the position because the Russians had mistreated him and +because he loves active service." + +"Have it as you please, Russell; both of you are spies, and you will +have to suffer as one." + +"Where are you taking me?" + +"Since you seem so anxious to know, I will tell you, for I do not think +you will be able to take the news to the Japanese. This boat is carrying +supplies to Port Arthur." + +"Port Arthur!" + +"That is what I said. When we arrive there you will be placed in one of +the strongest of our prisons at the port. Do you not admire the +prospect?" + +"Well, if you take me to Port Arthur, perhaps I shan't be a prisoner +long," replied Ben, resolved to put on as bold a front as possible. + +"And why not?" demanded Captain Barusky, curiously. + +"Because our army and our navy are bound to capture the place." + +"Bah! The Japanese will never take Port Arthur. It is absurd to think of +it." + +"It may not come right away--but it will come sooner or later." + +"Never! But if it should, you will not be there to enjoy our downfall. +Remember that spies are tried, and if found guilty they are taken out +and shot." + +"You cannot prove that I am a spy." + +"That remains to be seen." + +"If you bring me before the court I'll have something to say about your +underhanded work with Ivan Snokoff. I can prove that he is a swindler +and that you are his accomplice." + +"Ha! you threaten me!" roared Captain Barusky, in a rage. "Have a care! +I come from a most respectable family and I have great influence." + +"Nevertheless, I think those who are higher in authority than yourself +will listen to my story. The Russian army officers are as a rule +gentlemen and strictly honest." + +"Which means to say that I am not a gentleman and not honest!" bellowed +Captain Barusky. "That, for your opinion!" And reaching out he gave Ben +a ringing box on the ear. + +It was the last straw. With no fresh air and no food fit to eat, the +young captain was desperate, and leaping forward he struck at the +Russian captain's nose. His fist went true, and as Barusky staggered +back against the pen door the blood spurted from his nasal organ. + +"Don't you dare to hit me again!" panted Ben, standing before the +Russian with both hands clenched. "Don't you dare--or you'll get the +worst of it!" + +His manner made Captain Barusky cower back, and he glared at Ben with +the ferocity of a wild beast. Then he called to the guard. + +"Run for aid, Petrovitch," he said. "The prisoner has attacked me. He is +a beast, and must be chained up." + +The man addressed summoned three other sailors and the captain of the +ship's guard. All came into the pen and forced Ben into a corner. + +"The Yankee dog!" said the captain of the guard. "To dare to strike a +Russian officer! Bring the chains at once!" + +Chains were brought, and soon Ben was bound hands and feet, with links +that weighed several pounds. Then a large staple was driven into one of +the uprights of the pen and he was fastened to this with a padlock. + +"Now place him on half-rations," said Captain Barusky. "It is the only +way to tame him." And then he hurried away to bathe his nose, which was +swelling rapidly. + +If Ben had been miserable before he was doubly so now. The chains were +cumbersome and cut into his flesh, and being fastened to the upright he +could scarcely move a foot either way. To add to his misery the front of +the pen was boarded over, so that what little light had been admitted to +his prison was cut off. + +In this wretched condition he passed a full week. In that time Captain +Barusky came to peep in at him three times, and on each occasion tried +to say something to make him still more dispirited. The food was so bad +he could not eat and the air often made his head ache as if it would +crack open. + +"If this is a sample of Russian prison life it's a wonder all the +prisoners don't go mad," he reasoned. "A few months of this would surely +kill me." + +At the end of the week Ben heard firing at a distance. The supply boat +was now trying to steal into Port Arthur and had been discovered by a +Japanese patrol boat. The craft was struck twice and the prisoner below +heard a wild commotion on the deck, as one of the funnels was carried +away. But darkness favored the Russians, and inside of two hours the +supply boat passed into Port Arthur harbor without sustaining further +damage. She was then directed to a proper anchorage by the harbor +master; and on the following day the transfer of her cargo to the +storehouses on shore was begun. + +For several days longer Ben was kept on the boat. Then, one wet and cold +morning, he was liberated and told to march on deck. From the vessel he +was taken to a big stone building which was being used as one of the +garrison quarters. Here he was given a scant hearing in the presence of +Captain Barusky, who appeared against him. + +"We have no time to investigate your case at present, Captain Russell," +said the officer who conducted the examination. "But from reports I +should surmise that you are a dangerous young man. You must remain a +prisoner." And then the young captain was taken away. Later on, he was +marched a distance of half a mile and blindfolded. When the bandage was +removed from his eyes, he found himself in an old stone building, dirty +and neglected. He was taken to a small room, having a grated window, and +thrust inside. Six other prisoners were put into the apartment with him, +one man with a hacking cough, dreadful to hear. The door was closed and +barred; and all were left to take care of themselves as best they could. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +A FIERCE BATTLE AT SEA + + +Larry was taking a nap when the call came to clear the ship for action. +It had been discovered that the Russian fleet was trying to escape from +Port Arthur harbor, and the news was flashed from vessel to vessel of +Admiral Togo's fleet, and all were ordered to prevent the movement at +any cost. + +"Now I reckon we are in fer it!" ejaculated Luke, as he and the youth +rushed over to their gun. "Larry, it's in my mind we have some tall work +cut out fer us this trip!" + +"Let it come--I am in just the humor for fighting!" cried Larry. "I hope +we can smash them just as we smashed the Spanish ships in Manila Bay." + +Sailors and gunners were hurrying in all directions, and orders were +coming in rapid succession. At first the Russian ships had turned in one +direction, now they were turning in another, and, later still, they +separated. A distant firing could already be heard, but where it came +from those on the _Shohirika_ could not tell. + +So far no ships of the enemy could be seen with the naked eye. The +lookouts kept a close watch, and the flashlights continued to play all +over the bosom of the rolling sea. + +It was almost daylight when a distant explosion was heard. A Russian +torpedo boat had run into a mine and was so badly damaged that she sank +inside of ten minutes, carrying a large part of her crew with her. + +This disaster proved a warning to the other Russian ships and they +proceeded on their courses with added caution. The Japanese warships +were equally on the alert, yet, just as the sun came up, one brushed +against a mine and received such damage that she was practically put out +of the contest. + +"There is one of the enemy's ships!" was the cry, as the mist swept away +as if by magic and the sun came out strongly. "Now is our chance. +_Banzai!_" + +"And there is another ship!" came a moment later, "and one of our own +pounding her as if she was a witch!" + +Guns were now booming over the water constantly, and from the forts on +shore came shots and shells in rapid succession. Soon the _Shohirika_ +was in the midst of the battle, and then Luke and Larry worked over the +gun as never before, doing their full share towards disabling the ship +that was trying to escape up the Manchurian coast. + +For over an hour the running fire kept up. Neither ship dared to put on +full speed, for fear of running into a mine. Solid shot was hurled in +all directions, and the _Shohirika_ received one below the water line +which for the moment looked as if it might sink the craft. But the +ship's carpenter and his crew got at the leak immediately, driving in a +wedge which quickly stopped the flow of water. + +It was hard, exhausting work between decks, and at the end of an hour +Larry felt he must have some fresh air. Both he and Luke applied for +permission to go on deck, and this permission was readily granted, for +the guns on their side of the warship were not then in use. + +On the deck of the _Shohirika_ they could see what this battle really +meant. Dirt and debris were to be seen in many places, and half a dozen +sailors and marines had been killed or wounded. Everybody was bathed in +perspiration and grime, and some of those who worked the big guns were +panting like dogs after a chase. + +"It's work, that's what it is," said Luke, running the perspiration from +his begrimed forehead with his finger. "Ain't no child's play about it!" + +"And dangerous work at that," added Larry. He gave a look toward the +enemy's ships. "I declare, Luke, I believe they are running back to Port +Arthur harbor!" + +"I think the same, lad," responded the Yankee gunner. "Reckon they are +findin' it is goin' to cost too much to get away. As soon as they get +away from them land batteries we can pound 'em for keeps and they know +it." + +"And get away from the mines. That's the worst with fighting around +here--you don't know how soon you'll hit a mine and be blown up." + +"Oh, I reckon our captain is watching out fer them pesky things." + +Larry was interested in watching the sharpshooters and range-finders in +the tops, and he walked across the deck to get a better look at them. +Luke followed, and as he did so, one of the nearest of the Russian ships +sent out a roaring broadside at the _Shohirika_ which raked her fore and +aft and sent another hole through her side, but this time above the +water line where it did scant damage. + +"Gee Christopher!" began Luke, when he chanced to glance upward. "Larry, +look out!" he screamed. "The top's coming down on ye!" + +Luke was right. One of the shots from the enemy had struck the foremast, +above the fighting top, and it was crashing down, carrying a portion of +the ship's flag with it. One end struck the gun turret, and then the +wreckage hit Larry on the shoulder, hurling him on his back. + +The foremast was heavy and had it struck the youth before landing on the +turret and the surrounding works it might have killed the young gunner's +mate on the spot. As it was, Larry lay like a log where he had fallen +and when Luke raised him up the old tar found him unconscious. + +"If he ain't got his shoulder broke then I miss my guess," muttered the +Yankee gunner. "Larry! Larry! Can't ye speak to me?" + +"That was a nasty one," came from one of the officers of the deck. +"Better carry him below." And then the officer gave orders to remove the +wreckage and hoist the flag once more. + +With the unconscious youth in his arms, Luke hurried below and to the +sick bay of the warship. Here the surgeon got to work immediately and +examined Larry thoroughly. + +"No bones broken," he announced. "But the bruise is severe and he is +suffering from shock. He will soon come to his senses." + +Luke had to return to his gun, for duty is duty in the navy, regardless +of what is happening around one. It was true, the Russian warships were +now doing their best to sneak back into Port Arthur harbor and Admiral +Togo wanted to do all the damage possible before the forts made it +impossible to follow them further. All of the warships' guns were worked +to their utmost, and when the Russian vessels did get back they were so +badly crippled that they were of small consequence for future fighting +until undergoing repairs. + +When Larry opened his eyes again he found himself lying on a clean white +cot in the ship's hospital with an attendant standing over him bathing +his face. + +"Oh!" he murmured and stared around him. "Oh, my shoulder! That was a +fearful crack I got!" + +The attendant did not understand, but smiled blandly and continued to +bathe his face and also his head. Soon the full realization of what had +happened came to the young gunner's mate. Then he asked about Luke. + +The fighting was at an end and presently Luke came to him, to find Larry +sitting up in a chair. + +"I feel stiff and sore all over, Luke," said the youth. "It was just as +if a house came down on me." + +"Thank fortune you wasn't killed, or didn't have your bones broken," +returned the Yankee gunner. + +"I am thankful. Were you hurt?" + +"Not in the least." + +"What about the fight?" + +"The Russians have sneaked back into the harbor like a lot of whipped +dogs." + +"What is our ship doing?" + +"Putting up the coast. I don't know where we are going," answered Luke. + +Larry remained in the ship's hospital for three days and then resumed +his duties as before. His shoulder still felt stiff and sore and lifting +anything was a good deal of labor. But Luke favored him, so he got along +very well. + +A week passed and the _Shohirika_ remained at sea, moving in a wide +circle, on the lookout for Russian warships or supply boats. But none +were encountered, and then the cruiser was ordered to escort a transport +filled with soldiers bound for the front. + +The transport landed at a point some miles north of Dalny and the troops +went ashore without delay. They were bound for the railroad, and were to +participate in the advance upon Port Arthur from that point. + +As the warship remained in the harbor several days, both Luke and Larry +were allowed a short run on shore. They enjoyed this trip very much, +until, much to their surprise, they learned that Major Okopa's command +was in the vicinity. Then they hunted this up, to learn the sad news +from Gilbert that Ben was missing. + +"Missing!" ejaculated Larry, in horror. "Taken by Chunchuses! Oh, +Gilbert, this is dreadful!" + +"Well, I don't know as you feel any worse than I do, Larry," answered +Gilbert. "It makes me wild to think of it." + +"But couldn't you find any trace of him at all?" + +"Not the slightest, although I think he was carried off in a boat." + +"But why should the Chinese brigands make him a prisoner?" + +"I'm sure I don't know, excepting to hold him for a ransom. But if they +intended to do that it is likely we should have heard from them before +this." + +The matter was discussed as long as Larry and Luke could remain on +shore. But nothing came of it, and with a heavy heart the young gunner's +mate returned to his place on the warship. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +THE SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR + + +After the fruitless effort to escape from Port Arthur harbor the Russian +warships "bottled up" there remained where they were for a long time to +come. Occasionally one or another attempted to run the blockade, but +results were usually disastrous, and at last the risk became so great +nothing more was done in that direction. The Japanese continued to put +down mines and sank several boats loaded with stone in or near the +winding channel, and this made getting in as hard as getting out--thus +putting a stop to the arrival of more supply boats, such as brought Ben +to the seaport. + +In the meantime the campaign on land was pushed forward with increased +activity. The headquarters of the Japanese army investing Port Arthur +was not far from the railroad, but the lines stretched many miles to the +east and the west. Troops were hurried both from Japan and from the +divisions near Liao-Yang, and heavy siege guns were mounted on every +available hilltop. The Japanese were, at the start, at a great +disadvantage--they could not see the enemy at which they were firing. +Hills and mountains cut them off from every view of the port. But they +kept hammering away, day after day, week after week, and month after +month, gaining steadily, throwing up new intrenchments, digging new +tunnels, and hauling their heavy guns forward to more advantageous +positions. The labor was body racking and the sacrifice of life +enormous. But the Mikado's soldiers did not appear to care. They had set +out to capture Port Arthur and they were going to do it. + +For the foot-soldiers and for the cavalry there was at the start but +little to do in the way of fighting. Most of the time was spent in +digging trenches and tunnels, and in keeping out of the way of shells +that whistled and screamed in all directions--shells weighing hundreds +of pounds, which, when they struck, tore up the ground for yards around +and smashed the rocks as if the latter were passing through a quartz +crusher. Such is war of modern times, when carried on at a distance of +miles. + +But as the months went by, and Japanese and Russians came closer to each +other, hand-to-hand conflicts became numerous. The Russians contested +every foot of the ground, fighting with a courage that was truly heroic, +and sacrificing themselves freely for the Czar and the country they +loved. The hand-to-hand conflicts became bloody in the extreme, +thousands upon thousands being slaughtered between the rising and the +setting of the sun. + +From the seacoast the command to which Gilbert was attached moved to a +small place called Fugi Klan. Here they went into camp for several weeks +and while there were joined by a number of other commands, including +that containing those old soldiers of fortune, Dan Casey and Carl +Stummer, who had served with Gilbert and Ben in Cuba and in the +Philippines. + +"Py chiminy, of it ton't done mine heart goot to see you, cabtain!" +exclaimed Carl Stummer, rushing up and giving Gilbert a handshake. "How +you peen, annavay?" + +"First rate, Stummer. And how are you, Casey?" + +"Sure an' it's meself is as foine as a fiddle," answered the Irishman, +with a broad grin on his freckled face. "It's a great war, ain't it now? +Both soides is fightin' like a pair o' Kilkenny cats, so they are! An' +where is me ould friend, Captain Russell?" + +"He was captured by Chunchuses." + +"No!" came from both Stummer and Casey, and then they poured in a volley +of questions which were bewildering. Gilbert answered them as best he +could. + +"Dot's der vorst ding vot I hear yet alretty!" said Carl Stummer, with a +sad shake of his head. "I vish I got dem Chunchusers--or vot you call +dem--here. I fix 'em, eh, Tan?" + +Dan Casey nodded vigorously. "Sure an' we'd be after puttin' a ball +through ivery mother's son of 'em, so we would! Poor Ben Russell! I +loiked him loike a brother!" And the honest Irish sharp-shooter heaved a +long sigh. + +Both Casey and Stummer had been having easy times of it for several +weeks, but now they were called upon to go forth with pick and shovel, +to do their share of work in digging intrenchments. This was not so +nice, but they went at the labor without a murmur. + +"Sure an' we might as well git into practice," observed Casey, as he +started in with vigor. "Whin the war's over an' we git back to the +States, it may be ourselves as will be workin' fer the corporation in +New York or ilsewhere!" + +"Yah, udder puttin' town railroad dracks alretty in der Vest," answered +Carl Stummer. "Dot is," he added, "of I ton't got money enough to puy a +farm." + +"'Tis a stock farm I'm wantin'," came from Casey. "Wid horses galore. +There's money for ye, Carl!" And he went to work with added vigor--as if +he expected to turn up the stock farm from the soil beneath him. + +To Gilbert, even though he occasionally saw Stummer and Casey, the days +were very lonely. He missed Ben greatly, and each day wondered if he +would ever see his old war chum again. Major Okopa saw this and did what +he could to cheer up the young officer. + +"He may turn up before you realize it," said the major. "I don't think +he was killed." + +"If he is alive, it is very strange that we do not hear from him." + +Two days later came a batch of letters into camp, written, or rather +painted, for the most part, on thin Japanese paper. Among the +communications were two for Gilbert, one from Captain Ponsberry +concerning the _Columbia_ and her cargo, and the other from a stranger +in Pekin, China. + +"Who can be writing to me from Pekin, China?" mused the young captain, +and began to read the communication with interest. It was from a Chinese +merchant, and ran in part as follows: + + "You will be mystified to receive this from an utter + stranger, but I deem it my duty, kind sir, to send this word + to you. + + "Know, then, that one Ken Gow, a servant of my family, was + in Port Arthur up to sixteen days ago--first a servant in an + American family there, and next a prisoner in the vilest + prison man ever saw, guarded by dogs of Russians unworthy to + be used as door mats. Ken Gow is a faithful man, the flower + of all my help. + + "It is needless to explain to you why my servant was thus + ill-treated. But you must know that when in prison he met + your great friend Captain Benjamin Russell, and it was the + captain who saved Ken Gow from many hard blows from the + other prisoners, who wanted not a Chinaman amongst them. + + "Ken Gow was grateful, even as I am grateful, and he + promised to get word to you of this matter if the Russians + granted him his liberty. Finding no fault in my servant he + was, after a time, liberated, and watching his chance, left + Port Arthur and came home. + + "Kind sir, he is grateful to Captain Russell and would do + much for him if he could. Yet his most is to send this + letter to you, telling you that Captain Russell is alive and + held in a Port Arthur prison as a spy. One Russian hates + him--his name, Captain Barusky,--and it would appear that + this Russian is also your enemy, so beware of him. + + "I can tell no more. Ken Gow is sick from his treatment at + the hands of the Russian dogs. Accept this miserable + assurance of my eternal friendship, and esteem for one I + know must be high and illustrious." + + "CHENG MO." + +Gilbert read the letter several times and showed it to Major Okopa. It +was written in true Chinese style, with a big Chinese seal attached, and +was, beyond all doubt, genuine. + +"I can't understand one thing," said the young captain. "How did Ben get +to Port Arthur?" + +"It may be that this Captain Barusky had him taken there, Captain +Pennington." + +"I thought Captain Barusky was at Mukden." + +"The Russians have been taking in some troops at Port Arthur on the sly. +Despite Admiral Togo's efforts, some supply boats and transports have +passed his ships." + +"If Barusky is there he will do what he can to make Ben miserable. He is +down on both of us--for he knows we are down on him and Ivan Snokoff." + +"Do you think Snokoff could have anything to do with this?" + +"I'm sure I don't know. Anything is possible. Snokoff would be glad to +make trouble for Ben--since he helped me to make him settle up at +Liao-Yang. Those Chunchuses tried to capture both of us." + +The matter was talked over for half an hour, but brought forth no +satisfaction. To Gilbert's mind, being held by the Russians as a spy was +as bad as being in the hands of the Chinese brigands. + +"I wish we could get into Port Arthur at once," he said, finally. "I +shouldn't like anything better than to capture this Captain Barusky and +liberate Ben." + +"We are bound to get into the port sooner or later," answered Major +Okopa. "They are bringing up more siege guns every day. If the Russians +won't give up we'll batter the whole town down over their heads." + +"Which will be a bad thing for Ben," rejoined Gilbert. "I don't want him +killed in the attempt to rescue him." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +FROM ONE DIFFICULTY TO ANOTHER + + +"Where is this going to end?" + +It was Ben who asked himself the question, as he walked up and down the +narrow cell in which he had been confined in the prison at Port Arthur. + +What had been written to Gilbert in the letter from Pekin had been +substantially correct. Ben had aided Ken Gow in numerous ways, and for +this the Chinaman had been extremely grateful and had promised to do all +he could for the young captain should he manage to escape from the +blockaded seaport. Then Ken Gow had disappeared one night, and that was +the last Ben saw of him. + +Three days later a guard entered the prison and announced that the +prisoners were to be transferred to other quarters. With his hands bound +behind him, Ben was marched forth through a side street of Port Arthur, +where stood an old building which had formerly been used as a market. +Cells had been built in this structure, and into one of these he was +thrust, the guard sarcastically telling him to make himself as +comfortable as possible. + +The young captain was sick in both body and mind and fast reaching that +point where one becomes desperate and fit for any deed of daring. More +than once he was tempted to throw himself on the guard in an endeavor to +overpower the fellow and escape. But he realized that if caught at this +he would be immediately shot down. + +Day after day passed, and from outside the prisoner heard the dull +booming of cannon. Occasionally a shell would explode close to the +prison, causing a wild yell of alarm and a general rush by those +outside. There were flags over the prisons and over the hospitals, +showing what manner of places they were, but, as said before, the +Japanese were at a loss to see what they were firing at, so many shots +and shells went where they were not intended. These mishaps were what +caused the report to circulate that the Mikado's men were not fighting +according to the rules of modern warfare, but were doing their best to +shatter the hospitals in which lay their own and the Russian wounded. + +It was a cold, raw day, with a touch of snow in the air, and Ben felt +one of his desperate moods coming over him. His hands and feet were free +and he peered forth from the one narrow window that the cell contained. +All he could see beyond was a courtyard, surrounded by a stone wall. + +"I wish I was out there--I'd get over that wall somehow!" he muttered to +himself. + +The cell window was not over fifteen or sixteen inches wide and twice +that in height. The bars were of iron, but set in wooden frames but a +few inches in thickness. + +"A fellow might smash out those bars with the bench end," he thought. +"But after that what? I reckon the guard in the courtyard would shoot me +on sight. I might try it at night." + +Still in a desperate mood, Ben picked up the bench, a solid affair +several feet long. He made an imaginary lunge at the window bars with +it. + +"I'll wager I could knock them out with one blow. They----" + +Ben got no further, for at the moment a fearful explosion sounded +somewhere overhead. The explosion was followed by a crash and a wild +yell of alarm. A Japanese shell had struck the top of the building, +tearing away fully a quarter of the roof and sending the bricks and +timbers flying in all directions. + +"Now is my chance!" he muttered, and without stopping to think twice he +rammed the window bars as hard as he could with the bench. A second and +third blow followed, and down went the irons, carrying a portion of the +window frame with them. Then through the opening leaped the young +captain. As he landed in the courtyard, he picked up a small log of wood +lying handy. + +A glance around told him that the guard was nowhere in sight, the +Russian having run to the other side of the building to note the damage +done by the shell. Log in hand, Ben leaped quickly across the courtyard +and placed the bit of wood up against the wall. This gave him a footing, +and in a twinkling he was on top of the wall. + +But though he acted quickly a guard from the prison building saw him and +ran forth gun in hand. + +"Halt!" came the command, in Russian, and then, raising his weapon, the +guard fired at Ben. + +The bullet whistled over the young captain's head, and without looking +back to see who had fired it, he dropped on the other side of the wall. +Then he sprinted up the street and around a corner. + +Ben knew not where to go, but his one thought was to put distance +between himself and the prison, and he hurried on and on, until he came +to a barn which stood open. Into this he darted, to find the building +empty of occupants. + +The Japanese had begun a general bombardment of Port Arthur and shot and +shells were flying in all directions. This being the case, the majority +of the troops and the inhabitants were out of sight,--hid away in +cellars and dugouts. Nobody paid any attention to him and he was thus +given ample time in which to think matters over and decide upon his next +movement. + +From the barn Ben moved to the building next door--which was a sort of +dwelling and storehouse combined. Here, from the wide open doorway, he +gazed at the scene of destruction before him. It was full of horror and +made him shiver. + +"War is certainly a terrible thing," he thought. He saw some people +running for their lives, and beheld one man go down struck in the back +by a shell. Then he turned away to shut out the sight. + +In one room of the warehouse he found an old overcoat and a slouch hat, +and lost no time in donning these, both as a disguise and to keep +himself warm. Then he hunted around for something to eat, but could not +find a mouthful. + +"I might have known there would be no food squandered," he told himself. +"Didn't they say at the prison that they were slaughtering the horses +just for the meat, and that butter and eggs were worth their weight in +gold? I'll be lucky to get bread and soup--especially as I haven't a +dollar with which to pay for a meal." + +Ben was about to leave the warehouse when he saw a file of Russian +soldiers approaching. With the soldiers were two officers, and as they +came closer he recognized one as Captain Barusky. + +"It was a bad thing to let that American escape," said the captain to +the other officer. "If you catch sight of him, shoot him on the spot." + +"Which we shall do with pleasure," was the ready answer; and then +officers and soldiers passed on. + +"I've got to keep out of sight, that's all there is to that," reasoned +Ben, grimly. "If they catch me again it's all up with me. I wonder if it +would be possible to get out of Port Arthur? Gilbert got out, but things +weren't half so closely guarded as they are now." + +Ben waited until nightfall before leaving the warehouse. Then, keeping a +constant lookout for Russian soldiers, he sneaked along one street after +another. Where to go he did not know, but he realized that he must have +something to eat or he would starve. + +Presently he came to a small garden in the center of which was a +neat-looking residence. On the doorplate was the name Nathan Chase. + +"Nathan Chase!" Ben cried, half aloud. "I wonder if that can be the +gentleman Gilbert knew? If it is perhaps he will aid me." + +At first the young captain thought to ring the doorbell, but fearful of +meeting the wrong person he resolved to investigate in a more private +manner. The side windows of the residence were curtained, but the +curtains were only partly down. Going to one of the windows he peered +inside. + +In a neatly furnished sitting room sat a young lady and a Russian +soldier. They were arguing about something--money matters as far as Ben +could make out. The young lady did not wish to give the soldier the +money and he insisted upon having it. While Ben gazed at the scene, the +Russian soldier leaped up, grasped the young lady by the shoulders and +shook her roughly. + +"Don't!" screamed the young lady, in English. "Let me go!" + +"I want the money!" answered the soldier, in his native tongue. He was a +Cossack and of brutal features. + +The young lady was pretty and she was helpless, and this combination was +more than the young captain could resist. Regardless of consequences, he +shoved up the window and leaped inside the apartment. + +"Keep your hands off of that young lady!" he cried, and catching the +Cossack by the shoulder he threw him backward. "Don't you know how to +treat a lady when you meet her, you big brute?" + +The Cossack was startled, first because he had not expected the +interruption and secondly because he had no business to be in the +mansion. He gave one look at Ben and then rushed out into the hallway +and left the premises with all possible speed. + +As soon as the Cossack was gone the young lady and Ben stared at each +other. She started to speak, but stopped suddenly. + +"Excuse me for coming in as I did, but I thought it was necessary," said +the young captain. "I guess that fellow had no business here." + +"You are right, sir. Papa is away, and he wanted me to give him money. +He must have known I was alone in the house." + +"Are you Miss Chase?" + +"I am. But you have the advantage of me." + +"I know it. I am Captain Benjamin Russell. Perhaps you know an old +friend of mine, Gilbert Pennington. He knows your father, I believe." + +"Oh, yes, I have met Captain Pennington. They tell me he is now in the +Japanese army." + +"He is." Ben paused and looked at the young lady keenly. "Miss Chase, +can I trust you?" he asked, abruptly. + +"What do you mean?" + +"I will tell you," and in a few brief words he related his story, to +which Grace Chase listened with close attention. + +"You were lucky to escape from that prison!" she cried, when he had +finished. "To be sure I will assist you as far as I can. Papa is away on +business, but I expect him back in two or three hours. We haven't much +on hand to eat, but such as there is you are welcome to." + +"I'm hungry enough to eat anything," said Ben, with a little smile. + +"Then come with me to the dining room, Captain Russell, and I will +prepare supper." + +"You haven't any servants now, I suppose?" + +"No; every one of them has deserted us." + +They entered the dining room, and the young lady asked Ben to close the +shutters. While he was doing this she prepared such a meal as the larder +of the house afforded. It was not much, but he did not complain, and he +thanked her warmly for giving what he felt she could ill afford to set +before him. + +The meal finished, they sat down to await the coming of Mr. Chase. While +doing this Ben related some of his experiences in the army and the young +lady told of the horrors of the siege. + +"One cannot understand it unless you are in the midst of it," she said. +"Papa says business is at a standstill, the hospitals are filled with +the sick and the wounded, and we are in constant dread that the next +moment will be our last. The suspense is so great that in one or two +cases the inhabitants have gone crazy." + +"I can well believe that, Miss Chase. During the war in the Philippines +I saw----" + +Ben paused, as a heavy footstep sounded on the porch of the residence. +Other footsteps followed, and then came a loud knock on the door. + +"Open here!" demanded a voice in Russian. "Open, in the name of the +Czar!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +A SURPRISE FOR LARRY + + +As the days passed, the watch upon Port Arthur from the sea became +closer and closer. Admiral Togo gave strict orders that no ships should +be allowed to enter or come from the harbor under any circumstances, and +each commander of a warship was on his mettle, knowing full well that if +he was derelict in his duty he would speedily hear from his superior in +a manner far from pleasant. + +Blockading became something of a monotony to Larry and Luke, and after +several weeks had passed both wished something would happen. + +"I'd rather put up with a stiff sea fight than this," declared the young +gunner's mate. + +"Right ye are, lad," replied the old Yankee tar. "Ain't no use o' bein' +ready for a tussle if it ain't comin'. As it now is, life in the navy +ain't no more excitin' nor life on the old _Columbia_." + +During that time Larry received a letter from Captain Ponsberry, similar +in contents to that sent to Gilbert. The Japanese Government had +released the cargo of the schooner and then bought the same at a good +round price. The ship had also been released, Captain Ponsberry having +to pay a nominal sum for this action. + +"I think the captain is lucky to get off so easily," said Larry. "I +suppose the Japanese Government might have scooped in everything." + +"Well, the Japs think it best to remain friendly to the United States," +answered Luke, and it is likely that the old sailor was more than half +right. + +Cold weather had come in earnest and work on deck was far from pleasant. +Yet each man on the _Shohirika_ had to do his full duty as before, and, +be it said to their credit, not a sailor or marine did any shirking. Gun +drills and various exercises were kept up constantly. + +One day the warship ran close to a big trading brig bound for Hong-Kong. +As was the custom, the brig stopped to allow the commander of the +_Shohirika_ to make certain that she was not carrying contrabands of war +for Russia or had no intentions of running the blockade. + +While this examination was going on, Larry and Luke chanced to come on +deck, curious to have a look at the stranger. + +"About as big a brig as I ever see in these parts," was the Yankee tar's +comment. "She must carry a whopping cargo." + +"Yes, and a lot of men to man her," answered Larry. "Think of hoisting +and furling such sails as she carries!" + +The two vessels had come fairly close to each other, and our friends +continued to survey the brig with interest. Then Larry gave a cry. + +"Oh, Luke, I wish I had a glass!" + +"Why?" + +"Unless I am mistaken, there is Shamhaven on the deck of that ship!" + +"No!" + +Larry pointed with his hand. "Doesn't that look like him?" he continued. + +"Keelhaul me, if I don't think you're right, lad. Wait, I'll get a glass +an' make certain!" + +The old tar knew where he could borrow a glass, and in a minute more he +returned, and both took a brief look through the instrument. + +"It is Shamhaven!" ejaculated Larry. "And look, there is Peterson coming +from the fo'castle!" + +"That's so. What ye goin' to do about it?" + +"Tell the officer of the deck. They shan't get off with my money if I +can help it." + +Rushing away, Larry soon acquainted the proper officer with what he had +discovered--telling as much about the robbery as seemed necessary. The +officer was interested, and, what was even more to the point, liked the +young American. + +"Do you wish to go to yonder ship and confront the men?" he asked. + +"Try me and see!" answered Larry, excitedly. "I mean, yes, sir," he +stammered. "And will you let Luke Striker go, too?" + +The officer agreed, and soon another small boat put off from the +warship, and Larry and Luke, with the officer, were speedily landed on +the deck of the brig. + +"You're a fine rascal, to rob me!" cried Larry, rushing up to Shamhaven. +"And to rob Captain Ponsberry, too!" + +Shamhaven had not expected this encounter, and for the moment he was +dumbstruck. He gazed from Larry to Luke as if they were ghosts. + +"I--I--who are you, anyway?" he stammered. "I don't know you," he added, +striving to regain his composure. + +"Yes, you do know me, and you know Luke Striker, too," answered the +young gunner's mate. + +"What does this mean?" asked the captain of the brig, while a number of +others looked on with interest. + +"I'll tell you what it means, sir," said Larry, and did so. "He has got +to give up my money belt and my money, and give up Captain Ponsberry's +money, too." + +At this moment Peterson came up and was promptly collared by Luke. + +"Stop! Don't you vos touch me!" cried Peterson. "I ain't noddings done, +no." + +"You helped Shamhaven to rob me," came from Larry. + +"No, he done it all alone! I no touch noddings!" + +"Oh, shut up!" roared Shamhaven, in disgust. "I never robbed anybody. If +you lost your money Peterson must have taken it." + +A quarrel ensued between the evildoers, in the midst of which came a cry +from the _Shohirika_. + +"An enemy is in sight!" + +At once all attention was turned to the warship. Scarcely a minute +elapsed when a signal was displayed: + +"A battleship, and she is trying to escape up the coast!" + +"To the boats!" roared the Japanese officer on the deck of the brig. "To +the boats at once! This investigation will have to be postponed. We +shall expect you to remain as you are"--the latter words to the captain +of the big brig. + +"As you will," was the smooth answer. + +A rush was made for the two small boats, Larry and Luke being hustled +along with the crowd. Soon they put off for the warship, which was +already preparing to follow the Russian battleship that had been seen. + +"I didn't get my money, after all," grumbled the youth. "But perhaps +I'll get it later--if that ship of the enemy doesn't sink us," he added. + +As soon as they were on board of the _Shohirika_ again, the cruiser +started after the battleship. But the enemy had a good lead, and it was +some time before the Japanese warship could command a full head of +steam, which meant everything to her. Then, when steam was to be had in +plenty, there came a breakdown in the engine room, causing a delay of +twenty minutes. + +"We'll never catch her,--at least, not to-day," said Luke, and he was +right. Darkness found the battleship still three miles away. Half a +dozen shots were fired at her, but none took effect. Then night ended +the pursuit. + +In the morning nothing was to be seen of the enemy and those on the +Japanese warship were much depressed, for they had fancied that an +encounter might add greatly to their laurels. But shortly before noon +the lookout announced the approach of another ship. + +"A Russian cruiser!" was the cry. + +This was correct--the vessel was the auxiliary cruiser, _Pontomuk_, +formerly a steamer in the Siberian trade. She was manned by a fierce and +swarthy-looking body of sailors and marines, and carried a first and +second battery of no mean proportions. + +"I'll wager we have got some work cut out for us now," said Larry, and +he was right. Finding she could not run away from the _Shohirika_ the +Russian auxiliary cruiser came steaming up and let drive at close +range,--a broadside that raked the Japanese warship from end to end with +deadly effect. The _Shohirika_ answered immediately, and both the +steering wheel and the rudder were smashed on the enemy's ship. + +"Phew! but this is hot work!" panted Larry, as all those around the gun +worked like Trojans. + +"An' it's going to be hotter!" ejaculated Luke. He sighted the piece +with care. "There, Sally Jane, let her go!" And he pressed the electric +button. _Bang!_ went the gun with a roar that was deafening. Then the +breech was thrown open and the smoke rolled out, filling the air with a +smell that made them cough and sneeze. But nobody stopped work. In a +trice the gun was cleaned and cooled and another shell pushed into +place, and then the firing was repeated. + +"She's coming alongside!" was the announcement from on deck. "All hands +to repel boarders!" + +"A hand-to-hand fight!" cried Larry, and scarcely had the words been +uttered when there came a bump that hurled half the sailors flat. Up +they sprang, and as order after order was delivered the marines and +others ran for their guns and cutlasses, while the officers saw to it +that their pistols were ready for use. + +A wild, maddening yell came from the deck of the Russian ship, as +marines and sailors poured over the side. An answering _Banzai_ issued +from the Japanese, and they met the first onslaught with vigor. Then +came a fierce tramping over the deck, as the two conflicting parties +moved first to one side and then the other. + +"We are ordered up!" cried Larry, a few minutes later. "Here is where we +have got to fight for it, Luke!" + +"Right you are, lad. Do your best, and trust to Heaven for the rest!" +was the Yankee tar's reply. And then, cutlasses in hand, both mounted to +the deck, to engage in the fiercest hand-to-hand encounter either of +them had ever experienced. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI + +A CALL TO REPEL BOARDERS + + +It was a battle royal from the start and for some time neither side had +an advantage. Pistol shot was met by pistol shot, and a rifle gun placed +on the upper deck of the Russian warship was balanced in execution by a +similar gun mounted on the _Shohirika_. The slaughter created by both +weapons was frightful, a dozen or more going down on either side each +time a gun was discharged. + +When Larry and Luke came out on desk the spectacle was enough to make +the blood of the youth run cold, and it was only his previous experience +in warfare which rendered him capable of doing what he knew was his +duty. + +"Charge on them!" came the cry in Japanese. "Kill them, or drive them +back to their ship! _Banzai!_" + +"_Banzai! Banzai Nippon!_" was the yell. "Hurrah for Japan!" + +The Japanese had not expected a hand-to-hand fight and the closing in of +the enemy aroused them as they had never been aroused before. For the +first time Larry saw the sailors and marines awakened to their full +fighting fury--a fury in which every Japanese scorns death and thinks +that to die is glory for himself, his family, and his emperor. They +leaped on the Russians with a ferocity that was appalling, and that +first shock sent the Czar's men back to the deck from which they had +come. + +But the Russians were likewise aroused, and with cheers and yells they +came on once more, leaping over the bodies of those who had fallen, and +meeting shot with shot and cutlass stroke with cutlass stroke. Officers +and men fought side by side, and many went down to a common death. + +By instinct Larry and Luke kept close together, with the others from +Luke's gun near at hand, and Steve Colton and Bob Stanford not far away. +Each used his cutlass as best he could, warding off the blows of the +enemy and dealing cuts whenever a chance appeared. Larry was glad that +he had learned to use a cutlass so well, and soon found himself the +match of almost any Russian who challenged him. + +The fighting was now spread over the decks of both vessels, which were +hooked together tightly and pounding broadside at every swell of the +ocean. To attempt to blow up either ship would have been fatal probably +to both--one dragging down the other--so no such attempt was made. + +While the fighting was at its height, Larry suddenly found himself face +to face with a Russian lieutenant of marines. The fellow had a pistol in +his hand, and as Larry raised his cutlass to strike, he dropped the +weapon on a level with the youth's head and pulled the trigger. + +Had the bullet sped as intended it is likely Larry would have been +killed. But just as the trigger fell, Luke, who was at Larry's side, +knocked the pistol to one side with his cutlass and the bullet merely +grazed Larry's hair. Then Larry leaped forward and gave the Russian +lieutenant a thrust in the side which put the fellow out of the fight +instantly. + +For fully fifteen minutes the battle had now raged and it was growing +hotter each instant. All of the available men on each ship were in the +fray, and the cries and yells which resounded were deafening. + +"We certainly can't keep this fight up much longer!" panted Larry. He +had a cut on his left hand and one in the shoulder, but kept on with +dogged determination. + +"Well, we ain't goin' to surrender!" grunted Luke. "It's fight or die, I +guess!" And he leaped forward once more. + +Two tall Russians were directly in front of the old Yankee gunner, and +both fell upon him with their cutlasses at the same instant. Luke was +capable of warding off the weapon of one, but he was no match for the +pair, and it speedily looked as if they would surely kill him. + +"Back with ye!" he yelled, and swung his cutlass as rapidly as he could, +but they crowded him still closer and then one made a thrust at his face +and another at his body. + +It was at this critical moment that Larry, who had been engaged with +somebody else, saw his old war chum's predicament. With a leap he gained +Luke's side, and down came his cutlass with a sweeping blow on the wrist +of one of the enemy. The Russian dropped his cutlass to the deck and +staggered back, his hand almost severed from his arm. Then Luke slashed +the other Russian across the cheek, and both of the enemy hurried back +behind the other fighters. + +"Good fer you, Larry!" panted Luke, when he could speak. "They had me +about cornered!" + +"These fellows certainly know how to put up a stiff fight." + +"You're wounded yourself. Better go below." + +"No, I'm going to see it out. Why don't you go down yourself?" + +"It ain't in me, thet's why," answered the old Yankee gunner. + +Again came a fierce onslaught from the Russians. But the Japanese now +had another rifle gun in place, and sharpshooters were crowding the +fighting tops. The latter picked off the Russian officers, and this +created a momentary confusion. Then came a sudden order to unlock the +two ships and this was done. + +"The Russian ship is going down!" was the yell, and the news proved +true. An explosion below decks had torn a hole in the Russian warship's +bottom and she began to sink rapidly. + +The scene was now indescribable. Both the Russians and the Japanese on +the doomed vessel endeavored to reach the deck of the _Shohirika_. In +this struggle the majority of the Russians received the worst of it, and +fully fifty of them, including not a few wounded, remained on board when +the doomed warship took her final plunge beneath the waters of the sea. +Eighteen Japanese were likewise drowned, including two under officers. + +"Surrender, or we will drive you over the side!" was the command from +the Japanese, and utterly disheartened by the loss of their ship, the +Russians threw down their arms; and the fierce and bloody contest was at +an end. The common sailors were driven forward and chained together or +bound with ropes, and the officers were grouped near the stern, where a +formal surrender was made by the captain of the lost ship giving up his +sword. This formality over, the Japanese set to work at once, cleaning +up the deck and caring for the wounded as well as the hospital +accommodations of the _Shohirika_ would permit. + +"I never wish to see another fight like that," was Larry's comment, when +he had washed up and had his wounds dressed. "It was simply a +slaughter!" + +"Right you are, lad," answered Luke. "An' I reckon I'm a-goin' to carry +the scars o' it down to my grave." The old Yankee gunner had received +several severe wounds, and he was glad enough to have Larry swing his +hammock for him and lie down to rest. + +The battle over, the captain of the _Shohirika_ sailed away, to look for +the big brig once more and to report to the flagship of the fleet. But +the brig had taken time by the forelock and left for parts unknown. + +"I suppose that is the last of Shamhaven and Peterson and my money," +said Larry, when this news reached him. "I wish we had met that brig a +week ago." + +"Oh, it's possible we may see her again," said Luke, cheerfully. "But it +gets me that she ran away, unless she had something to run for." + +"She must have been carrying some contraband of war, Luke." + +"It ain't unlikely, lad. Well, she's gone, an' it ain't no use to cry +over spilt milk. When you write to Captain Ponsberry you can tell him ye +saw them two rascals an' thet's all the good it did." + +"Do you know what I'm thinking?" + +"Well?" + +"I'm thinking that brig was bound for Port Arthur, and she'll slip into +that port some dark and misty night." + +"It's a risky piece o' business. Either our ships or the mines are +likely to blow her up." + +"That is true. But the Russians at the port must be getting desperate, +and they'll most likely pay any kind of a price for supplies. A captain +who ran the blockade successfully could make a fortune," returned Larry. + +The young gunner's mate was right in his surmise. The big brig was a +Russian vessel in disguise and loaded to her fullest capacity with +supplies for the blockaded seaport. She had been fitted out at +Vladivostok, but had taken a wide sea course, so as to pretend to have +set sail from Nagasaki. Several Russian shipping merchants were +interested in the venture, which was a private one, and among the number +was Ivan Snokoff. From Captain Barusky, Snokoff had heard that fabulous +prices could be obtained for needed commodities at Port Arthur, and he +had invested nearly every _ruble_ he possessed in the enterprise. If the +vessel succeeded in reaching Port Arthur, Captain Barusky was to +undertake the disposal of the goods shipped in Snokoff's name, and then +the two were to divide the profits. + +The big brig had come close to being wrecked off the coast of Japan and +during a gale had run down a fishing smack containing Shamhaven, +Peterson, and two Japanese. One Japanese had been drowned, and the three +others from the smack had been made to join the crew of the big brig. +This was agreeable to Shamhaven and Peterson, who did not wish to remain +near Nagasaki or at any place where Captain Ponsberry or Larry would be +likely to discover them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII + +FALL OF PORT ARTHUR--CONCLUSION + + +"Open, in the name of the Czar!" + +Such was the command which startled both Ben and Grace Chase, and for +the moment each gazed at the other in horror, not knowing what to say or +do. + +"I must get away from here!" whispered the young captain, but scarcely +had he spoken when there came a crash, and the front door of the +residence swung in. Then half a dozen Russians poured into the house. + +"There he is, as I suspected!" said one, an officer from the prison. +"We'll see that you do not escape again," he added to Ben, grimly. + +In the midst of the excitement Nathan Chase arrived. But he could do +nothing for the young captain, and was glad that he was left to protect +his daughter. + +"We ought also to take her," said the prison official. "She did wrong to +harbor this prisoner." And then, without further ado, Ben was marched +back to the place from which he had escaped such a short while before. + +After that the time passed dismally enough for the young American. For +having run away he was put on the most miserable fare the prison +afforded, the food being often so vile he could not touch it. Whenever +he attempted to protest he was met with kicks and blows. + +"They might as well kill me and be done with it," he thought. "Oh, how I +wish the Japs would take the city and give me back my liberty!" + +In those days Port Arthur became a most uncomfortable place for all +living there. The Japanese army was pressing forward steadily, and army +and navy did everything possible to destroy the shipping in the harbor +and make the various forts untenable. Shots and shells were hurled into +the city at all hours of the day and night, until living there became +worse than a nightmare. Among the soldiers scurvy became prevalent, +until the hospitals could not accommodate the sick and the dying. +Nothing was done to clean up the streets, and the rubbish lay many feet +deep over the sidewalks. Practically all of the shops were closed, for +they had next to nothing to sell. The main article of food was rice, and +to cook this many old buildings had to be razed in order to procure +necessary firewood. As winter approached the suffering of the poor +became so intense that riots broke out and to maintain order not a few +were shot down. + +Such was the condition in the city. Outside, to the northward, the +fighting went on week after week. So many soldiers were killed upon both +sides that to bury the dead became impossible, and thousands were left +where they had fallen, to become the prey of vultures, or to putrefy and +fill the locality with a stench that was as nauseating as it was deadly! +Such are the horrors of modern warfare. The demands for universal peace +cannot come any too quickly. + +In the advance on Port Arthur, Gilbert did his full share of the +fighting. The Japanese were now struggling for the possession of what +was known as 203-Meter Hill, a rocky elevation which was not fortified +but which was in the direct line of Russian fire. The top of 203-Meter +Hill commanded a fine view of Port Arthur and its harbor, and it was +this view the Japanese needed, in order to make their shell fire most +effective. + +The battle for 203-Meter Hill is one which will be long remembered. The +Japanese fought with a desperation impossible to describe, and when the +hill was captured, General Stoessel sent out nearly all his available +men to retake it. But this could not be accomplished, and late in +December the Japanese stormed the inner defenses of the Russian chain of +forts, killing nearly all of the brave defenders who dared to oppose +them. Then tons upon tons of shot and shell were sent into Port Arthur +and over the harbor once again, until the locality became little short +of an inferno. Nearly all the shipping was destroyed, and so many +buildings were set on fire that to stem the conflagration became all but +impossible. The end came on New Year's Day, 1905--ten months after the +famous siege began. To hold out longer seemed impossible, and to avoid +further carnage General Stoessel called a council of war and sent a +message to General Nogi offering to capitulate. + +"Port Arthur has surrendered!" The news flew from one Japanese regiment +to another, and soon the warships were sending the message from vessel +to vessel. For once the Japanese showed their real feelings, and "_Banzai! +Banzai!_" rent the air again and again. "Long life to the Mikado! Port +Arthur is ours once more!" + +"It is a well-earned victory!" cried Larry, when he heard the news. + +"Yes, lad, and I trust it brings this bloody war to a close," came from +Luke. + +"They say General Stoessel blew up the warships remaining in the +harbor." + +"He couldn't have had many left," returned the old Yankee gunner. "The +army and the navy have about battered everything to bits." And in this +surmise Luke was correct. + +The fall of Port Arthur caused widespread consternation in Russia, while +the people of Japan were correspondingly elated. Because of the gallant +defense of the place, the Japanese made generous terms with those who +had surrendered, much to the satisfaction of the world at large. Many +had predicted a universal butchery, but nothing of the sort occurred, +and the Russian sick and wounded were given every possible attention. + +After the fall of the port Larry was permitted to go ashore some miles +above the town, and he managed to locate Gilbert, and then learned for +the first time that Ben was a prisoner in the captured place. + +"A prisoner!" he ejaculated. "Oh, Gilbert, we must find him and have him +released!" + +"That is just what I have been thinking, but I don't know exactly how to +go at it, Larry." + +"There ought to be some way of doing these things. We might interview +one of the generals and----Who is that coming this way?" + +"Why, it's Ben himself!" cried Gilbert. + +"Ben!" screamed Larry, and ran forward to meet his brother. Soon they +were in each other's arms, and then Gilbert received an equally warm +greeting. + +"We were released this morning," said Ben. "I can tell you I was mighty +glad of it. I haven't had a meal fit to eat in weeks." + +"Well, you shall have the best our larder affords," said Gilbert. "My, +but you're a sight for sore eyes!" he continued. + +"Don't say a word!" came from Larry. Two tears were glistening in his +honest eyes. "It's almost too good to be true!" + +* * * * * + +Here let me add a few words more and then bring to a close this tale of +the naval and military adventures "At the Fall of Port Arthur." + +After the surrender of the city the army in that vicinity, and also the +fleet near the harbor, had but little to do outside of caring for the +sick and wounded and disposing of the thousands of prisoners. The +Russian officers were allowed to go on parole and the prisoners were +transported to Japan. Many of the mines in the harbor were taken up, so +that ships might come and go in safety. + +Larry was anxious to learn what had become of Shamhaven and Peterson, +and through the Japanese guards stationed in Port Arthur located the +rascally sailors at a cheap boarding-house. Both were made prisoners, +and Larry got back a portion of the money stolen from Captain Ponsberry +and himself. It was learned that the big brig had been destroyed by the +Japanese shell fire, so that Ivan Snokoff lost everything he placed in +the venture. + +"Well, it served him right," said Gilbert, when he heard of this. "He is +responsible for the time Ben spent in prison." + +What had become of Captain Barusky was at first a mystery. But at last +it was learned that he had sneaked aboard of a transport filled with +wounded soldiers and bound for Chefoo. He pretended to be wounded +himself, and was given medical attention until the trick was discovered, +when he was treated as a coward. As soon as Chefoo was reached he +disappeared, and that was the last seen or heard of him for some time. + +"We are well rid of that fellow," said Ben. "I hope the Russians read +him out of their army. He isn't fit to hold a commission." + +"What do you imagine will be the next move in this war?" questioned +Gilbert. + +"It is hard to tell. I think they will try to take Mukden, for one +thing." + +"Russia is going to send out more warships," put in Larry. "If they come +this way, it may mean more fighting for me." + +"Well, I reckon you'll do your duty, if you are put to it," answered +Gilbert, with a smile. + +"And so will you do yours," came from Larry. + +"We'll all try to do our duty," broke in Ben. "We didn't join the army +and the navy to hang back. Just the same, I'd enjoy a bit of a rest just +now." + +The others agreed that the rest would be beneficial all around. It was +given to them; and here, for the present at least, we will leave them, +wishing them the best of good luck in the future. + + + + +* * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Obvious punctuation errors were corrected. + +Additional corrections: + CH X: Changed "on" to "of" ...I reckon some of us... + CH XII: Changed "he" to "be" ...but this could not be helped... + CH XXII: Deleted "t" from "fittted" ...warship was being fitted... + CH XXVII: Changed 'threatended' to 'threatened' ...he was threatened + with a flogging... + CH XXXII: Capitalized 'And' beginning of sentence: ...the Yankee tar's + reply. And then, cutlasses in hand,... + Added comma: ...just as the trigger fell,... + Changed 'located' to 'locate' ...he managed to locate Gilbert... + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AT THE FALL OF PORT ARTHUR*** + + +******* This file should be named 33559-8.txt or 33559-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/3/5/5/33559 + + + +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. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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