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diff --git a/old/67478-0.txt b/old/67478-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 601f487..0000000 --- a/old/67478-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7647 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of A United States Midshipman in China, -by Yates Stirling, Jr. - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: A United States Midshipman in China - -Author: Yates Stirling, Jr. - -Illustrator: Ralph L. Boyer - -Release Date: February 22, 2022 [eBook #67478] - -Language: English - -Produced by: D A Alexander, David E. Brown, and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was - produced from images generously made available by Cornell - University Digital Collections) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A UNITED STATES MIDSHIPMAN IN -CHINA *** - - -[Illustration: _IT WAS ROUGHLY SEIZED FROM HIS HAND_] - - - - - A - UNITED STATES - MIDSHIPMAN - IN CHINA - - _by_ - - Lt. Com. Yates Stirling Jr. U.S.N. - - Author of - “A U.S. Midshipman Afloat” - - [Illustration] - - Illustrated _by_ Ralph L. Boyer - - THE PENN PUBLISHING - COMPANY PHILADELPHIA - MCMIX - - - - - COPYRIGHT - 1909 BY - THE PENN - PUBLISHING - COMPANY - - [Illustration] - - - - -Introduction - - -Those who have read “A United States Midshipman Afloat” will recall -that Philip Perry and his friend, Sydney Monroe, recent graduates -of the Naval Academy at Annapolis, had been but a short time in the -regular naval service when the battle-ship “Connecticut,” to which they -had been assigned, was ordered to a South American port. Here they -found a revolution in progress, and it became the duty of the young men -to prevent the delivery of certain machine guns and other war material -which had been shipped from America to the insurgents. In this they -were successful after some stirring adventure on land and sea. - -The present book shows the same young officers on a United States -gunboat in the Yangtse River at a time when the lives of foreigners -in China are in peril. A further account of their experiences in -Eastern waters will be found in “A United States Midshipman in the -Philippines.” In all of these books the endeavor has been to portray -some of the bold enterprises which are all in the day’s work for a -naval officer, and to show how our modern navy accomplishes big things -in a quiet way. - - - - -Contents - - - I. AN INCIDENT OF THE RIVER 9 - - II. AN UNPLEASANT ENCOUNTER 21 - - III. THE PERIL AT THE MISSION GATE 32 - - IV. THE EMBASSY TO THE VICEROY 44 - - V. THE VICEROY’S TREACHERY 59 - - VI. DIPLOMACY FAILS 72 - - VII. DISSENSIONS 86 - - VIII. IGNACIO SHOWS HIS HAND 108 - - IX. HELD AS HOSTAGES 122 - - X. A CHINESE PRISON 139 - - XI. FRIENDS IN NEED 152 - - XII. A DARING PLAN 167 - - XIII. HOPES OF ESCAPE 181 - - XIV. THE ESCAPE 194 - - XV. AN ENEMY SILENCED 208 - - XVI. REËNFORCEMENTS 234 - - XVII. ABOARD THE “PHŒNIX” 245 - - XVIII. THE START FOR KU-LING 259 - - XIX. THE SECRET CHANNEL 274 - - XX. RUNNING THE BATTERIES 288 - - XXI. TO THE RESCUE OF THE MISSION 299 - - XXII. THE LAST CHARGE 314 - - XXIII. THE FORTS SURRENDER 332 - - XXIV. PHIL EXPLAINS 345 - - - - -Illustrations - - - PAGE - - IT WAS ROUGHLY SEIZED FROM HIS HAND _Frontispiece_ - - A PISTOL SHOT RANG OUT 71 - - “WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS” 150 - - HE MEASURED THE STRENGTH OF HIS ANTAGONIST 191 - - “THE MONITORS ARE ACTUALLY HERE!” 256 - - “THERE IS STILL A CHANCE” 283 - - THE AMERICANS WERE STRUCK DUMB 342 - - - - -A United States Midshipman in China - - - - -CHAPTER I - -AN INCIDENT OF THE RIVER - - -The United States gunboat “Phœnix” lay at anchor in the swift current -of the Yangtse River opposite the Chinese city of Ku-Ling. The surface -of the water seemed tranquil, but a closer look over the side of the -ship showed to the observer the strength of the muddy flood that swept -for thousands of miles through the length of the Chinese Empire, from -the far-away snows of the mountains of Tibet onward to the waters of -the Pacific Ocean. - -Two young midshipmen were standing at the gunboat’s rail in eager -conversation. Their eyes were intent upon the scenes on the shore -scarce a hundred yards away. - -“Oh, there’s Langdon!” exclaimed Philip Perry, the taller of the two -lads, as the form of the government pilot, Joseph Langdon, was seen -coming from the ward-room companion ladder. “Langdon, have you ever -seen this much talked about Chang-Li-Hun?” - -“Seen him?” Langdon echoed, approaching the speaker. “I’ve talked with -him many a time, and you can take my word for it, there isn’t a man -in all China whom I wouldn’t sooner have for my enemy. He’s a past -craftsman in oriental subtlety and diplomacy. He rules his own people -with a rod of iron, and if an official displeases him, off goes his -head in the most approved Chinese fashion.” - -Both midshipmen suppressed an unconscious shiver as the American pilot -of the Yangtse River illustrated the death of the disgraced official by -chopping at his own thick neck with a great sun-tanned, muscular hand. - -“Everything looks peaceful enough ashore there now, doesn’t it?” Sydney -Monroe, Phil’s friend and classmate, said in a tone of inquiry. “It -doesn’t seem as if the foreigners were much in fear of the dangers of -Chinese violence. Look!” he exclaimed; “there are European women and -even children walking along the streets.” - -“That’s the danger in China,” Langdon returned in a troubled voice. -“Living in this country is like being on top of a presumably extinct -volcano. No one knows when it will break out. Sometimes it comes -without the usual rumblings.” - -“There must have been some rumblings,” Philip Perry exclaimed, pointing -suggestively at the half score of foreign gunboats representing all the -European navies. - -“Yes,” Langdon answered, “there have been many signs which have greatly -alarmed those who have made a study of the Chinese situation. This -viceroy has within the last few weeks allowed many insults by his -people to foreigners to go unpunished, and will not listen to the -appeals of the foreign consuls. The missionaries all over the provinces -are in fear of some terrible calamity, and it is through their urgent -demands that these war-ships are here.” - -“What do the foreigners fear?” Sydney asked, interestedly. - -“Fear!” Langdon exclaimed. “Why, almost every kind of torture and -death. When once the Chinese are allowed to avenge themselves upon the -foreigner there’s no limit to their cruelty.” - -“Why can’t we appeal to the Chinese government at Peking to protect -foreigners?” Phil asked gravely. “Haven’t we a treaty with China for -protection of United States citizens here?” - -Langdon gave the lad a withering look, as he replied: - -“This viceroy is not letting Peking know what is happening in his -provinces. If he succeeds in making the country over which he rules -dangerous and unprofitable to foreigners without doing more than kill a -few missionaries and ruining foreign trade, Peking will apologize for -the deaths and pay an indemnity to the families of those killed and -then to sustain him in the eyes of his people decorate him with the -Order of the Dragon. But if he goes too far, then Peking, in order to -save herself from an invasion of foreign soldiers, will disgrace the -viceroy in one of the many ways known best to the Chinese.” - -“Here comes the captain now,” Sydney exclaimed as a small white -canopied steam launch shoved off from the jetty and stood toward the -“Phœnix.” - -All three walked toward the gangway to meet Commander Hughes, the -captain of the gunboat, who had been ashore to visit his consul and -gather the latest news of the much feared uprising among the fanatical -natives. - -“Well, Webster,” Commander Hughes exclaimed in hearty tones to the -executive officer, as he put his foot on the quarter-deck, returning in -a precise manner the salutes of the officers standing near. “Keep your -guard for the mission ready to land at a moment’s notice. I saw that -half-breed Emmons, the oracle of the river. He is non-committal, but -I can see he fears trouble. He promised to warn me in plenty of time. -Emmons says that the Tartar general, commanding all the soldiers under -the viceroy, is not in sympathy with this movement, and if he can urge -the viceroy to take steps to suppress it, our presence here may yet be -unnecessary.” - -After the captain had entered his cabin the two midshipmen turned -eagerly upon the pilot. - -“Who is this half-breed Emmons the captain speaks of?” Phil demanded. - -“Do you see all those launches over there?” the pilot inquired, -pointing to the near-by docks where many small vessels were unloading. - -“Well, they belong to Emmons,” he added, “and he’s very rich. His -mother was a native woman and his father an American merchant skipper. -Emmons wears Chinese clothes and to meet him on the street you’d -take him for a native. We’re lucky to have Emmons with us, but if -the viceroy suspects that he is, he’d enjoy nothing better than to -confiscate his property and expel him from the provinces, even if he -doesn’t have him executed.” - -“Where’s this mission?” Sydney asked gazing searchingly out over the -green sloped hills of the country. - -Langdon held a pointing finger steadily out to the right of the walled -Chinese city. - -“About five miles from here,” he said. “It’s built in the middle of an -ancient Chinese graveyard and is a thorn in the side of the Chinese. -It was erected three years ago, and by order of this same viceroy. No -other site could be used. He knew that the Chinese would never rest -until they tore the building down. It took nearly two years to build; -all the work was done by Christian converts. I don’t blame the captain -for feeling uneasy, for in my opinion that mission will be the first -point of attack.” - -Phil and Sydney were soon after below in their rooms finishing their -unpacking; for they had but recently arrived on the station and had -joined the gunboat just previous to her leaving Shanghai on her -four-hundred mile cruise up the great Chinese river. So interested were -they during the day, viewing the shifting scenery, and at night so much -of their time had been occupied in standing watch on the gunboat’s -bridge, that they had quite forgotten their trunks as yet unpacked in -the ward-room passages. - -After dinner that evening, while the midshipmen were enjoying the -bracing fall air on the quarter-deck, Phil was suddenly summoned to -report immediately to the captain. - -Receiving Commander Hughes’ instructions to take the steam launch and -board each of the foreign gunboats, the midshipman left the cabin to -carry out his orders, much elated at the exalted rôle he was playing in -the affairs of nations. About an hour later, having visited each of the -foreign gunboats and given to their commanding officers his captain’s -letters, the launch breasted the swift current of the river on her -return to the ship. The coxswain of the launch was steering his boat -close to the hulls of the junks moored to the jetty, in order to avoid -the strength of the current. The river was silent; no sound could be -heard save the whir of the tiny engine and the rush of the tide against -the sides of the launch. - -As the boat passed within the shadow of a high-sided junk, such as are -used by the wealthy Chinese as house-boats, a piercing cry rang out -over the quiet water from her deck, directly above Phil’s head; then -he heard the sound of a scuffle, followed by the splash of a heavy -body in the dark waters astern of the launch. The lad was on his feet -in an instant; throwing off his coat, he sprang out on the launch’s -rail, ready to go to the assistance of the unfortunate one who had -been swallowed up in the treacherous waters. The coxswain had by -signal stopped the headway of the launch and all eyes were searching -the waters astern: the ripples that closed over the body were visible, -while some yards down stream an object floated, all but submerged, -rapidly borne away by the hurrying flood. - -The lad stood irresolute for the fraction of a second, fear of the -treacherous flood tugging at his heart; then overcoming this momentary -weakness, he turned to the coxswain beside him: - -“Go down to leeward and pick me up,” he ordered, gathering himself -together and springing far out into the dark river. - -As he struck out boldly sinister stories of the enchanted water surged -back to him. He had heard how the suction from the muddy bottom was -known to drag to their death even the strongest swimmers: men who had -missed their footing while stepping into boats alongside their own -ships had disappeared beneath the yellow surface never to rise again. -The Chinese superstition was that a dragon lived in the river and -that all persons who fell into his home were drawn to the bottom and -devoured by the monster. - -Phil struggled manfully against these weird fancies, yet he was -conscious of the force acting to suck his body down while he exerted -all his strength to keep his head above the engulfing waters. The -high-sided junks flashed by him as he swam with the current toward the -victim struggling despairingly in the embrace of the river dragon. In a -few moments his strong strokes had brought him alongside the drowning -man. He grasped the man’s clothing and drew him closer, seeking a -firmer hold. Avoiding the waving arms, Phil’s hand worked its way along -the body until it reached his head, and there his fingers closed about -the long braided cue; twisting this around his hand, the lad swam out -toward the middle of the river. The Chinaman struggled violently, -striving to grasp Phil’s hand. The boy saw with terror that if the -Chinaman succeeded they would both drown. - -“Be still or I’ll let you go!” he commanded, forgetting in his anxiety -that he was talking to a Chinaman, but nevertheless the man quieted -down and Phil’s hopes rose. - -With the stinging water in his eyes, he gazed about him for the launch; -he could scarcely see; the oppressive darkness seemed to be closing in -about him. Then out of the night there loomed the sides of many junks, -massed in tiers, directly in the path of the current carrying him. This -new and terrible danger filled him with despair: even the strongest -swimmer could not expect to survive if he were drawn under that wooden -wall of vessels; if he were not crushed between their huge hulls he -would be forced beneath the surface for so long a time that life would -be extinct before he rose again. His one chance was to breast the -tide, swimming out from shore in the hope that thus he might clear the -outside junk. - -The hulls seemed ever closer and the lad’s efforts weaker. The Chinaman -was a dead weight upon him; if he abandoned the man he could save -himself. Would it not be just? He could not hope to save both himself -and the Chinaman, therefore, was he not obeying the first law of nature -by abandoning the unfortunate man to his fate? But Phil, even with -death staring him in the face, dismissed these unnerving thoughts from -his mind. He would save the man or drown in the attempt! As he swam -manfully ahead, supporting the fully conscious but terrified Chinaman, -and casting anxious glances behind him at the fast approaching menace, -his heart was gladdened at the sight of the launch standing in boldly -between him and the junks, now but a few dozen yards away. Then he saw -the boat turn slowly, painfully, toward him in the grasp of the cruel, -relentless current which seemed to sweep her down under the yawning -whirlpool. He closed his eyes to shut out the sight. If the launch -failed to turn inside the distance she would be swept under the mass of -shipping and be capsized; then the brave men who had fearlessly taken -this risk to save him would all find a watery grave in the river. - -“She can’t make it!” he gasped despairingly. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -AN UNPLEASANT ENCOUNTER - - -Phil had ceased to struggle; his doom was too close upon him to hope -to escape it. His one chance was the launch. A low cry of joy burst -from him as he saw her turn safely under the overhanging bows of the -junks and steam swiftly toward him. Yet he knew that all danger had not -passed; the current was still sweeping him down while the boat must -keep her headway else she would be carried back under the shipping. The -launch loomed above him; he saw her anxious crew gathered in the bow -ready to grasp the struggling men as they were swept by on the crest of -the flood. - -He was conscious of strong arms about him, and the next moment he and -the rescued Chinaman were safely on board the launch, while she was -steaming at full speed for safety away from the treacherous shore. - -After the rescued Chinaman had been resuscitated, and Phil had -recovered from his terrible exertions, he ordered the coxswain to land -at the foreign concession. The Chinaman lay on the deck of the launch, -fully alive but not showing by word or sign his gratitude to the -midshipman who had saved his life at the risk of his own. - -As the boat stopped at the stone steps of the jetty, the Chinaman arose -unsteadily to his feet, grasping the boy’s hand in both of his, then -without a word stepped quickly out of the launch and was lost in the -night. - -Phil was so astonished at the man’s action that it was some moments -before he realized that a ring had been left in his hand. He examined -it eagerly in the dim light of an oil lantern; what was his surprise to -find that it was of massive carved gold, set with a green jade stone. - -As the launch was secured alongside of the “Phœnix’s” gangway, Phil -stepped to the coxswain’s side and took the sailor’s rough hand in his -own, much to the embarrassment of the latter. - -“Blake,” the lad said earnestly, “you saved my life, and you did it as -coolly as if you had been only making a landing alongside the ship.” - -“It was nothing, sir,” the coxswain answered quickly, his face beaming; -“but to think of your jumping into this river to save a Chink,” he -added admiringly. - -“My act was upon impulse,” Phil declared earnestly, “and took no real -nerve, while you deliberately measured your chances and saw that the -odds were dead against you; one slip, one spoke too little helm, one -revolution too few with the engines, and you and your crew would have -been swept underneath that mass of junks, and knowing this you took the -chance and had the nerve and grit to steer your boat cleverly to safety -and me with her. My act is insignificant beside yours.” - -Leaving the coxswain still wondering at his words of praise, Phil -reported his return and went at once to his room for dry clothes. -Although the hour was early, and there were many things over which he -would have liked to talk with Sydney and their new friend Langdon, when -once in dry, warm clothes he found his exertions of the past hour had -sapped his strength, and he was soon fast asleep. Nor did he awake -until the sun was streaming in through his port-hole. - -Turning out promptly, and making a hasty toilet, he was soon in -the mess-room, where he found the full mess at breakfast, and all -discussing the seriousness of the present crisis. - -As he put his hands on the table the brightness of the ring the -Chinaman had given him startled him; the deep green of the stone stood -out clearly against the white tablecloth. Langdon, sitting beside him, -espied it immediately and grasped the boy’s hand, examining the ring -closely. - -“Royal jade!” the pilot exclaimed. “Where did you get it? That’s one of -the finest stones I’ve seen in years.” - -Phil felt abashed, not wishing to relate his experience before the mess. - -“I’ll tell you later,” he whispered, withdrawing his hand before the -attention of the rest of the mess could be attracted. Then turning to -the executive officer, presiding at the head of the mess-table, he -asked anxiously: - -“Is there any news, sir, about sending the guard to the legation? If -it is going I should like to be allowed to go in the detail.” - -Sydney hastened to add his plea to go along also, and Mr. Webster’s -face broadened in an amused smile as he watched the eager faces of the -midshipmen. - -“I can tell you,” he replied heartily, “that you are both in the -detail, so you may rest easy. I for one hope there will be no necessity -for the expedition. China is a dangerous country when once aroused.” -Then, turning to Phil, whose joy showed plainly in his face, while his -pulses beat faster, he added: - -“What’s this we hear about your rescuing a Chinaman from drowning last -night? It’s all about the ship forward, yet aft here we’re the last to -hear of it.” - -Phil colored painfully while he outlined the episode of the river; he -said but little of his part, but praised unstintingly the coolness and -courage of the coxswain of the launch. - -“Coxswain Blake belittles his own part as much as you praise it,” Mr. -Webster remarked kindly, as the officers rose from the breakfast table. - -In Phil’s room after breakfast, Langdon examined the ring closely in -hopes of discovering a clew to the identity of the owner. - -“There’s nothing here to tell,” the pilot announced after careful -scrutiny, handing the ring back to the midshipman; “it’s of great value -among the Chinese; undoubtedly the man was rich and he left with you -the only article of value he was then wearing. The Chinese are a queer -lot; their superstitions will not allow them to save a fellow-being -from drowning, but when they themselves are saved by a foreigner they -will at once put aside the obligation by giving their rescuer a costly -gift. Your Chinaman doubtless considers his debt is paid.” - -After breakfast was over the midshipmen asked and received permission -to visit the foreign concession. - -“You must go in uniform,” Lieutenant Webster replied to their request, -“and the captain’s positive orders are not to enter the Chinese city.” - -The lads quickly agreed to keep to this rule, and a half hour later the -“Phœnix’s” steam launch landed them on the stone jetty abreast the -ship. - -Here they were immediately surrounded by a score of Chinese ricksha -coolies, each one anxious to enlist their patronage in engaging a -jinricksha, which is the customary conveyance of the far Eastern -countries. The lads were soon seated each in one of these miniature -carriages; and the coolies in the shafts darted off at a lively pace -down the smooth macadamized roadbed of the Bund. - -“Where shall we go first?” Sydney questioned, raising his voice so as -to be heard above the rattle of the wheels. - -Phil shook his head in sign of perfect indifference. The sensation -of riding in one of these novel carriages for the first time was -distinctly pleasant. He felt half exhilarated and half ridiculous. -However, before they had traveled a block, he lost his feeling that -every one was looking at him, a grown man riding in a baby carriage, -and began to thoroughly enjoy the situation. The throngs on the streets -interested him, and the color scheme pleased his eye; the gayly dressed -natives sprinkled here and there with the more sombre garb of the -Europeans or Americans. - -“I don’t care,” he answered as Sydney repeated his question. “Let them -take us wherever they will. Later, though, I want to go to the bank and -buy a draft to send home. - -“Here we are,” he added suddenly, making energetic efforts to stop his -own ricksha in its mad career, as he espied the sign on a great stone -building: “Hongkong Bank.” - -The lads alighting, bidding by sign their rickshas to wait, entered the -wide doorway of the bank. - -Here they met scores of Chinamen pouring continually in and out, -depositing or drawing out great sacks of Mexican dollars, the token -currency of China. Behind the counters, although the bank was owned -by an English corporation, Phil saw only Chinese. Millions of dollars -daily passed through their hands. - -Leaving Sydney gazing interestedly at the scenes of activity, Phil -moved over to a desk upon which were paper and ink laid out for the -bank customers. As he drew near, he took casual note of a foreigner -standing with his back toward the door, engaged apparently in writing. -At the man’s feet he saw a neatly folded paper lying. Apparently it -had just been dropped from the foreigner’s pocket. Stooping down, Phil -picked it up, hastily glancing over it to see if it was of sufficient -consequence to ask the stranger if it were his. He had barely time to -note that the writing was in English when it was roughly seized from -his hand, and looking up in surprise, he found himself confronted -by an angry, excited face, whose dark, piercing eyes snapped with -uncontrolled passion. The stranger thrust the letter into his pocket -with one hand, while the other was closely clenched as if he were about -to strike down the innocent offender. - -“What do you mean by trying to read my letter?” the foreigner cried in -a voice full of wrath. - -The blood mounted to Phil’s forehead as he returned unflinchingly -the stranger’s wild look. He was about to answer an apology when the -foreigner’s cutting voice stayed him. - -“Just like you officious Americans,” the stranger exclaimed, surveying -the neat blue uniform of the American midshipman; “always meddling in -some one else’s affairs.” - -“What’s the trouble, Phil?” Sydney asked in alarm, hastening to his -friend’s side, upon seeing the look on Phil’s face and the menacing -attitude of the other. - -By an effort Phil controlled himself. His first thought was then and -there to settle accounts with this infuriated man; but wiser counsel -prevailed. - -“I did not read your letter,” he retorted in a dignified voice. “I -wished only to see if it was of any consequence in order to restore -it to its owner.” Then realizing that his conciliating answer had -not changed the attitude of the stranger, he added in a voice of -self-contained anger: - -“If you got what you deserved, it would be a sound thrashing for your -slanderous tongue.” - -The foreigner, hearing the lad’s just rebuke, and seeing by his -muscular frame that he was capable of carrying his implied threat into -execution, shrugged his shoulders eloquently, pocketed his papers and -walked sullenly toward the door of the bank. - -Phil stood his ground, his eyes defiantly following the stranger until -the swinging doors closed behind him. - -Sydney was told of the cause of the unexpected dispute and was eager to -follow the foreigner and demand an apology, but Phil only laughed. - -“I got in the last word; that’s something,” he said, as he quietly -wrote out his order for the draft. “I wonder who he is. By his accent -I should say he was of a Latin race. He spoke to me in good English, -though.” - -“Do you suppose he is a naval officer from a foreign gunboat?” Sydney -asked by way of an answer. - -“No; he’s probably some beach-comber,” Phil answered testily, taking -his paper to the cashier’s desk. “And as far as I am concerned I don’t -care who he is. He’s not of sufficient importance to give him any more -attention,” he added, shutting his firm jaws with a snap in dismissing -the unpleasant incident. - -“Come on,” he said. “Let’s forget him. There are lots of things here -more amusing.” - - - - -CHAPTER III - -THE PERIL AT THE MISSION GATE - - -Upon their return on board the “Phœnix,” the midshipmen found all was -activity. A message had been received from Emmons which had decided -Commander Hughes to wait no longer before sending the guard to -protect the defenseless mission on the hill some miles from the town. -Persistent rumors were current that the Chinese outlaws would very soon -make an effort to efface this heathen blot of stone from their sacred -soil. - -In the course of a half hour all was in readiness to embark the guard. -Tents, rations, Colt gun and rifles were carried into the waiting -boats, and in a few minutes more the small party of officers and men -found themselves on the stone jetty, immediately in front of the -Chinese city. Under the eyes of a quickly-gathered, curious crowd of -Chinese, the sailors formed and marched along the road skirting the -fortified wall of the city. After some miles had been covered, the -great buildings of the mission came in sight, and soon after they were -admitted within the walled compound by the anxious missionaries, whose -dread of Chinese cruelty had been acquired through long residence among -these fanatical people. Many of their number they had seen sacrificed -by the lawless element of a superstitious and conservative race, whom -they had come thousands of miles to civilize according to their Western -standards. - -The sailor sentinels were quickly stationed at the four corners of the -walled compound, and the peaceful mission was soon transformed into a -warlike fortress. - -“What do you think of all this?” inquired Phil of the pilot after the -lads had finished their duties of preparing for the defense. - -“I think,” answered Langdon, a grim smile on his face, “that these -missionaries are wise to build their houses inside of a stone fort. The -only way to succeed in civilizing the Chinese is to make sure that they -don’t kill you before you’ve had a chance to show them the benefits of -our methods.” - -“But I mean,” urged Phil, “do you believe that there’s going to be -trouble?” - -“I’ve seen a great number of these threatened uprisings,” replied -Langdon thoughtfully, “come to nothing for the want of a leader with -energy enough to keep alive the spark of fanaticism; I hope this one -will follow in their footsteps, for if the Chinese ever awaken to the -knowledge of their power, our small force of ships and men could never -stem the rising flood. - -“Do you see the forts over yonder?” he continued, pointing to the -numerous heavy gun emplacements on the heights below the city; “those -batteries command the anchorage occupied by the allied fleet, and their -garrisons are now wavering between their loyalty to the government -at Peking, and their families and friends taking an active part in -the intrigues against the lives of the foreigners. If those guns were -turned against us, our position here would indeed be a serious one.” - -The two midshipmen, listening to the words of one who had lived ten -years among the Chinese, felt their hearts beat faster: secretly they -were glad that their cruise in the Orient was likely to be fraught -with grave dangers. - -The missionaries and their numerous Chinese converts inside the walled -mission were once more at ease; they believed that all danger was past: -the Chinese had never attacked a mission so strongly defended by the -rifles of the hated but much feared foreign sailors. - -The hot day came to an end, and the night wind from the distant -mountains brought to the anxious ones a desire for sleep which they had -not felt for days. - -Phil and Sydney lay awake long after the mission was wrapt in slumber. -They had talked over the situation very thoroughly, the views of -Langdon having made a deep impression on their minds. There certainly -was a danger! Could the Chinese troops be depended upon to withstand -the bribes of the lawless ones? - -Sydney’s even breathing, at last, showing that he had fallen off -to sleep, cut short further conversation between them; while Phil, -casting an annoyed glance at the unconcerned sleeper on the adjoining -cot, arose and silently left the tent; he was far from asleep and, -being the officer of the guard for the night, determined to make an -inspection of the sentries. - -The night was dark save for the dim light shed by the crescent moon low -in the western sky. Ascending the mission stairs, he stepped out on the -broad top of the high barrier of brick and mortar and walked down the -wall. A sentry was posted at the near corner of the quadrangle. - -“Is everything all right?” he asked quietly. - -“Yes, sir, but I seen a bunch of Chinese up there near the gate a few -minutes before you come,” the sailor made answer. “I hollered at ’em, -and they ain’t stopped runnin’ yet.” - -“What can I do if they don’t run?” he added, questioningly. - -“Nothing; just call the sergeant of the guard,” replied Phil quickly. -“On your life don’t shoot without orders.” - -“If a Chink shoots at me, sir, can’t I fire back?” the sailor asked, -casting an apprehensive glance into the darkness outside of the -compound. - -Lieutenant Wilson had instructed the midshipmen to make certain -that the sentries did not fire first: the viceroy of the province -was believed to be striving to hold the malcontents in check, but an -untimely shot might precipitate hostilities. - -“If you are fired upon,” Phil ordered, “fire your piece and arouse the -garrison, but don’t shoot unnecessarily.” - -“Aye, aye, sir,” the sailor answered, as the midshipman drew away up -the wall to visit the next sentry. - -While Phil was crossing the stone archway over the heavily-barred iron -gate, the main entrance into the mission, he was attracted by a dark -object on the ground below him, close up to the metal doors. - -A closer look filled the boy’s thoughts with an unknown dread. The -object appeared harmless enough, and yet why was it there against the -gate of the mission? Phil saw now that it was a large box, outlined -dimly in the shadow of the archway. - -He peered about him uncertainly. He could see the two lookouts at the -wall’s corners; they were alert and yet in ignorance of the danger at -the mission gate. The midshipman’s thoughts dwelt on the information -given by the sentry with whom he had just spoken: there had been some -Chinamen at the gate but a few moments ago! Was this box harmless or -did its presence there foretell a warlike design against the hundreds -of non-combatants, women and children, now under the protection of the -American sailors? - -His startled gaze traveled over the gloomy expanse of surrounding -country outside of the high wall: the shadowy mounds, graves of -departed Chinese, dotting the grassy slopes about the compound might -be now concealing an armed force of attacking fanatics; beyond the -graves it rested for a moment on the low mud walls of abandoned houses, -believed by their owners to be forever polluted by the close presence -of the despised foreigners. Down on a lower level the high walled -city lay sleeping; the closely packed roofs resembling a continuous -floor, upon which fell the dim light of the waning moon; then again it -descended to the silent waters of the river, the towering pagodas along -its banks standing like guardian sentinels, with the anchored ships a -phantom fleet upon its dark surface. - -A spark-like glint below him caught his eye, and its ominous message -sent the blood from his heart. With every faculty alert Phil threw -himself at full length on the wall and peered anxiously below into the -deeper shadow of the gateway: a sputtering spark but a few feet away -from the box told only too plainly its terrible mission: there was an -explosive against the gates, and the crawling point of fire was the -live end of the slow-match, surely and deliberately burning its way -toward the captive force that would, in a fraction of a minute, hurl -the powerful gates asunder, thus letting in the ambushing Chinese, -doubtless watching and waiting, concealed in the misty shadows. - -The lad’s heart stood still as it flashed upon him what his duty -demanded of him. If he were a second too late he would be blown to -pieces and yet the gates would be shattered and useless to protect the -mission. His mind was made up quickly: he must first warn the garrison -and then quench the fatal spark twenty feet below him. - -“Turn out the guard!” he cried loudly; then as he heard the startled -sentries repeat his words, he dropped silently to the ground on the -outside of the compound and grasped the lighted end of the fuse between -his fingers, but a few inches from its awful goal. - -He heard the startled cries of his companions awakened from their sleep -by the alarming summons; the rattle of rifles and accoutrements as the -sailors hastened to their stations on the wall. The reaction had now -set in; the boy’s limbs seemed about to fail him. Almost unstrung he -clung to the box while he collected his scattered thoughts. If the box -remained there the enemy might yet succeed in exploding its contents -against the gate. - -With his body pressed close to the torpedo, and in its deeper shadow, -his ear detected a sound near him in the grass at the edge of the road. -Suddenly a figure darted forward across the archway and stopped on the -other side of the box, fumbling with its top, as if to relight the -fuse. Phil held his breath as he reached forth his hand and clutched -the wrist of the intruder. Drawing the surprised man, with all his -force, across the box, he threw him to the ground. A cry escaped the -captive as he felt the strong arms of the midshipman enfold him, -smothering him to the earth. - -The two bodies heaved and strained; the efforts of the Chinaman became -visibly weaker, and finally Phil cast the insensible form from him. - -“Who goes there?” in excited tones from above him showed him that aid -was near. A sailor peered over the wall immediately above the lad’s -head, his menacing rifle covering the exhausted boy. - -“It’s Midshipman Perry, the officer of the guard,” he whispered -hoarsely; “heave me a line, quick! Keep the gate closed! The place is -full of Chinese!” - -A rope dangled down from a corner of the archway and Phil, grasping its -end, quickly made it fast around the box, giving the signal to hoist. - -“Be careful, that’s powder,” he cautioned; “send the end back for me. -Hurry,” he added, casting a fearsome look into the shadows behind him. - -With the end of the rope in his hand he stooped down to tie it about -the body of his captive; when, without a moment’s warning, he felt -a stinging blow in the face, that sent him reeling to the wall. He -clutched wildly at the offender, now on his feet and struggling madly -to free himself from the terrifying embrace of the midshipman. The -fully recovered celestial fought with the strength of despair, uttering -piercing shrieks which seemed to be answered from the surrounding -darkness. - -Suddenly Phil was wrenched nearly off his feet, and then fell backward -against the wall, the torn coat of the man in his hands, while the -escaping prisoner melted into the night. - -Hand over hand, up the rope, it was but the work of a second to the top -of the wall, and there he found an anxious group of officers and men -who had watched, with bated breath, the struggle below them. - -Phil explained the circumstances at once to Lieutenant Wilson. - -“I feel sure they’re concealed all about here,” he ended excitedly. “I -heard answers to the man’s cries.” - -Lieutenant Wilson turned to Langdon, who had been an eager listener. - -“Is it an attack, Langdon?” he asked anxiously. - -Langdon shook his head, much mystified, then the garment in Phil’s hand -caught his eye. He took it from the lad in silence and carried it down -from the wall, entering the small gate-house inside the compound. - -“Keep a strict watch, Mr. Monroe,” the lieutenant ordered, motioning -Phil to follow him, and together they entered the room where Langdon -was carefully examining the garment. - -It was a blue tunic, plain save for a white border and a number of -Chinese written characters on its back. It was this lettering that -Langdon was studying. - -“Viceroy Chang-Li-Hun,” he read slowly aloud. Then he glanced up, a -worried expression on his usually calm face. - -“Mr. Wilson,” he said, “it’s serious; we’ve the viceroy’s soldiers -against us.” - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -THE EMBASSY TO THE VICEROY - - -If the man with whom Phil had fought was a soldier of the viceroy, it -was indeed convincing evidence that the outlaws were receiving aid of -the official class. Lieutenant Wilson at once saw the seriousness of -the situation for all foreigners living within the provinces under -the jurisdiction of Viceroy Chang-Li-Hun. The American naval man knew -that his duty required him to place this information in the hands of -his commanding officer on board the “Phœnix” immediately, in order -that all the foreign powers represented might know that the threatened -uprising was no longer one of unorganized, misguided coolies or working -men, but was at the instigation of the powerful mandarins, receiving -their instructions, no doubt, directly from the viceroy himself. Did -he dare take the risk of sending messengers out of the mission at -this time when the enemy were doubtless gathered about the walls of -the compound, perhaps even now making up their minds to attack the -defending garrison? Yet in the morning affairs might have grown even -worse: the morrow’s sun might see the mission besieged, and every -outlet barred. - -“Langdon,” Lieutenant Wilson questioned, after an impressive silence, -while his companions waited, looking to him to give the orders which -each felt the terrible development demanded, “are you sure that you -have read these characters correctly? We must not alarm the foreigners -unnecessarily. Might not this garment have been worn by a discharged -soldier? Are we safe in assuming that the viceroy is back of this -attempt on the gate because one of the culprits wears his uniform?” - -“It is possible, sir,” Langdon answered thoughtfully, “but I believe -improbable. This plan is not one that could be conceived by a stupidly -ignorant coolie mob; you can see for yourself it must have been devised -by those who have some knowledge of the use of explosives; and knowing -as they must that the mission is being guarded by American sailors, it -was intended as an affront to the nation that they represent.” - -“I believe you are right, Langdon,” the lieutenant agreed promptly. -“I shall act upon your judgment; your knowledge of the Chinese should -make your reasoning sound.” Then he turned to the expectant midshipmen: -“Mr. Perry, this news must be taken to Captain Hughes to-night; I -offer you the chance to go; your right to be chosen can’t be disputed: -your discovery of the viceroy’s treachery and your heroic conduct in -frustrating his design has won you the privilege.” - -Phil flushed with pleasure at his senior’s words of praise, while he -stammered out his readiness to undertake the hazardous enterprise. -Asking that Sydney accompany him he received a ready assent. - -“Can you spare me, too, sir?” Langdon asked earnestly. “I know every -foot of the land about here; I’ve shot pheasant all over these hills, -and understanding the language, may be a help to Mr. Perry if he should -be stopped by the natives.” - -“Yes, certainly,” the lieutenant replied quickly, his face showing his -appreciation of the pilot’s offer. “I couldn’t order you, but your -desire to go speaks highly of your courage. It is our duty, as naval -men, to expose ourselves to danger.” - -“It’s bred in me, too, sir,” Langdon answered. “I served with the flag -during my boyhood, and am ever ready to sacrifice all I have for it.” - -“I shall not encumber you with useless messages,” Lieutenant Wilson -said finally to Phil as he turned to leave the gate-house and return to -the wall; “you know the situation and can explain our fears to Captain -Hughes.” - -The midshipmen and the pilot went to prepare themselves for their -journey, while their senior ascended the wall to dispose his small -force in order to guard all approaches and prevent a surprise. There -would be few eyes closed in sleep that night; the gravity of the -situation was fully impressed on even the sailors accustomed as they -were to danger. - -Hastily arming themselves with a pair of revolvers each and with plenty -of ammunition, the three volunteers again ascended the wall. - -The moon had set and the land about the mission was veiled in -darkness. The men moved slowly along the wall of the compound, while -Langdon’s keen eyes peered into the night to discover the best location -to leave the mission. They had traversed nearly half of the wall and -were at the far end of the compound before the pilot seemed satisfied -that the way was clear. He put out his hand and touched Phil on the -shoulder. - -“We’ll leave from here,” he whispered; “the Chinese, if they are about, -are all in the front. See; the land is clearer; there are not so many -graves as in the front to conceal an enemy.” - -Throwing themselves down on top of the wall they grasped its edge, and -lowered themselves silently to the ground. Langdon led the way directly -from the mission, and further into the country. The land here was but -slightly cultivated, the ground firm and for the most part clear, so -our travelers swung along at a lively pace. - -Having covered about a mile, Langdon stopped to allow his companions to -join him. - -“This is the main road leading into the city,” the pilot informed them -as they arrived at the narrow path in which the speaker was standing. -“We’ll follow this right into the foreign concession; it’s late, past -ten o’clock, and there’ll be no natives on the road. It’s our safest -course.” - -Phil nodded in sign of assent, his eyes on the Chinese road. - -“A road, did you say, Langdon?” the boy asked; “it’s more like a -bridle-path.” - -“It’s the only kind of road you’ll find in the Chinese Empire,” the -pilot replied as they moved swiftly over its uneven surface; “the -natives don’t use carriages and coaches for passengers, nor wagons to -carry their freight, but transport their merchandise in wheelbarrows or -on the backs of the small Tartar donkeys. In the north the Manchus have -a rickety cart drawn by man power or by pony and there the highways are -wider, but are even less smooth, for the natives never repair their -roads.” - -They had traveled another mile when Langdon called a halt and -cautioning silence pointed to a grove of trees ahead of them. - -“A village,” he answered the questioning looks of his companions; -“we’ll leave the road and circle it. The wind is from the river, so I -hope the dogs which inhabit these small towns will not smell us. These -Chinese curs have a keen nose for a foreigner and if our enemy is about -they might warn him of our presence.” - -As they skirted the village Sydney glanced with interest down into -the mean and ill-smelling collection of mud-walled hovels, situated -below the level of the surrounding country. He had heard that this -location was chosen to protect its occupants from the blasts of the -winter gales, and in consequence during the wet season the floods -from the heavy and prolonged rains swept down upon them, carrying off -bodily their insecure buildings and frequently drowning many of the -unfortunate inhabitants. - -“Will the Chinese ever learn to build their villages in a common-sense -way?” he asked the pilot. - -“They’ve done the same thing for twenty centuries,” Langdon answered, -following Sydney’s gaze; “what was good enough for their ancestors is -good enough for them, is their motto, and nothing that we can say will -ever move them. After you’ve been here for a few years, Mr. Monroe, -you’ll cease wondering at anything you see the Chinese do.” - -Suddenly the lads felt themselves grasped by the strong hands of -Langdon and drawn down into the thick grass. The silence was broken -by a faint sound of voices that seemed to come from directly below -them. Langdon motioned the boys to remain where they were, and crawled -noiselessly forward to the edge of the embankment surrounding the -village. Phil could now hear a high-pitched nasal voice, raised -excitedly after the Chinese fashion, with many loud and piercing -notes. He could see Langdon ahead of him partly hidden in the grass, -and his curiosity was aroused to know what this midnight meeting might -foretell. Then the voices ceased and the noise of tramping feet came -clearly to his ears. From out of the shadows, but a few yards from -where Langdon was lying, a squad of Chinese soldiers moved off into the -night, over the road they were traveling, toward Ku-Ling. - -After a few minutes had elapsed, the soldiers’ footfalls dying away -in the distance, Langdon rose to his feet and joined the impatient -midshipmen. - -“They were soldiers!” Sydney exclaimed. “We distinctly saw their -uniforms as they entered the road.” - -“What were they saying? Could you hear?” Phil questioned eagerly. - -“One of them was the man you fought with at the gate,” Langdon -answered; “it’s just as I supposed: there was a movement on foot to -attack the mission if that party was successful in destroying the -gateway. The one doing all the loud talking was ‘saving his face,’ as -the Chinese say; he was explaining that a monster, half man and half -bird flew down from the wall and put out the fuse as fast as he could -light it, and that he had mortally wounded the ‘devil,’ but fear having -entered his heart, he had run away as fast as he could, followed by his -companions. He says that the ‘foreign devils’ can change into these -monsters whenever they wish, and that their breath is like fire.” - -Phil gasped in astonishment at the ludicrous account of his battle with -the soldier. - -“But his companions will not believe any such tale as that,” he cried; -“surely they’ll know it is made up out of whole cloth?” - -“On the contrary,” Langdon answered, “they’ll believe it, and -what’s more he believes it himself by this time. Doubtless he was -so frightened that he remembers little that happened, and their -imagination is so vivid that a Chinaman will generally believe his own -words as they fall from his lips.” - -“What would have happened if they had been successful?” Phil -questioned. “That small body of men could not have intended attacking -us.” - -“No, but after the gate had been blown in it would be an easy matter -for a few thousand Chinese to gather. There are tens of thousands of -Chinamen in these small towns within a mile of the mission. All they -need is a match to start them, and that was the intention of these -soldiers.” - -“It looks as if it were serious,” Sydney said in an awed whisper as -they cautiously regained the road. The soldiers were not in sight, so -the Americans proceeded, cautiously watching for the first signs of -their enemy on the highway ahead of them. - -Finally they reached the limits of the foreign concession, and it was -after midnight before they arrived on board the “Phœnix”; but Commander -Hughes was awake and directed that they be shown down to his cabin -immediately. - -The situation was quickly explained to the naval officer by the -messengers. - -The captain sat in silence for some minutes after they had finished, -his face showing strongly the strain he was under: all the Americans -on the river were in mortal danger, and he and his small force were -all that stood between them and a fate far worse than death. Phil and -Langdon anxiously watched the captain’s face as if to read the next -move on the international chess-board, which Commander Hughes, as the -senior among the foreign captains, was called upon to make. - -“Gentlemen, the news you bring me is so terrible in its possibilities,” -the captain finally began, “that I am quite at a loss how to act. Our -force is too small to resist an attack; we must resort to diplomacy -with this rascally viceroy. And yet we don’t know how far-reaching the -movement may be. If we sit idly by the natives will gain confidence, -mistaking forbearance for cowardice, and can readily drive all -foreigners off the river. - -“Mr. Perry,” the captain added, rising and ringing for his orderly, “I -want you to take the steam launch at once and go to each of the foreign -gunboats; request that their commanding officers come on board here to -a meeting in a half-hour’s time. Explain to them the gravity of the -situation.” Then turning to the waiting marine, “My compliments to the -officer on duty, and tell him to have the steamer ready for Mr. Perry -immediately.” - -Phil soon delivered his captain’s messages to the officer of the deck -of each of the foreign gunboats and upon his return was detailed by -Commander Hughes for the duty of secretary to the international council. - -Slightly nervous in the presence of so many seniors, the midshipman -sat near his captain, pencil in hand, ready to take notes of the -proceedings of the council. - -“Commander Ignacio of the ‘Albaque’ is ill,” a young foreign lieutenant -announced as the American captain glanced at him inquiringly, “and -begs you will receive me as his representative.” - -Commander Hughes bowed politely in agreement and then in a few words -described the incident at the mission. - -“Before it is too late,” he added, “I believe that it is our duty to -lay our difficulties before the viceroy, and demand that he take steps -at once to quell this uprising. Meanwhile we should warn all foreigners -living in the foreign concession at Ku-Ling that if our diplomacy -fails they must be ready to take refuge on board the gunboats. We -must deal with the situation fearlessly, for only in that way can we -expect success. Chang-Li-Hun must be made to see the seriousness of his -inactivity.” - -To this clear proposal all agreed and Commander Hughes was chosen by -acclamation to lead the embassy on the morrow to the viceroy’s yamen. -Two other commanders were selected, and then with many expressions for -success the council adjourned. - -“I have my doubts of the utility of a conference with the viceroy,” -Langdon told the lads the next morning at the breakfast table. “He’s a -tricky Chinaman and generally has his own way. - -“Well, we shall soon see,” he ended as an orderly appeared to summon -him and Phil to be ready within fifteen minutes to accompany their -captain on the mission to the high Chinese mandarin. - -A half hour later a bright array of uniformed officers landed on the -jetty; there were three of the gunboat captains and their aides, all in -full dress uniform, which is prescribed for an official visit upon a -viceroy. - -A line of green sedan chairs, the color portraying to the curious -throngs that their occupants were of the first rank in official -parlance, wended its way in single file through the guarded gates into -the stench of the crowded, walled city. Each chair was carried on the -muscular shoulders of four coolies, and at almost a dog’s trot, they -bore their burdens over the narrow, crooked streets. - -Phil gazed excitedly upon the thousands of inquisitive natives, -crowding so near the foreigners that the pungent odor of their bodies -came distinctly to his nostrils; their ignorant faces at such close -range appalled him. The chair coolies cried out hoarsely, jostling the -multitude to prevent being trodden under foot by the persistent rabble. - -The embassy had covered but half the distance to the yamen when it was -wedged tightly against a heaving mass of excited yellow bodies. Phil -saw the faces of the crowd darken with a superstitious loathing; he -seemed to read in their cruel eyes an awakening to the knowledge of -their power, and the helpless plight of the despised “foreign devils”. -The multitude pressed ever closer; reaching out their claw-like talons -to touch the gold-embroidered uniforms of the naval officers. The lad -cast a swift glance at Langdon next him; he felt confident he would -read in his face the extent of the danger threatening them. The pilot -was shouting unintelligible words to his chair coolies; the while his -face was black with passion. - -The coolies refused stolidly to budge, and by sign threatened to -put down the chairs upon the ground; all the while jabbering and -gesticulating wildly to each other and to the mob, which appeared on -the point of engulfing the foreigners in its noisome embrace. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -THE VICEROY’S TREACHERY - - -The gaping crowd pressed ever closer. Phil could feel the fetid breath -of those nearest him; he saw a big Chinaman emerge from the dense -throng and push his way to Langdon’s chair; the lad would have cried -out a warning, but all happened with such lightning-like swiftness that -he had not found his voice before the bold Chinaman had released his -hold upon the pilot’s coat, and had fallen back into the arms of his -countrymen nearest him, a deep red stain upon his closely shaved head, -while Langdon waved menacingly his Colt revolver, the blunt butt of -which had successfully cowed the would-be leader. - -Fortunately for the foreigners, a troop of mounted soldiers arrived -on the scene at this juncture and brutally cleared the way, trampling -under their horses’ feet the nearest of the mob, chained as they were -by the mass of humanity behind them. Presently the chairs were again -in motion; the soldiers now keeping the crowd in check, and in a few -minutes more the embassy arrived in front of the yamen, the official -residence of the viceroy. The heavy, grotesquely painted doors were -quickly opened, and closed sharply in the faces of the unruly crowd. - -The naval men alighted from their chairs, well satisfied to have -escaped so easily from a disagreeable situation; but the pilot was not -so well pleased. - -“We’re in for it, I fear,” he confided to Phil; “that was another -insult. The viceroy knew we were coming and he doubtless planned -that we should be mobbed, holding his soldiers back to give us a few -unpleasant minutes.” - -“What would that Chinaman have done to you?” Phil asked gravely. - -“It was an act of bravado,” Langdon answered smilingly, the picture of -the discomfited man in his mind; “but if he had succeeded in pulling me -from the chair it would have been serious; a leader is all these people -need.” - -“Pretty tight squeak, eh, Langdon?” Commander Hughes asked while they -waited for the summons to approach the audience-chamber. - -“It looked bad for a time, sir,” the pilot replied; “if some one had -thrown a stone, we’d have been mobbed then and there, and the soldiers -would have been powerless to save us. Not in my ten years among these -people have I seen such a menacing mob. We must deal boldly with the -viceroy, sir, or else we’ll not get out of the city alive.” - -“Is it really as bad as that?” the captain asked anxiously. - -“Yes, sir,” Langdon answered earnestly, lowering his voice so as not to -be heard by any save the captain; “they were in an ugly mood, and if I -am not mistaken they were acting under orders from the yamen; otherwise -the rabble wouldn’t have dared molest us. If we don’t keep our feet on -their necks, they’ll make short work of every foreigner in the Yangtse -Valley.” - -After a few minutes more of waiting the inner doors were thrown open -and the naval men were ushered into the second courtyard, and then -through more doors to the council-chamber of the viceroy. Here they -found Chang-Li-Hun and his advisers ready to receive them. - -Commander Hughes advanced toward the viceroy and bowed ceremoniously; -the ancient Chinaman clasped his hands in front of him and murmured a -few monosyllables in his own language, after which all were seated. -Phil found his place between Langdon and a Chinaman, while Commander -Hughes sat at the viceroy’s left, the seat of honor in the dragon -kingdom. - -The silence was undisturbed for several minutes, during which time the -lad gazed covertly about him. He noticed the sphinx-like face of the -high mandarin, whose power was as far-reaching as even the empress -dowager’s, to whom he acknowledged allegiance but gave it grudgingly. -This wizened old man had the power of life and death over nearly twenty -million human beings. If he so willed, he could order any of his -subjects to be brought to the execution grounds and chop their heads -off with as little feeling as one would have in beheading a chicken. -The midshipman’s eyes traveled in turn over each face of the viceroy’s -advisers, men of great promise in the empire; they represented the -enlightened few governing with iron rods a people who are yet stifled -in the superstitions and customs of medieval times. Through the open -door, the lad caught a glimpse of Chinese guards; their blue tunics -similar to the one he had stripped from the back of the Chinaman at the -mission gate. - -Finally the silence was broken by the high-pitched voice of the aged -viceroy in his own staccato language. Phil believed he could read both -anger and contempt in the tones of the mandarin’s voice. - -After he had spoken there was a moment’s silence, then a voice was -raised in perfect English. Phil gasped in surprise as he beheld the -speaker; a Chinaman seated on the right hand of the viceroy. There was -not a trace of the accent which he had believed was habitual with every -Chinaman who learns the English tongue. - -“His Excellency, Chang-Li-Hun, thanks the high naval commanders for -the honor of this visit and desires to hear their requests,” the -interpreting Chinaman announced. - -“Give our compliments to his Excellency,” replied Commander Hughes -without a second’s hesitation, “and say that the time has long passed -for requests. We come now to demand that our countrymen be protected, -in accordance with the sacred word of China given by treaty.” - -The interpreter’s face was a study; the American’s words were evidently -unexpected; he glanced uneasily at the viceroy as if fearing the storm -which he knew would break forth when the sharp words were translated -into his guttural tongue. After a few moments of thought, during -which time the old mandarin blinked his watery eyes expectantly -the interpreter spoke, hesitatingly and as one who is not sure of -his ground; but instead of the burst of rage which Phil felt was -inevitable, the old statesman nodded his head in assent. - -The lad saw Langdon rise to his feet and speak in an undertone to -Commander Hughes; then the Chinese mandarins grasped the arms of their -heavily carved chairs with indignation and horror while the pilot’s -voice in their own tongue rang out loudly, in direct address to the -viceroy. Then he turned to his captain and explained his action. - -“The interpreter did not give the viceroy your words, sir,” he said, -his voice quivering with emotion. “I thought it best that he should -know.” - -The parchment-like features of the aged mandarin were stamped with -hatred as he snapped out his reply to his attentive interpreter. - -“His Excellency is much disappointed at the unfriendly attitude of -the foreigners,” the Chinaman announced after the viceroy had ceased -speaking, “and is grieved to hear their harsh language.” - -Again Langdon’s voice was raised above the silence which followed the -placid words of the interpreter: but this time in English. - -“Those were not the viceroy’s words,” he exclaimed turning toward -Commander Hughes but glowering at the discomfited interpreter; “his -answer was a threat against our lives.” - -Commander Hughes was on his feet instantly, his face pale with anger. - -“Langdon,” he cried, “tell the viceroy that our meeting is ended; that -we came to demand punishment for those of his countrymen who attempted -to injure our mission on the hill back of the city, but as he refuses -to keep to his country’s treaty, we shall be forced to resort to arms -to protect our own people.” - -Langdon promptly translated Commander Hughes’ words to the viceroy, -sitting craftily observing the incensed foreigners. - -Chang-Li-Hun was too clever a diplomat to show his hand was against the -foreigners; he must appear to aid them in their endeavors to protect -their countrymen, and by the art understood best by the Oriental he -would make these naval men “lose face” in the Chinese eyes, and thereby -show his people that the vainglorious boasting foreigners were but -human, and could suffer and die as easily as those of their own race. - -A few guttural words escaped from the lips of the aged mandarin, which -Langdon translated at once, not waiting for the unreliable interpreter. - -“The viceroy begs you will again be seated; he says he knows nothing -of the acts against the mission.” - -“Tell him, then, Langdon,” the American captain ordered, while the -members of the embassy reluctantly took their seats; “and give it -to him as strong as you can,” he continued his wrath but slightly -mollified. - -This was all too pleasant a task for the pilot, whose knowledge of -Chinese officialdom had not left him with much respect for their -roundabout methods. He went straight to the point, addressing the -viceroy directly, while the latter appeared to listen eagerly. - -After the pilot had stopped speaking and had reseated himself at -Commander Hughes’ side, the viceroy drew his interpreter aside, and in -a voice so low pitched that Langdon could not hear a word, conversed -with him earnestly for many minutes; then the interpreter arose and -hurriedly left the council-chamber. - -The embassy sat in silence, wondering what would be the next move of -this adroit diplomat. Phil’s nerves were atingle with expectancy; the -dangers of their position within a hostile city, and in the grasp of -an avowed enemy, gave his young and untamed spirit high hopes for -excitement. How he wished for Sydney that he might share whatever was -in store for the embassy before it again reached the safety of its -steel broadsides! - -The naval men had not long to wait before the inner gates of the yamen -were thrown open and a battalion of soldiers filed into the courtyard, -outside the audience-chamber. Another moment, and the light screens -forming the sides of the council-chamber were removed and the embassy -looked fairly out upon this martial display. - -The soldiers were quickly formed into a hollow square between the -embassy and the outer gates, which then were likewise opened and a -seething mob of excited, riotous Chinamen poured through, filling up -the courtyard beyond. - -“What’s the meaning of this?” the American commander exclaimed in -sudden alarm; but before Langdon could disclaim his knowledge of -what was about to happen, a part of the square opened and a number -of tightly-bound prisoners were dragged to the middle of the -courtyard directly in front of the viceroy. As they approached, Phil -unconsciously turned away his head to shut out the pitiful spectacle; -the prisoners were cruelly shackled together in a manner practiced only -by the Chinese. - -After the lad had gained control of his feelings and once more glanced -toward the prisoners, the viceroy was speaking, while the pilot -listened intently; the mob beyond was silent, gazing with evident -enjoyment at the terror-stricken prisoners before the viceroy. - -“His Excellency says that he has just discovered that these men were -arrested last night by his guards with contraband concealed upon their -persons, and when tortured confessed to having attempted to blow in -the gates of the American mission, and that he will punish them in our -presence as a warning to his people,” Langdon announced loudly, then -lowering his voice, he whispered hurriedly to Commander Hughes: “I -don’t like the looks of it, sir; a moment ago he knew nothing of it, -and now he claims to have the culprits; it seems strange.” - -“Hold!” cried Commander Hughes, starting to his feet; “we must have -proof that these are the right men; we want no useless executions.” For -he knew only too well that this form of punishment was the one dear to -the Chinese heart, and he could read upon the faces of the crowd that -it was waiting joyfully to see these human heads severed from their -bodies and doubtless had been promised this stirring sport. - -Langdon translated his captain’s wish hastily to the viceroy, but the -mandarin turned a deaf ear, raising his thin, veined hand with its -claw-like nails as a sign to proceed with the gruesome work. - -A muscular Chinaman, naked save for a loin cloth, stepped from the -ranks of the soldiers brandishing a sharp curved sword, and moved -quickly to the side of the kneeling prisoners. Commander Hughes and his -colleagues started precipitately toward him as if to prevent him from -carrying out his murderous intentions. - -Phil saw the bright blade circle above the head of a terrified prisoner -and then descend. He closed his eyes in horror to shut out the -appalling sight. - -A report of a pistol shot rang out deafeningly, and he opened his eyes -to a view of Langdon with a smoking revolver in his hand, while the -executioner lay on the sand beside his victim. - -[Illustration: _A PISTOL SHOT RANG OUT_] - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -DIPLOMACY FAILS - - -“I guessed as much!” the pilot cried out, striding forward; the guards -timidly giving way before his menacing revolver. “These men are -Christian converts; it’s but a trick to make us lose face before this -rabble.” - -He reached the side of the prisoners and raised one to his feet. Phil -watched with fascinated gaze as Langdon dragged forward excitedly -the chained and terrified men who had been plucked from death by the -timely and unerring shot of the American; there was something strangely -familiar in the ashen features of one of them. - -“This man is a mess attendant from the ‘Phœnix!’” Langdon exclaimed, -pointing to the nearer of the two prisoners; “the trick was to execute -them before our eyes before we could interfere.” - -Both Commander Hughes and Phil saw at once that the pilot was right; -there was the ward-room servant who had been missing since the day of -the gunboat’s arrival; he was a Chinaman from a distant province and -unable to speak the local dialect, and in consequence had been singled -out as a victim by the scheming officials. - -The midshipman feared that all was lost; he could see no avenue of -escape; the viceroy’s attitude was certainly hostile, and how could -they, a mere handful of officers armed with only their revolvers, hope -to cope with the soldiers of the yamen, to say nothing of the hundreds -of thousands of fanatics inside the walled city? A single wave of that -treacherous hand would condemn them to a fate from which his soul -revolted; he had heard of the terrible deaths meted out to foreigners -by these semi-barbarians. The lad glanced anxiously at his companions; -he saw in their faces that they were determined to sell their lives as -dearly as possible, but the unequal struggle could have but one ending. - -The naval men were standing together near the table; every eye was -upon the aged mandarin, sitting calmly, and to outward appearances, no -more concerned than if he were witnessing a play on the yamen stage; -Langdon remained beside the prisoners, and not far from the soldiers -stolidly waiting orders from their high chief. - -The situation was impressive and one to unnerve the stoutest heart; a -false move, an ill-judged word, and those hundreds of modern rifles -might be turned against the defenseless officers. Phil knew that -nearly two thousand sailors were under arms on board the war-ships, -ready to be landed if the embassy had not returned to the jetty by -eleven o’clock; it was now ten-thirty by the great clock in the -council-chamber; but before the half hour had passed all would be -decided and the landing force would not be necessary. The midshipman -knew that Commander Hughes would not retract a single word uttered in -the conference, and that he would presently give out his ultimatum to -the viceroy, which would either be accepted or else more foreign blood -would be laid at the door of this cruel official, Chang-Li-Hun. - -“Be careful, Langdon,” Commander Hughes said in a low voice, in which -no emotion was evident, although Phil could see the involuntary -twitching of his lips; “don’t throw a match into the magazine. Tell him -quietly that we have seen through his treachery and wish safe conduct -through his city back to our vessels; and insist that these prisoners -accompany us.” - -Phil shook with excitement as the pilot steadied himself to give his -captain’s words to the viceroy; he understood thoroughly that this was -the only course open to the American commander if he wished to save -the hundreds of foreigners in the province from the insults and scorn -of the Chinese expulsionists, even though the result to him and his -colleagues was death. The lad’s mind dwelt for the fraction of a second -upon the terrible revenge that would be visited upon those responsible -for the killing of the members of the embassy; he thought of Canton and -Peking, and how the despised foreign soldiers had, with fire and sword, -brought home to the defilers of the sacred rights of ambassadors the -terrible consequences of their guilt; yet there was scant encouragement -for him in such recollections. - -Langdon had given his captain’s ultimatum in a calm voice from which -all passion had been expunged, and now all waited with breath abated -for the words of the wizened old man, in whose hands the fate of so -many lives rested. - -The viceroy at length stirred uneasily in his chair and turning to one -of his ministers uttered a few low gutturals. The spell was broken; a -harsh command rang out, and instantly the soldiers faced about, forcing -with set bayonets the disappointed populace through the outer gates, -which swung shut with a loud rattle behind them. Then the military, -gathering up the two lifeless bodies, sacrifices to the humor of a -viceroy, melted away in all directions, leaving the embassy once more -alone with the yamen officials. - -The viceroy raised his teacup to his lips, a signal that the visit -was at an end, and then rising slowly, he bowed coldly, and attended -by his ministers withdrew from the room. In a few minutes the chairs -were brought and the embassy were only too glad to be gone from this -nerve-racking and fruitless council. - -Langdon, with his usual energy, saw the liberated prisoners seated in -chairs in the midst of those of the foreigners and near his own, and -then stepped to the captain’s side to report that all was ready to -proceed. - -“I don’t think we shall be molested,” he said hopefully; “it seems -plain that the viceroy will do nothing to stop the uprising, but it -appears he is afraid to openly defy you.” Then he raised his voice -admiringly: “Do you know, captain, that you’re the very first foreigner -to make Chang-Li-Hun lose face, and before a crowd of his own people -whom he had deliberately collected to witness your own discomfiture. -You gave us all a close call in doing it, sir; I could hardly believe -my ears when I heard you tell me to shoot the executioner, but there -wasn’t time to allow you to repeat it.” - -The return to the jetty was well and safely guarded by hundreds of -well-armed soldiers and the crowds were handled so easily that the -foreigners could readily see that the episode of the morning was -prepared for them by the yamen officials. Commander Hughes realized -that the visit to the viceroy had given ample proof that whatever -injury was done to foreigners by the natives of the province could be -charged to the stand taken by the viceroy; and with this official -backing the hostile movement would spread to insurmountable proportions. - -“Why the viceroy permitted us to take those Chinese prisoners I can’t -understand,” the pilot exclaimed to Phil, a half hour having passed -since the return of the embassy. - -Phil was silent, but intensely interested. He had just seen the foreign -captains file into the cabin, unsummoned, eager to hear the result of -the mission to the viceroy. - -“The two prisoners came to me immediately we got back to the ship,” -Langdon continued excitedly, “and told me of an attack to be made -to-night on the Inland Mission. They claim to have secured this -information from the Chinaman who was beheaded before our eyes; he was -a northern Chinaman, but could speak the local dialect. The soldiers, -knowing these men were to die, did not take the trouble to conceal -their plans. It seems that an army of outlaws have taken Lien-Chow for -their headquarters; it is a small town about seven miles from here on -the To-Yan Lake, and they intend to move in a body upon the mission. -These malcontents have been guaranteed aid from the viceroy, and if -the mission is captured, they hope to gather enough reënforcement to -allow them to march against the forts, and the result would be their -capture, for the soldiers there would not fire a shot against their own -countrymen. The guns of the forts will then be turned upon us and our -escape down the river will be cut off, for these vessels cannot face -heavy ordnance.” - -“But why,” exclaimed Phil, after the pilot had finished, “should they -attack a guarded mission when there are so many others scattered over -the country undefended?” - -“It seems to show,” returned Langdon, “that the viceroy is directing -the movement. To attack and massacre the inmates of an unguarded -mission could readily be attributed to an uncontrolled mob and would -be a subject for conference and indemnity; but an attack on a defended -mission, and by soldiers in uniform, will show the Chinese that the war -is between the representatives of the foreign governments and their -own, and being successful will stir the whole population of this part -of China to rise and drive out all foreigners. I believe to-night -will be one of blood for foreigners in China, if those away from the -protection of our river gunboats have not already paid the penalty of -their trusting natures.” - -“We must not delay an instant in taking this information to the -captain,” Phil declared excitedly, the contemplated movement of the -expulsionists with its possible results flashing through his mind. - -The foreign gunboat captains were gathered about the cabin table when -Langdon and Phil were announced by the orderly, and all listened -intently while the pilot gave hurriedly the story brought by the two -Chinese refugees. - -A buzz of eager conversation and questions ensued as Langdon finished. -Each of the captains had his own plans to advance, but Commander -Hughes, as the senior, was the first to be heard. He arose, his face -grave, and at once the room was hushed; all recognized and respected -his understanding and fertility of resource. - -“We must acknowledge a failure in our diplomatic mission to the -viceroy,” he began, weighing each word carefully; “the cable being -in the hands of the Chinese officials, we are for the present cut -off from instructions from our respective governments. We have here -every available vessel on the river, except those necessary for the -protection of the missions farther up the country; the state of the -river at present will not admit of the battle-ships coming to our aid, -and the two monitors of my government are by last accounts as yet in -the Philippines. We must act here and now; there is no time for calm -and deliberate judgment; our decision must be made quickly, and our -act must be as prompt, if we are to be in time to prevent a general -massacre of foreigners.” - -The speaker stopped and glanced earnestly at the faces of his -colleagues; each recognized full well the delicacy of the position. -Would their respective governments sanction their acts, or would they -find themselves disgraced and relieved of their commands, for not -having followed a course of procedure decided upon by their sovereigns -at a great distance from the scene of disturbance and in the light of -events which had not as yet transpired? - -“My government,” Commander Hughes resumed, “is one of the most -conservative of those represented here; it has ever been against -striking the first blow. But there has now come a time when humanity -calls for other and more drastic measures. You have just heard from -the lips of one who knows these people far better than we that these -fanatics aided by the viceroy intend attacking a mission guarded by -American sailors.” - -Commander Hughes as he spoke spread out a chart upon the table before -him, beckoning Langdon at the same time to his side. - -“If we remain anchored here the guns of the forts, if hostile, will -soon drive us from the city,” he began again, his eyes on the chart. -“Before we strike a blow we must first embark all foreigners from the -concession and change our anchorage to one beyond the range of the -forts. With this startling news from the Chinese prisoners, coupled -with the attempt last night to blow up the gates of the mission, the -intention of the Chinese is no longer a matter of conjecture. We have -now to face a condition. This mission, guarded by sailors from my own -ship, is in imminent peril and must be relieved at once. Every moment -is precious. The means only should now be considered by us. I have two -plans in mind: the first one is to move farther up the river to a point -abreast the mission,” placing his finger on the chart; “from the river -it is but three miles to the mission, and we can easily land a force -after dark and march across to its relief.” - -As the captain finished he glanced inquiringly at the pilot. - -“That would be very difficult, sir,” Langdon said quickly, reading -the question in his captain’s eyes. “True, from there the distance -is short, but we shall have to cross a wide and deep irrigation -ditch. This canal is nearly fifty feet in depth and its sides are -perpendicular.” - -“Are there no bridges?” inquired a foreign officer anxiously. - -“There are several bamboo bridges,” Langdon answered, “but they are -narrow and frail. Probably even now they have been destroyed.” - -“Then we must adopt my second plan,” the American commander declared -stoutly. “We have but two thousand men available for landing, which -depletes our ships to an alarming extent, anchored as they are under -the guns of the batteries; if we wait until the mission is attacked -and then land to the rescue, we might find ourselves at a great -disadvantage against the many thousands of well-armed enemies; besides, -in our absence it might prove too great a temptation for the men of -the forts to open fire on our ships, thus cutting us off from our own -vessels. Lien-Chow, where the Chinese fanatics are massing, is from -here seven miles by land and sixteen by water; the rebels will not -leave the cover of their city before dark. - -“My recommendation is therefore to get under way at once from this -anchorage, taking with us all foreigners who wish to leave the foreign -concession, and then steam by the forts and into the To-Yan Lake. -Immediately upon our arrival off Lien-Chow I propose to land and -fearlessly attack the rebels in their headquarters. In routing them we -shall either break the back of the uprising, or else make it incumbent -upon the mandarins, the real offenders, to devise other plans for -encouraging this movement against the lives of the Europeans. - -“Are you with me, gentlemen?” - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -DISSENSIONS - - -Commander Hughes’ plans were agreed upon, though not until after much -opposition by the other members of the council, and word was at once -despatched to the foreign merchants and consuls ashore to close their -stores and houses and seek protection on board the gunboats of their -respective nationalities. - -Inside of three hours all preparations were completed and the -international fleet weighed anchor and, in column, the “Phœnix” -leading, steamed boldly down the river. - -Langdon had gone to the gunboat’s bridge to pilot the fleet through -the narrow and dangerous channel leading into the shallow waters of -the To-Yan Lake, leaving Phil and Sydney at their guns, aft on the -quarter-deck of the vessel; for all the gunboats had cleared for action -to be prepared in case the Chinese should precipitate hostilities. -While the fleet was getting its anchors up from the bottom of the -muddy river, they gazed with rising pulse at the unusual activity -inside the Chinese batteries; they could see groups of blue-clad -soldiers surrounding the big guns in their rocky emplacements. Would -the forts open fire upon the allied fleet as it steamed past? - -The midshipmen knew that if one shot was fired from that impregnable -fortress at the miniature battle-ships the sound would travel around -the world. It would mean war! The forts belonged to the Chinese -government and were manned by her soldiers; no idle excuse would be -accepted by the nations insulted. - -“These ships wouldn’t stand a ghost of a chance against those guns,” -Sydney exclaimed nervously as he joined Phil on his side of the deck. -The sailors stood silently at their batteries, each gun loaded with -high explosive shell and ready to hurl its charge at the enemy at close -range if it should suddenly declare war. - -“It’s pretty short range,” Phil declared, “and our gun pointers could -send every shell through those rock gun ports. A fleet of our gunboats -would drive the Chinese gunners from their guns.” - -“One Chinese shell, though, would sink us,” Sydney returned, intent -upon gaining his point. “However, let them go ahead. Those rascals will -find the ‘Phœnix’ will give them a surprise-party.” - -“The monitors are what we need,” Phil exclaimed, “but they are over a -thousand miles away, broiling in the heat of Manila. With the monitors -here the forts could be silenced and captured by the fleet.” - -The long column of moving gunboats was now stretched along the river -from Ku-Ling to the southward. The leader had now safely passed the -forts and its bow was directed down the river for the entrance of the -To-Yan Lake, a good six miles distant. - -It was with a feeling of relief that the midshipmen saw the last -gunboat in column, following the “Phœnix’s” lead, pass out of range -of the fort’s guns. It showed that China, as a nation, had not as yet -openly challenged the world to battle; but if those in the forts had -known of the avowed intentions of the fleet might they not have acted -differently? - -Under the skilful direction of Langdon, the Yangtse River pilot, the -allied fleet steamed to the southward, leaving on its starboard hand -the high bluff point of land below the city, upon which, fortunately, -the Chinese had not as yet mounted protecting batteries, and then -entered the shallow waters of the forbidden lake. From this point the -channel led away from the course of the river and to the westward -behind the city of Ku-Ling. - -“Do you see Commander Hughes’ plan?” Phil exclaimed excitedly. He -took a piece of paper from his pocket, and drew a hasty map of their -surroundings. “Here’s the river, and here,” he said, “is the lake, -which we are entering. Lien-Chow, you see, is ahead of us,” and he -pointed to a dull color of blue that raised itself slowly from the -muddy waters of the lake. “It’s in the rear of the fort guns, you -notice, and our ships will be safely anchored while we are relieving -those in the mission, which lies over there.” - -“Yes,” answered Sydney; “but if we succeed in repulsing the rebels at -Lien-Chow and rescuing the mission,” he went on doubtfully, “what shall -we do next? We shall be cut off from Ku-Ling. The forts will never let -us pass freely again.” - -Phil put his sketch in his pocket. He wanted to complete it later and -send it home in his next letter. “Well,” he declared, “we can’t worry -over that now. The rescue of those in the mission, you see, is our most -important duty. The future must take care of itself.” - -It was shortly after two o’clock in the afternoon, when the long -line of vessels dropped anchor off the town of Lien-Chow; and almost -immediately the gunboats had lowered their small boats and were -embarking their sailors. Phil found himself in the steam launch with -Commander Hughes and Langdon; the former had been chosen to command the -expedition, and the lad thanked his good fortune for his assignment as -aid. - -The long line of boats, laden with armed bluejackets, rowed swiftly -toward the not distant shore of the bay, while two of the gunboats, -remaining under way when the fleet anchored, took up their stations -where they could shell the enemy if the landing was opposed. - -[Illustration: _PHIL’S COMPLETED MAP_] - -The midshipman stood beside Commander Hughes, whose keen eyes were -directed toward the Chinese town, in which direction the launch was -heading. Phil could not discern even a trace of nervousness in his -captain’s face, yet upon the success of this bold attempt to coerce -the Chinese mandarins his future career in the navy rested. Langdon’s -eyes were searching the approaching shore-line for signs of the enemy. -He hastily took the spyglass from Phil’s hand and leveled it in the -direction of a grove of trees to the right of the middle of the town. - -“It’s a piece of artillery,” the pilot exclaimed, pointing with his -glass toward the grove. - -Commander Hughes leveled his field-glass and gazed for a few seconds in -the direction indicated. - -He had framed an answer, but it remained unspoken. A puff of brown -smoke darted from a bright flash amidst the trees, and the screech of -a shell came loudly to the ears of the advancing foreigners, while a -column of water rose suddenly in the air scarce fifty yards short of -the line of boats. - -The two watchful gunboats, from the flanks, opened fire with their -broadsides, and in a second the grove was blotted from sight by scores -of explosions. - -“That relieves us of the stigma of firing the first shot,” Commander -Hughes exclaimed gladly; “but I had hoped not to have to fire at all. -My prayer was that the rebels would disperse at this show of force.” - -The boats had not covered another hundred yards when the town broke -forth, in its entire length, with a hail of rifle shots; the distance -was too great to see the flashes and hear distinctly the discharges, -but the water in front and around the boats was cut to foam by the -hissing missiles. As the boats drew nearer, the rattle of musketry -came sharply to Phil’s ears, while he heard again the wailing bullets -speeding by him. The attacking sailors were silent, but the flank -gunboats poured a storm of shell into the town. - -Phil glanced admiringly at his captain; the latter was strikingly cool -in face of the stubborn resistance with which he had not reckoned; he -had believed that the rebels were but an unorganized mob and could -easily be intimidated by the allied forces; but instead he now saw that -the enemy was in force and well intrenched, while the screech of shell -and explosion of shrapnel above the sailors’ heads bore witness that -these Chinese outlaws were well supplied with modern ordnance. - -A few boats in the long line wavered and held back, but the majority -kept steadily on, followed in but a few seconds by those less brave. - -“When we ground,” Commander Hughes commanded, “you go to the right, -Perry, and you, Langdon, to the left: tell the officers to advance at -double time straight upon the intrenchments. We dare not stop now; -given the slightest encouragement, the Chinese could repulse us.” - -Phil felt the launch tremble, and then a grating sound told him the -boat had reached as near the shore as its draft would allow. Without -hesitation, he jumped waist-deep into the water and waded to the shore, -a scant hundred yards away. He saw his two companions follow his lead, -then he started away at top speed up the beach amidst a perfect storm -of bullets, giving to the leader of each detachment as he passed the -commands of his captain. - -“Form a skirmish line and advance on the double,” he shouted to boat -after boat as their keels grated on the sandy shore; then reaching the -last boat, he quickly turned and raced back to join his captain. - -Running to seaward of the advancing sailors, he had covered but a -short distance when he found himself among a company of demoralized -foreigners; their swarthy faces were ashen from terror. The midshipman -at once saw the danger in this panic; already had it begun to spread to -left and right; the companies nearest the one in disorder had halted -and the sailors were glancing back uncertainly and with increasing -uneasiness. A general stampede was not far distant. The leader of this -shameless company appeared to be wild-eyed with terror. He seemed -powerless to stop the threatened rush for the boats. The lad stood -transfixed with horror. If the infection spread a panic would be the -natural consequence, bringing certain defeat to the allied arms and -leaving the mission helpless to the mercy of the cruel enemy. Without -a second’s hesitation Phil raced up to the fleeing officer. Whirling -him about to face the enemy, the lad cried out in sudden astonishment -and misgiving, as he came face to face with the man who had so grossly -insulted him in the bank at Ku-Ling. - -Phil was conscious of a look of bitter hatred on the stranger’s swarthy -face, but there was no time to consider aught save the danger of a -panic and the defeat to his captain’s plans. - -“Would you have us all massacred? Don’t you see that these Chinese will -run from you if you will only turn and charge as you were told?” the -lad cried desperately, menacingly emphasizing his words with his loaded -revolver. Then lowering his voice, he added in flinty tones for only -the officer’s ear: “Now run straight as you’re heading; if you turn -back I’ll blow a hole through you!” - -The foreign officer felt the muzzle of Phil’s revolver prodding between -his shoulder-blades, close to his heart, and read the determination in -the American’s voice. - -“Encourage your men to follow us,” the midshipman cried as the officer -moved forward uncertainly. - -“Forward! Charge!” the officer ordered in a voice becoming bolder with -excitement as he saw there was nothing left him but to obey. - -The startled sailors recoiled in surprise, muttering incoherently to -themselves, and then seeing their officer advance on a trot toward -the enemy’s trenches, they turned, at first fearfully, then gaining -courage, impetuously, and charged straight toward the source of the -leaden stream. - -A quarter of an hour later, Phil stood beside Commander Hughes in the -trenches of the enemy, while the victorious sailors were following -doggedly the retreating rebels. Langdon stood close by guarding a -prisoner; within the pilot’s huge fist was clutched the Chinaman’s -snake-like cue, while he eagerly questioned the terrified man in -Chinese. The others waited impatiently to hear what intelligence could -be extracted from the much frightened Oriental. - -“I impressed upon him that if he did not tell me the truth that I would -kill him,” the pilot exclaimed hurriedly; “he sticks to his story that -to-night they are going to attack the big mission on the graveyard -hills.” - -“We’ve but half succeeded,” Commander Hughes exclaimed, the lines in -his face growing deeper from anxiety. “We’ve scattered the outlaws here -with heavy loss,” the dead bodies almost filling the deep trenches -speaking eloquently that fact, “but we must push forward at once to -relieve our mission. I cannot sleep another night until those innocent -non-combatants have been rescued. My men are even secondary,” he added -forcefully; “it is their duty and privilege to die in the cause of -humanity.” - -“We cannot hope to succeed without opposition,” Langdon said; “but -before the news of our fight here arouses the viceroy to action against -us, we should relieve the mission, bringing everybody here where we -can protect them. It is but a two-hour march and is but the natural -sequence to the attack we have made.” - -“Quite so,” Commander Hughes agreed hopefully. “Langdon,” he added in -a sad voice, “you don’t know what it is to rule a dozen different -nationalities. It is a wonder we can accomplish anything.” Then he -turned to Phil, who had listened eagerly, his young face full of -concern. “Recall the sailors,” he ordered. - -After the men had been ordered back from their excited pursuit of the -fleeing Chinese and had fallen into military order in rear of the -captured trenches, the American commander gathered the senior officers -of each nationality about him to urge upon them the necessity of prompt -action to relieve the threatened mission. - -Phil started, the hot blood suffusing his face, as he saw with sinking -heart the rank of the foreigner whom he had humiliated before his own -men. Three heavy gold stripes on the officer’s sleeve told him the rank -was that of commander, equal to that of his own captain. This cowardly -officer was then in command of one of the foreign gunboats, but why -had he not seen him before at the councils of the allies on board the -“Phœnix”? Was this Captain Ignacio of the “Albaque,” who had each time -pleaded sickness and sent a young officer to represent him? - -Further speculation upon this perplexing situation was cut short by -Commander Hughes’ forceful talk to the allies. All listened intently; -the well-modulated, clear voice of the American held his listeners -spellbound with attention, but many of the foreigners showed in their -faces only too plainly that they already feared the displeasure of -their governments for having followed the lead of this strenuous -American commander. Was it not an American mission, guarded by American -sailors? Then why should not the Americans rescue their own people? -The officer who had felt the cold chill of Phil’s revolver was loudest -in his condemnation of further attacks; his arguments were so cleverly -worded that he soon won over to his side the timid ones. The British -captain alone stood by the American in his endeavors to persuade his -brother captains that their one chance of helping the missionaries was -to vigorously pursue the advantage already gained. - -“We’ve not forgotten Tatnall’s ‘Blood is thicker than water,’” the -British commander exclaimed as Commander Hughes wrung his hand warmly, -in eloquent silence. - -“We must abide by the decision of the majority,” Commander Hughes said -sorrowfully. “I dare not think what will happen to those within the -mission if my men cannot withstand the attack.” Then he turned flashing -eyes upon the group of hesitating foreigners. - -“What do you propose?” he questioned, controlling the anger and -humiliation in his voice with some difficulty. - -Phil saw the officer whom he had recently humbled before his men cast -a knowing look at several of his co-conspirators, and then heard him -boldly voice his plan. - -“My compatriots,” he began, “believe that this useless killing of -Chinese is harming our country’s interests. We have decided that we -should send a flag of truce to the viceroy to request him to use his -own soldiers to fight these Chinese rebels.” - -“A flag of truce!” cried Commander Hughes, in eloquent disdain. “How -will the viceroy answer us? Probably by throwing the lifeless carcasses -of our emissaries on the sand for the dogs to feed upon.” - -Commander Ignacio flinched before the menacing disgust in the -American’s face, but he held stolidly to his point, while all of the -allies, with the single exception of Commander Buresford, echoed the -foreigner’s proposal. - -“The Inland Mission containing over a hundred innocent men, women and -children, is still in danger from these rebels,” Commander Hughes -exclaimed anxiously, making a last stand for what he considered was -vital to his cause. “Although we have scattered their forces, they can, -as we know, quickly regather. By concerted action, even without danger -to ourselves and possibly without bloodshed, we can march this force of -two thousand sailors over the seven miles of intervening country. By -daylight we can return here with these refugees and then we shall be in -a far better position to again open negotiations with the viceroy. If -he should refuse to treat with us now--by to-morrow these outlaws will -have recovered from their repulse. I beg that my brother officers will -agree with me on this point,” he ended in entreaty. - -Commander Ignacio craftily refused to allow the point to be discussed; -he feared the persuasive powers of the earnest and loyal American. - -“We have decided that question,” he replied quickly, an ugly leer on -his face. “Now our business is to select those to go to the viceroy.” - -Commander Hughes was about to suggest that this foolhardy foreigner -should be chosen, and was on the point of refusing to risk the lives of -his own officers in such a dangerous undertaking, when to his surprise -the name of Ignacio was voiced by the combined council. - -Phil glanced closely at the foreigner. The lad had heard his captain’s -views of the possible fate of the flag of truce. Would Commander -Ignacio accept the dangerous post? - -It seemed plain from Commander Ignacio’s face that the detail was not -to his liking, but in his successful attempts to overrule the plans of -the American, he had become the avowed leader of those in opposition -to the Anglo-Saxon policy of quick action. Phil was eager to accompany -the flag of truce, but to serve under Ignacio was indeed disquieting. -The midshipman could see that his captain was taken unawares by the -acceptance of Ignacio to lead the dangerous mission. Knowing the -Chinese as he did, he honestly believed they would go to their death. - -The selection of the other members of the embassy was unanimously left -to the decision of their leader, Commander Hughes. - -“As my country is the most interested,” the American declared, “I -shall select my own officers.” Then turning to the midshipmen standing -near, Sydney having left his company of sailors to satisfy his eager -curiosity, “Mr. Perry,” the American commander said in a low voice, -“you have shown yourself worthy of this trust. I shall send you, Mr. -Monroe and Langdon. I hope and pray that no harm will come to you.” - -Phil could scarcely believe his ears. He, a midshipman, selected for -such an important duty! - -Commander Hughes then again addressed the foreign commanders. - -“Gentlemen,” he said in a firm voice, “I do not count on the success of -this flag of truce. If it fails we shall be forced to attack the forts -with our unarmored vessels. However, the decision is final. My orders -are that the embassy be sent without a moment’s delay. We shall remain -here until our friends return.” - -Then, dismissing the allies, he took Langdon’s arm and walked toward -the American sailors. - -“If I only had five hundred American sailors,” he declared hotly, “I -would throw over these half-hearted allies and march to the relief of -the mission. But with this mere handful, failure would be assured.” -Then he beckoned the midshipmen to him. “Langdon, you and these young -men must uphold the dignity of our country. You, Langdon, must speak -directly to the viceroy. Impress upon him that I am in deadly earnest. -If he harms the American mission I shall not rest until his city is -laid in ashes. I shall destroy his arsenals and foundries. The forts -will not be able to resist the attack of the American monitors, which -should soon arrive.” - -“The monitors!” Langdon exclaimed. “Are they coming?” - -“I wish I could believe it,” Commander Hughes replied sorrowfully. “But -we must make the viceroy believe that we are hourly expecting them. He -fears an American monitor, and the thought that they are coming may act -in our favor.” - -Preparations went forward rapidly, and inside of half an hour, -Commander Ignacio led his small party out of the allied camp. - -Carrying a large white flag conspicuously displayed, the four -emissaries, with an escort of eight sailors, four from the “Phœnix” and -four from the foreigner’s own gunboat, gained the road leading toward -the city of Ku-Ling. Unencumbered with all save their firearms, which -were carried for protection against the marauding bands of outlaws, the -seven miles were quickly covered, and in less than two hours the city -gate loomed before them. - -Approaching the city wall, Phil saw that there was great commotion at -the gate; soldiers ran hither and thither, and before the flag of truce -had arrived near the stagnant water of the moat, there was a noisy -clanking of rusty chain, the drawbridge was suddenly raised, and the -ponderous gates tightly shut. - -The midshipmen, in spite of the precariousness of their position, -could scarcely suppress a smile of gratification: this act alone -spoke volumes; what must these Asiatics think of the prowess of the -foreigners if they feared an attack from a dozen men? - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -IGNACIO SHOWS HIS HAND - - -As the drawbridge clanked upward, and the soldiers disappeared hastily -behind the closing gates, Commander Ignacio, glancing nervously at -Langdon, brought his party to a stop. - -“You know the customs of these people; what shall we do?” he exclaimed -anxiously, betraying that with all his vain boasting before his -confrères he depended upon the American pilot to give him courage to -act. - -“They have raised the drawbridge until the viceroy can be notified,” -Langdon answered calmly; “I don’t consider we are in much danger; of -course the Chinese never do what might be expected of them. If they -opened fire now we couldn’t escape,” he added, casting a swift glance -of disdain at the nervous officer and giving the midshipmen a covert -wink; “so we might as well put on a bold front.” Suiting his action -to his words, he threw himself down on the ground, as if he intended -to be comfortable while the viceroy indulged himself in his Oriental -diplomacy of wearing out the patience of those who wished to treat with -him. - -Over an hour passed anxiously for the foreigners; conversation was -fragmentary and pointless. Under the eyes and within close range of a -semi-civilized enemy, who might refuse to recognize a flag of truce, -their position was not calculated to inspire confidence. Then the -drawbridge creaked slowly down, and a gorgeously dressed official -advanced through the opened gate, preceded by a white flag and followed -by an armed guard of soldiers. - -Commander Ignacio and his party rose hastily to meet them. - -After the elaborate Chinese ceremony of greeting had been concluded, -the mandarin turned to Commander Ignacio, and inquired his mission. - -“We have come to see the viceroy,” Ignacio replied in English, for -the Chinaman was no other than the interpreter, whom Phil had seen so -discomfited the day before. - -With a nod of approval, the mandarin beckoned that all should follow, -and led the way across the drawbridge and into the ill-smelling city. - -The emissaries and their guards passed at a rapid pace through the -narrow and dirty streets; the curious inmates of the walled city kept -at a respectful distance, their faces expressing wonder rather than -hatred. - -Phil, noticing the change in their demeanor from the day before, called -it to Langdon’s attention. - -“Yes,” the pilot assured him, “it’s a good sign; the will of the -mandarins is always reflected in the faces of the lower classes. They -hate us just as much as ever, but the brisk work at Lien-Chow has shown -them that we are able to carry out our threats.” - -Upon their arrival at the yamen, the viceroy received the foreigners -at the second door, one door nearer the entrance than where he had -received Commander Hughes. This did not fail to impress the visitors. -After all, was Chang-Li-Hun prepared to make terms? - -The viceroy was accompanied by the same mandarins whom Phil had seen -the day before, and in contrast to their master’s sphinx-like face -their features betrayed the apprehension which they doubtless felt. - -Chang-Li-Hun seated himself at the head of the table, motioning -Commander Ignacio to a chair on his left. - -After all were seated, refreshments were brought, and silence was -preserved until the viceroy signed that the table be cleared; then -turning to Langdon he inquired courteously in Chinese the wishes of the -flag of truce. - -The pilot, after a motion of consent had been received from the leader, -informed the mandarin of Commander Hughes’ terms. Phil watched his -friend’s face closely, glancing occasionally at the dignified old -Chinaman, whom nothing apparently could move. - -“There is a hostile movement against the foreigners in your provinces,” -Langdon commenced in the mandarin’s language, using all the flowery -and diplomatic terms which these astute diplomats clung to so closely. -“This movement can exist only through your tolerance. We do not claim -that your Excellency is giving it active support, but you are taking -no steps to smother it. That being the case, the allied powers have -taken the law in their own hands. Having discovered that an army of -rebels were concentrating at Lien-Chow, only seven miles from your -Excellency’s city, with the avowed intention of attacking the American -mission and massacring the inmates, the allies have but a few hours ago -attacked them in their stronghold and dispersed them with many killed, -while not a foreigner has been hurt. These rebels were permitted -to collect despite the fact that you have seven thousand soldiers -under your orders capable of suppressing these outlaws. Commander -Hughes has directed us to say that if your Excellency will give his -honorable word upon the spirit of his father that no further outrages -will be permitted, and that he will protect with his soldiers the -American mission, and also cause to be issued and posted throughout -the provinces orders to desist from attacks on Christian converts and -their teachers, then the foreign sailors will be at once withdrawn from -China’s soil.” - -Chang-Li-Hun’s face was barren of expression while the pilot was -delivering himself of this long speech. - -“I am not the general of the soldiers,” he craftily replied; “suppose -I, a civilian, should give the soldiers orders to protect foreigners, -how may I be assured that they will obey?” - -Langdon fearlessly gazed at the aged mandarin, whom he knew was trying, -as the Chinese say, “to throw dust in his eyes.” - -“Is not the Tartar general under the orders of the viceroy?” he asked -uncompromisingly. - -“I may give an order,” the viceroy answered evasively, “but I am not a -soldier; then how shall I risk the displeasure of my father’s spirit, -when I would not know if it were being enforced?” - -By the viceroy’s words his treachery was unmasked. Langdon had been -told in the strictest confidence by Emmons that General Hang-Ki -had embraced secretly the Christian belief; not suspecting this, -the viceroy had put his foot into a trap by insinuating that the -general could not be depended upon to carry out orders to protect the -foreigners and the thousands of Christian Chinese, who were alike -called foreigners by the fanatical anti-Christians. - -“Where can the general be found?” Langdon inquired finally. - -“His residence is in the forts,” the viceroy answered. - -“Then our mission is with him,” the pilot declared, rising from his -chair; “your Excellency then will agree to give the order and I shall -endeavor to obtain his promise to conscientiously carry it out. My -captain’s one desire is to spare the misguided people of the city from -the further vengeance of the foreign powers.” - -“What do you mean?” the viceroy asked, for a second dropping his mask -and gazing at the pilot through worried eyes. - -“I mean,” Langdon answered, raising his voice to be heard throughout -the room, “that if the Chinese soldiers and these outlaws, calling -themselves patriots, insist upon massacring the inoffensive foreigners -and their followers, such a fire of shot and shell will be thrown into -this city by the allied fleet that all property will be destroyed.” - -The aged mandarin started perceptibly at hearing these menacing words; -then he seemed to arrive at some conclusion, for his parchment-like -face betrayed a faint smile as he motioned the pilot to be again seated. - -“How will the fleet bombard Ku-Ling?” he inquired; “your ships cannot -again pass the forts if I order them to fire upon you.” - -“Your Excellency,” Langdon answered boldly, “has forgotten that two -American monitors are now on their way to join the allied fleet. With -the addition of these vessels, our ships do not fear the fire of your -forts; besides you will know that if the American commander orders it -our sailors can take the forts with ease by storm. Our captain is in -earnest,” he urged, believing from the viceroy’s attitude that he was -weakening. “If the mission on the hill which is under your protection -is harmed he will at once put into effect his plans to reduce the forts -and destroy your city.” - -“I shall send for the general,” the viceroy finally announced. “He -may be some hours in arriving, and meanwhile you may rest after your -journey.” - -The party arose, following the interpreter, and shortly found -themselves in a plainly-furnished room, where he left them abruptly. - -Langdon immediately explained his conversation with the viceroy, and -expressed himself as certain that the flag of truce would be successful. - -Phil had not as yet been addressed by Commander Ignacio, and naturally -felt disinclined to join in the conversation. He had surprised many -furtive glances from the foreign captain, and was sure they were not -of good omen; however, now he smiled pleasantly at the two midshipmen, -without a trace of the ill nature with which Phil felt he regarded him. - -“This was my idea from the start,” Commander Ignacio exclaimed -boastfully; “that fire-eating captain of yours came near getting us in -a nice muddle, but I believe I shall straighten it all out.” - -Phil’s anger flared into his eyes at hearing this direct slur -upon Commander Hughes’ actions, but his training had taught him -subordination, and he controlled the words of censure that came readily -to his lips. - -Langdon however was not so diplomatic. - -“I beg to differ, Commander Ignacio,” he exclaimed hotly; “Commander -Hughes’ acts have made this truce possible. Until he showed that he was -in earnest by attacking and capturing Lien-Chow the viceroy would not -have received us at all.” The foreigner’s expression changed suddenly, -and as he saw the midshipmen unconsciously nod in approval of the -pilot’s words, a scowl of bitter hatred appeared on his swarthy face. - -“You Americans are an insolent race,” he cried angrily. “What do you -know about such matters?” he continued violently, turning scornfully on -Langdon; “you are merely a hired pilot.” - -Phil’s greatest fear seemed on the point of being realized; this -braggart might spoil all through his self-conceit. Until now all had -gone smoothly; the viceroy had as much as shown that he was ready and -willing to make terms, and now this incompetent coward had shown his -ugly hand. - -“Don’t answer him, Langdon,” Phil whispered, laying a restraining hand -on the pilot’s arm; “nothing that he can say will affect our confidence -in you.” - -The anger died on Langdon’s face as he realized the logic in the lad’s -words, and then the strained situation was relieved by the arrival of -the interpreter. - -“His Excellency, the general, was fortunately in the city,” he -explained, “and was readily found; he now waits in the viceroy’s -audience-chamber.” - -The foreigners were presently again before the high mandarin. - -Phil gazed admiringly at the stranger, whom he knew must be the Tartar -general. The Manchu stood over six feet in height, his skin bronzed by -exposure, in striking contrast to the almost effeminate appearance of -the Chinese mandarins about him. The fierceness of his Tartar ancestors -looked from his dark almond-shaped eyes; he seemed to the lad an -embodiment of those of his race who had many centuries before under the -great Ghenkis Khan overrun the whole of Asia, carrying their victorious -banners even into Europe; here was the soldier leader whose ancestors -had followed no other calling. - -The conference was again opened by the viceroy’s thin voice. - -“Upon investigation I find that the general was not informed of the -presence at Lien-Chow of these outlaws. I myself knew nothing of it. -The mission was safe in my keeping, but when your commander lands an -armed force on the soil of China, he must take the consequences; I dare -not interfere as long as there is a single foreign sailor on our shore. -Before I can treat with you, every armed man must be first withdrawn -and the ships again anchored in the Yangtse River; the To-Yan Lake is -by royal decree forbidden water, and I must demand that the war-ships -leave there immediately.” - -Langdon gazed in surprise at the old diplomat. Could reliance be -placed in his implied willingness to make terms after the sailors were -withdrawn from China’s soil and the ships anchored again in the river? - -“That is quite impossible,” Langdon answered promptly. “Commander -Hughes will not withdraw from China’s soil until he has received your -promise given on the sacred spirit of your father.” - -“When your commander has anchored his fleet at Ku-Ling and then comes -to me apologizing for entering the forbidden lake, then I will give -my decision, but not until then,” the viceroy cried angrily. “I have -washed my hands of your mission; by putting sailors there your captain -has taken it from my protection.” - -Langdon was so intent upon his conversation with the viceroy that he -failed to notice that Commander Ignacio had changed his seat to one -beside the interpreter, and that in low tones the latter had given the -foreigner the details of the conversation upon which so much depended. -The pilot now turned to apprise this officer of the latest demand of -the arch villain, but to his consternation the foreign commander had -risen to his feet, his black eyes snapping with importance, and waved -the American to silence, then turning to the interpreter at his elbow -exclaimed in English: - -“I consider that the viceroy’s demands are just. I was from the first -against this ill-judged action. Tell his Excellency as senior member -of this flag of truce, I shall agree to these terms, and am sure my -colleagues, with the exception of this American, will uphold me.” - -A smile of triumph played about the corners of the viceroy’s cruel -mouth while the interpreter gave him the meaning of Commander Ignacio’s -rash words. - -“So,” he thought, “the foreigners are not of one mind.” The clever -diplomat believed that he had at last found a way to pierce the armor -of the despised foreigner. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -HELD AS HOSTAGES - - -The Americans were speechless with amazement. Phil was confident that -he read triumph in the spiteful face of the foreign commander. Langdon -gazed with unfeigned disgust at the officer who had brought defeat -to the allies. This wily Chinaman would now refuse to interfere with -the unlawful acts of his subjects; trusting to the dissensions of the -allies to bring their punitive efforts to naught. All realized that -now even their own lives were in peril, and they were powerless to -interfere. Commander Ignacio was the appointed head of the embassy and -his decision was authoritative. - -The Americans quickly learned the ill effects of the traitor’s words, -for the viceroy at once disregarded the pilot’s presence and in the -most insulting tone turned to his interpreter. - -“His Excellency,” that Chinaman said upon the completion of the -viceroy’s ultimatum, “sees that the ranking officer has more -intelligence than his low-caste companions, and that as he has given -his promise that an apology will be made, his Excellency will at once -set him at liberty to return to his people. And his Excellency further -warns his compatriots that if the sailors are not withdrawn within -twenty-four hours to their ships, and if the fleet does not leave the -To-Yan Lake, that the lives of those held as hostages will pay the -penalty.” - -Phil, throwing discretion to the winds, was upon his feet before the -interpreter had finished his threatening sentences. - -“Commander Ignacio,” he exclaimed, beside himself with anger and -mortification, “can you not see what you have done? The viceroy offers -you your freedom; you must at once insist that we are under the sacred -protection of a flag of truce and that he has not the right to detain -us.” - -“Are you then so anxious about your precious skin?” the foreigner -answered, an expression of intense dislike on his swarthy face. - -The viceroy had risen, taking the arm of an assistant. He bowed -formally, and moved away toward his own apartments. - -Langdon heard his parting instructions to his interpreter. - -“Hold these American dogs and send the others back to their own people. -Let their commander tell them that when their sailors have ceased to -pollute Chinese soil then I shall treat with them. And to show my -displeasure at the attack of the foreigners upon our innocent people, I -shall hold these dogs as hostages.” - -Realizing his helplessness, the pilot was silent, and he and the -midshipmen allowed themselves to be led away by the waiting guards. - -Commander Ignacio gave Phil a look of triumph as he passed him, which -glance the lad returned proudly. Doubtless this despicable man believed -he had won a signal victory over the midshipman who had accused him of -cowardice before his own men. - -The Americans were conducted to a room outside of the council-chamber -of the yamen. All were too crestfallen and disappointed with the turn -affairs had taken to care what their fate might be. Through the windows -of the room they saw the traitor and his four sailors pass along the -courtyard on the way back to the camp of the allies, and a few moments -afterward, their own sailors were brought and shoved roughly into the -room where their officers were held captive. - -“If that villain,” Langdon exclaimed angrily, “had only kept quiet, -we should all have been returning by now. He played right into the -viceroy’s hands.” - -“It is all my own doing,” Phil moaned. “Why didn’t I tell our captain -the kind of man he was?” - -“What do you mean?” Sydney and Langdon asked in a breath. - -Phil told of the attack on Lien-Chow and of the cowardly part Commander -Ignacio had played. - -“Well, if that isn’t the queerest!” the pilot exclaimed after the -midshipman had finished; “Commander Hughes in my hearing complimented -him upon the fearless attack of his men; they were the first in the -enemy’s trenches after the Americans and English. And it was you that -put wings to their leader’s feet.” - -The pilot’s laugh sounded so incongruous that the Chinese guards -glanced suspiciously inside, fearing that the handful of foreigners -might be planning some daring escape. - -“I feel that it is my fault,” Phil repeated penitently. “I alone am -responsible for our captivity.” - -“Cheer up, lad!” Langdon exclaimed. “It might be worse. The viceroy -will soon find that Commander Ignacio will not be supported. He will -not dare to hold us long.” - -But the pilot, with his wide knowledge of the Chinese, did not know the -capacity for cruelty of this aged mandarin. - -Even as the pilot spoke, the room filled with soldiers, who disarmed -the Americans, binding their hands behind them and attaching heavy -chains to their ankles. Langdon began to caution the sailors to submit -without resistance, but before he could give the advice a stalwart -sailor had picked up a heavy chair and floored the nearest of the -Chinese soldiers. - -The sailors were quickly taken away, and after their work was -completed the guards withdrew, leaving the midshipmen and the pilot -bound upon the hard floor. The tight cords on their wrists cut cruelly -into the flesh. - -Phil gave himself over to despair; he could see no way out of their -terrible predicament. Langdon, breathing heavily beside him, was -silent, while Sydney was speechless with anger and mortification. - -After several minutes the interpreter entered their prison; his sallow -face betrayed not a spark of sympathy as he told Langdon to be prepared -to receive the sentence of punishment at the hands of the viceroy. - -The pilot growled an answer in Chinese which caused the interpreter’s -face to show a shade of annoyance; then he answered in English, -glancing fiercely at his captives. - -“We respect a flag of truce, but those who land on friendly soil and -attack innocent villagers are not entitled to its protection.” - -Phil would have denied the Chinaman’s assertions, but the next second -he was roughly dragged to his feet, and with his companions, led into -the private apartments of the viceroy. - -There the mandarin was seated comfortably in his chair of state, -enjoying hugely the discomfiture of the foreigners. One by one the -Americans were forced down upon their knees before the viceroy; the -guards zealously pulling the hair of the helpless ones as a caution to -obey quietly. - -While Chang-Li-Hun spoke to Langdon in a low voice, the midshipmen -were held down on their knees, their heads bent forward, and as each -moved to ease his cramped limbs, the cruel hands of the soldiers would -inflict some new and painful torture to keep them motionless. The -strain was well-nigh unbearable; the body bending forward brought a -heavy and increasing strain on the wrist bindings. - -“Your two companions being officers of a foreign navy under arms -on China’s soil, I have the right to hold them for punishment and -execution, if I so desire. You being but a civilian, if you will -apologize publicly I will set you free at once,” the viceroy said in a -conciliatory voice. - -The pilot stoutly refused to accept his clemency. - -“Would your commander really dare attempt to bombard my city?” the -mandarin continued curiously. - -The severe pain at his wrists spurred Langdon on to picture blackly the -doom awaiting the self-satisfied and treacherous official. - -“If you hold these officers captive, the American commander will not -rest until he has set them at liberty. If you harm a hair of their -heads he will raze your city to the ground and every shell will be -directed at this yamen. The inside of the wall will be as desolate as -that of your great city of Nanking after the Taiping rebels had sacked -it.” - -The viceroy turned livid with uncontrolled rage. He spurned the bound -prisoner with his foot, while the soldiers, seeing the anger in their -master’s face, pulled the hair and beard of the helpless man. - -Langdon was now beside himself. By a mighty effort, he bore back upon -the soldiers, his great strength scattering them with ease, and then he -raised his head and gazed full into the face of the viceroy. - -“By holding us as hostages you are but signing your own death-warrant. -Our mission here was for your own good. Your people will suffer, but -the mandarins are those whom Commander Hughes desires to punish. You -know that if your city is destroyed by the foreign fleet you must -either commit suicide or falsify the reports to Peking which in time -will be discovered. If you liberate us at once and give your promise -that foreigners will be protected, even now you can redeem your action.” - -Chang-Li-Hun could hardly believe his ears. He had never been talked to -so plainly in all his life. His mandarins stood near him, the scowls on -their outraged faces betokening evil for the helpless Americans. - -Langdon was, at a motion from the viceroy, quickly restrained, and -struggling violently in the hands of numerous soldiers was borne out -of the council-chamber. The midshipmen’s guards were severe as they -dragged the unresisting lads from the presence of the viceroy. - -“I fear I’ve made a worse muddle of it,” the pilot exclaimed dolefully, -after they were again alone in the room which for the present served -as their prison. Then he recounted to his companions what had passed -between him and the powerful mandarin. - -“We can hope for no immediate relief from our people,” Phil declared -dejectedly. “Even though the allies condemn Ignacio’s actions and are -willing to aid in our release, they cannot storm the city by land from -Lien-Chow. First the fleet must pass through the fire of the forts.” - -“There is one other chance,” Langdon replied hopefully. “The viceroy -is certainly acting without or perhaps even contrary to orders from -Peking. I could tell that by the anger in his face when I accused him -of it. His government is being kept in the dark. It knows nothing -of the conditions within his provinces. If the foreign ambassadors -in Peking have back-bone enough to insist upon knowing the state -of affairs, the throne will ask for reports, and Chang-Li-Hun, as -powerful as he is, must disclose his treachery. If these reports are -not satisfactory to the ambassadors and at the same time if sufficient -fear can be put into the emperor’s heart by intimidating him with the -threat of another sack of the capital by the foreign soldiers, then he -will send one of his trusted Manchu generals with an army at his back, -from a neighboring province. When once these soldiers have arrived in -front of the viceroy’s yamen then Chang-Li-Hun must acknowledge himself -beaten.” - -“Meanwhile what is going to happen to us?” Sydney asked. - -“Come, brace up, Syd,” cried Phil, trying hard to appear cheerful. -“We’ve been in as bad a place before. If our time has come, nothing -that we can say or do will stop it.” - -“It isn’t that I am afraid of what’s going to happen,” Sydney exclaimed -in a hurt voice. “If they’d given us a show it wouldn’t have mattered; -but to violate a truce! That’s what makes me feel like tearing these -shackles off and throttling every Chinaman in sight, and to feel I -can’t makes me wish to use all the bad words that I know.” - -Phil could barely suppress a laugh; Sydney had described his own -feeling more accurately than he could himself. - -“We may just as well keep our tempers,” Phil replied philosophically. -“It only wastes one’s strength to get angry, and we’ll probably need -all the endurance we have before we are again with our own people.” - -“Did the captain send any telegrams to the admiral or Washington about -the state of affairs?” Langdon asked suddenly. - -“Yes, he sent one yesterday and one was given to the Chinese operator -in the concession this morning,” Phil replied. “The last one was a long -one and outlined what he intended doing, with his reasons. They were -all in cipher. I helped him prepare them.” - -“They haven’t gone further than the viceroy’s waste paper basket,” -Langdon returned. “He will guard every outlet for news. Doubtless his -version of the actions of the foreigners will be wired, unless he sees -fit to remain silent.” - -“How can he remain silent?” Sydney inquired. “The gunboats came here -believing that there was going to be trouble. Surely if the foreign -governments do not hear from their representatives they will be -suspicious.” - -“It’s too deep for me this time,” Langdon declared. “The viceroy knows -what he’s doing; that I can assure you. History usually repeats -itself in these Chinese troubles, and he is probably banking on the -timidity of the foreign governments. If the plain unvarnished facts of -the attack on Lien-Chow got to Washington with no word from Commander -Hughes, what would happen? That is what Chang-Li-Hun is counting on.” - -“The president would wire for particulars,” Phil answered. - -“Yes, and he wouldn’t get them,” Langdon returned; “and then what would -happen?” - -“I don’t know, but the viceroy believes he does and he hopes -that Washington will act in such a way as to give the victory to -Chang-Li-Hun.” - -As the pilot’s voice died away, the predicament of himself and -companions came home forcibly to Phil. His arms and legs were swollen, -causing him great pain, and the thought of the further cruelty of those -who held them captives was not pleasant. - -“Is there no way to escape?” the lad asked, glancing about the insecure -looking prison. - -“We might succeed in getting out of the yamen,” Langdon answered -discouragingly, “but we could never expect to get out of the city. -There are but two gates, and both are heavily guarded at all times. -Once we are missed from here the news would travel with the speed of -wireless telegraphy throughout the city. No, we are as secure as if we -were on a desert island.” - -“Can’t we bribe the guards?” Sydney asked, casting a contemptuous -glance at the ragged soldier at the door. - -“What have we to bribe with?” Langdon asked mournfully. “I haven’t a -cent about me.” - -“The green jade ring my grateful Chinaman gave me!” Phil exclaimed. - -The Americans took heart at the thought of this priceless possession. - -“Guard it carefully,” Langdon cautioned; “it may save us.” - -“Does Commander Ignacio really believe,” Sydney asked suddenly, “that -Commander Hughes will apologize to the viceroy?” - -“That traitor Ignacio knows that he will not!” Phil exclaimed angrily -at the thought of his treachery. “There’s more in this than we -understand. It’s a plot to defeat our captain, and he with only his -small force is powerless if the other nations side with this villain. -Our only hope is that the other foreigners will not stand for Ignacio’s -cowardly agreement.” - -“Those in the mission,” Langdon said with alarm in his voice, “are in -a worse plight than ever. Unless Commander Hughes finds himself strong -enough to relieve the mission it will sooner or later be attacked; our -fifty sailors cannot withstand a long siege against the Chinese regular -troops.” - -The more Phil speculated upon the situation the more perplexing it -seemed. Numbers of helpless foreign missionaries were scattered among -the cities of the provinces. Even now many might have been killed by -the lawless element. In the past many missionaries had been killed by -mobs stirred to violence by printed circulars sent out openly by the -mandarins. Would the firm stand of the foreigners deter the mandarins -from giving license to their people to destroy? Phil knew that this was -his captain’s hope. - -Langdon’s voice interrupted the lad’s musings. - -“We shall be separated,” he said dejectedly. “Please don’t be rash. -Remember the cruelty of these people. They might kill in a fit of -anger, even though your death was against their interests. Don’t expect -kind treatment. You will probably be liberated when our captain has -shown the viceroy that he is equal to his threats, but I am not an -officer and I know too much to suit that scheming interpreter.” - -That the pilot despaired of his life was indeed disquieting news to the -midshipmen, but their solicitations were quickly cut short by the sound -of tramping feet in the hallway outside their prison door. - -A number of armed soldiers entered the room and dragged the captives -roughly to their aching feet, hurrying them along the stone pavement up -the courtyard. - -Phil saw ahead of him the unresisting Langdon, brutally kicked and -struck by his captors as he shuffled painfully along, then his own -guards turned down a corridor, dragging him after them. - -Wondering what was about to happen Phil saw a soldier knock loudly upon -a door; a most unearthly yell from within was the only answer, then -the door opened inwards and he found himself shoved into the midst of a -crowd of half-naked Chinamen. His heart sank within him as he realized -that he was to be imprisoned along with the lowest of the criminals of -the viceroy’s provinces. But a moment later he could have cried out -for joy at the sight of Sydney thrown roughly almost into his arms. -At least he would have his friend to share his tortures; that was -something for which to be thankful. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -A CHINESE PRISON - - -The arrival of the Americans in the jail was heralded with delight -by their scantily-clad fellows; they one and all crowded about the -lads examining their uniforms and putting very dirty hands on their -white skins. Many had never seen a foreigner at such close range. -The midshipmen were so tightly bound that they could not escape this -unpleasant, although apparently friendly, treatment. - -Finally Phil could bear it no longer; the sickening odor from their -unwashed bodies became more than his endurance could stand. Managing -to rise to his feet, he painfully crossed the damp floor to a wooden -bench, the only article of furniture in the cell; reaching this he sat -down upon it, gently but forcefully pushing the prisoners seated beside -him until he had the bench entirely to himself. The Chinese stood close -by in silent surprise, showing no anger at this treatment. - -“Come here, Sydney,” he called. “We’ll take the bench and keep these -ruffians away. They’ll smother us with their heathen curiosity.” - -Sydney crawled through the delighted crowd, the prisoners moving aside -readily for him, and as he reached the bench and raised himself off the -reeking floor to a seat beside Phil, the gaping Chinamen chattered like -children, quite absorbed in the infrequent spectacle of foreign devils -in their jail. - -A number of the more bold among the prisoners squatted on the floor -close to the bench, examining the stout boots and leggins of the -midshipmen, but these Phil motioned away, emphasizing his meaning by a -shove from his manacled feet. The Chinamen arose at once, their faces -expressing only astonishment. - -The lads were soon left alone; their fellow prisoners had formed a -circle around them with an intervening space of over a yard, while one -or two of their number assumed the rôle of protectors and faithfully -kept their comrades from infringing upon this forbidden ground. - -“They are more kind than their masters,” Sydney said, after the -midshipmen had gathered their scattered wits. - -“Poor fellows, they seem as happy as if they were only doing penance -for small sins,” Phil replied, gazing compassionately at his motley -companions. “Yet they are all condemned to be executed. Do you see the -large ring each wears about his neck, with a brass tag attached? That’s -the mark of a felon to be beheaded, or worse.” - -“Where do you suppose they’ve taken Langdon?” Sydney asked anxiously. -“It’s certainly terrible to be helpless in the power of these cruel -Chinese. They may even now have beheaded him. The viceroy was angry -enough to revenge himself.” - -“I hope it’s not so bad as that,” Phil answered, trying hard to be -reassuring, not feeling, however, a particle more secure than the -condemned men about him. “Langdon said,” he added grimly, “if our hands -were lifted up high behind our backs and they hurried us out of the -cell, our heads would probably be cut off in the large outer court. -Until they do that, I suppose we may be sure that we are not in any -immediate danger of death.” - -Sydney shuddered at the unpleasant thought. And this was the China that -they had been so eager to visit. - -Toward evening a great tub filled with millet was brought in by the -keepers and this the prisoners devoured ravenously. Luckily for the -lads, they had satisfied their appetite from the viceroy’s table, for -they would have stood but scant chance among that hungry rabble. - -The cell was now entirely dark, save for a swinging light which -streamed through the barred doors. The midshipmen scarcely closed their -eyes during the long hours of the night, and when the first streaks of -day shone into their foul cell, they were sitting open-eyed on their -bench. - -A jailer brought a basin of water to the door of the cell and then -entering, took off their irons and led them out into the courtyard. -The lads’ hopes rose, but they soon saw that it was to be only a -preparation for more imprisonment. A bowl of rice apiece was given -them, which was quickly eaten, and then each received a steaming cup of -tea. This reassuring meal put new life into the lads and they felt more -cheerful than at any time since their imprisonment. - -“What’s he doing?” Sydney cried out in alarm, as the jailer began to -rub his neck with a damp rag, while another rubbed his wrists and -ankles. Phil was afterward given the same treatment, and then the -hateful irons were again put on, but in addition there were put about -their necks the dreaded rings, with the dangling brass tags that -jingled ominously. - -The midshipmen were stunned. Like the others of their cell-mates they -were now wearing the badge of death. They also had been condemned by -the viceroy and would be held in this loathsome prison until their -numbers were called by the “Board of Punishments,” the Chinese high -court of justice. - -Once more in their cell the lads sat dejectedly on their bench. They -had small desire for conversation; each felt his doom pressing upon -him, and strange to say with this weight of trouble their thoughts -turned to Langdon. - -“If we are to be executed,” Phil said sorrowfully, “poor Langdon must -have already met his death.” - -Sydney had not the heart to reply. He nodded his head sorrowfully. Then -a thought struck him, and he raised hopeful eyes to his companion’s -face. - -“He must be near us, Phil,” he exclaimed. “Can’t we find some means of -communicating? If we could only talk their language we might ask our -jailer; he appears friendly and probably knows.” - -Phil was silent for a few moments, then he suddenly began to whistle -loudly the stirring music of their class song. The tune brought tears -to Sydney’s eyes. It took him back to the day the brigade of midshipmen -marched by the reviewing stand for the last time with his class as -seniors. Two hours afterward, with his diploma in his hand, he had -shaken hands as a graduate with the secretary of the navy. What a -terrible contrast! Then a sudden fear took possession of him. Had Phil -lost his mind? Was the knowledge of their terrible end too much for -his nerves and had his strong mind succumbed? While these disquieting -thoughts were coursing through his brain, Phil ceased whistling and -listened eagerly. From a distance a high-pitched treble of a whistle -came indistinctly to their ears amid the noises of their cell. - -The Chinese crowded about Phil in evident delight, while a number of -jailers stood outside the half-closed door peering inside, smiles on -their ignorant faces. - -“They seem to enjoy my music,” Phil said in a perfectly rational voice; -“but thank goodness, Langdon is still alive!” - -“Maybe it was from one of the sailors,” Sydney suggested. - -Phil continued his whistling for many minutes until his listeners had -become thoroughly accustomed, then he put forth his strategy. - -“Langdon knows our signal code,” he said quietly, “and I’m going to try -to whistle him a message, if we can only get these fellows quiet. At -least we’ll find out who it is that is confined near us.” - -Then by single and double whistles, covered up ingeniously with -snatches of tunes, he spelled out: - -“Who are you?” - -The lads waited breathlessly for several minutes, which seemed to them -as many hours. Then the answer came distinctly: - -“Langdon. If the interpreter comes to you show him the ring. It may be -your last chance.” - -Phil acknowledged this, and then to allay the suspicions of the -jailers, he whistled several lively tunes. - -The long day dragged slowly by. In their cramped surroundings they -leaned back against the wall and dozed off, only to be awakened by the -pains in their tightly-bound limbs. The irons galled terribly. - -At last the jailer brought them their evening meal, a bowl of rice -apiece, and before leaving them for the night, examined their shackles. -While examining Sydney’s swollen wrists he “hi-yaw’d” loudly, calling -the midshipmen’s attention to where the tender skin had been chafed -through, the red flesh showing clearly. - -“Of course; what does he expect?” Sydney exclaimed angrily. “These -irons are not lined with velvet!” - -The jailer took Phil by the shoulder and led him to a corner of the -cell, where a Chinaman was lying, his pale face showing that the poor -fellow’s death was but a matter of hours. - -Stooping down, the jailer lifted one of the sick man’s arms. The sight -that met the lad’s gaze was heartrending. The wrist where his iron had -been was a festering sore. The diseased flesh had slowly spread until -his forearm to the elbow was infected and the man was dying of blood -poison. Phil at once understood the terrible danger to his friend. He -had heard of the maggot which is said to infest all Chinese prisons. -The earth beneath his feet at a depth of a few inches was swarming with -these deadly parasites, and their instinct leads them directly to a -fresh wound. Once this insect enters the flesh of a victim, his death -by a fearful, agonizing and lingering illness is assured. - -Pointing to Sydney’s irons Phil demanded by signs that they be -immediately removed, but the jailer shook his head in dissent, his -expressive face portraying a fear for himself if he did, while he -struck his own neck with his hand as if to say, “That’s what would -happen to me if I took his irons off.” - -Phil’s solicitude for his friend was great. How could he hide this -wound from the searching little worm? He thought of his pocket -handkerchief in his blouse pocket; reaching inside his coat with his -manacled hands, he dragged it slowly out, with the intention of using -it as a bandage about Sydney’s wrist, but to his consternation as he -pulled a bright spark of metal flashed before his eyes and the precious -jade ring fell loudly to the floor at the jailer’s feet. - -The Chinaman pounced upon it with avidity, hastily concealing it in his -loose clothes. Phil attempted to hold him, but he roughly pushed him -aside, shutting the barred door in his face with a loud slam. - -Their last hope had flown. The Chinaman would doubtless conceal the -ring and say he knew nothing in case he was questioned. - -The keen disappointment at the loss of the talisman made Phil fear even -more for the terrible predicament of his companion. A few more days in -this noisome hole might mean his death. Ill fed, with no opportunity to -wash away the accumulated dirt from their unclean surroundings, he must -surely fall a victim of the insidious insect. - -Another night passed in torture, relieved only by an occasional -exchange of signals between Phil and Langdon. He had fared no -worse than the midshipmen. Phil told him of the loss of the ring -and afterward there was a long silence, as if the news were too -disappointing to find an answer. - -Finally after several hours, the midshipmen were awakened from their -painful slumber to hear the signal from the pilot. - -“The viceroy has received some word from the allies. He asked me many -questions to-day,” and then abruptly the whistle ceased. - -The lads were eager to hear more, but Langdon was silent, and soon a -jailer entered and threatened by signs to gag the midshipmen if they -continued; so, much against their inclinations, they stopped signaling. - -Early the next morning the lads were awakened from an uneasy sleep by -loud cries in the courtyard outside of their cell door. The jailer -hurried in, unlocking their chains and signed them to follow him. The -midshipmen upon staggering to their feet would have fallen, if it had -not been for the prompt support of their fellow prisoners, who having -risen from their earth beds were gazing curiously through the open door. - -Emerging into the sunlight Phil at first could see nothing, but the -jailer, taking each by a hand, led them staggeringly across the sandy -courtyard. Then suddenly, pushing on their shoulders, the jailer forced -the midshipmen on their knees before two mandarins. - -Phil raised his eyes and saw the kindly face of the Tartar general, -while from the lips of the other, a stranger, came in perfect English -as he raised the almost fainting lads to their feet: - -“Come with us; we are your friends.” - -Jubilantly they followed the Tartar general’s military figure, and soon -found themselves within a large room where a small table was set, and -the tempting odor of food struck pleasantly upon their hungry senses. - -[Illustration: “_WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS_”] - -The lads were told to be seated, the mandarins taking chairs opposite -each. - -Phil was fairly bursting with suppressed excitement. Were they to be -liberated? - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -FRIENDS IN NEED - - -The midshipmen saw that something had occurred to bring about this -change in the behavior of the mandarins, but for their lives they could -not guess its import or the effect it would have upon their condition. -Both lads had come to understand something of Chinese perfidy, and -determined to school themselves to bear any disappointment. - -Very deliberately the two mandarins finished their meal, the -midshipmen, even under their tension of impatience, doing full justice -themselves to the savory dishes, and then the servants removed the -remnants of the repast. Meanwhile all four men sat in silence, the -mandarins in their silken robes in great contrast to the forlorn -appearance of the Americans in their dirt-covered uniforms. - -At length the silence was broken by the unmusical voice of Hang-Ki, the -Tartar general. While he talked, making many gestures with his hands -to illustrate his meaning, the lads racked their brains for a solution -to this unexpected treatment. Finally the general finished, glancing -interestedly at the midshipmen, anticipating no doubt the effect his -words would have on the faces of the youths. - -Phil drummed calmly with his finger nail a signal to Sydney. - -“Show no feeling,” the latter read from the clear clicks upon the -hardwood table, and he nodded guardedly in assent. - -The second Chinaman was now interpreting the general’s words, and the -midshipmen listened eagerly. - -“His Excellency, General Hang-Ki, was given this ring by a soldier who -said it was found by one of the jailers on the person of one of the -American officers. He wishes to know from where it came.” - -To Phil’s delight the Chinaman held up the jade ring, which he had -believed was irrecoverably lost. - -Phil saw no reason for concealment, so he at once told the story of his -rescue of the Chinaman from the river. - -Then it was the midshipmen’s turn to watch the general’s face as Phil’s -words were given him in his own language, but to their disappointment, -his features did not betray the slightest signs of aught save interest. - -Finally the interpreting mandarin turned to the expectant lads, a smile -on his intelligent face. They had been wondering unsuccessfully who -this Chinaman might be, using the English language as readily as his -own. He spoke a few words to the general, and receiving an affirmative -nod, he again addressed the Americans. - -“I see you do not know me. My name is Emmons. So far I have been -powerless to aid you. The viceroy is not my friend, and if it were not -for the confidence shown me by the general, I should before now have -shared the fate which you have so narrowly escaped. Even now all danger -is not over. This ring, you say,” addressing Phil, “was given you by -the man you saved from the river?” - -Phil nodded silently. - -“That part we cannot explain. The ring is a gift from the emperor to -Ta-Ling, the viceroy’s official secretary and interpreter. The stone -is the most priceless jade. Fortunately for you the jailer, fearing to -keep it in his possession during the night, gave it to the captain of -the yamen guard, who brought it at once to the general. If it had gone -to the viceroy, before now you both would have been executed.” - -“What do you mean?” Phil exclaimed. “Did I commit such a serious -offense by saving this man from drowning?” - -Emmons smiled grimly as he answered: - -“By saving Ta-Ling’s life you committed a serious offense against -the foreigners in China. That it was he you saved there can be but -little doubt, and he is the bitterest enemy the foreigners have among -the viceroy’s advisers. He is a graduate of an American college, and -because of his harsh treatment at San Francisco each time he returned -to college from his yearly visits to China, he has sworn to avenge -himself upon all Americans, and of course all foreigners will suffer, -because the Chinese people cannot discriminate between an American and -one of another nationality. Because of my American blood I have gained -his enmity, and while once I enjoyed the viceroy’s confidence, now he -has openly shown me his displeasure. This uprising was started by the -wide circulation of handbills, printed in the yamen and distributed -at Ta-Ling’s direction throughout the provinces, calling upon all -patriotic Chinamen to exterminate the foreigners. General Hang-Ki -is the only friend that the foreigners have; he commanded an army -corps against the allies at Peking in 1900, and knows the terrible -consequences awaiting those who dare resort to such barbarous and -uncivilized methods. Unfortunately Ta-Ling has the entire confidence of -the viceroy, and has poisoned his ear against the wiser counsel of the -general.” - -“Is the mission still unharmed?” Phil interrupted anxiously. - -“Yes,” Emmons answered promptly, “the viceroy has given the general -orders that it be guarded from attack, although Ta-Ling has been making -desperate efforts to gather together the rebels, who were dispersed by -the foreign sailors at Lien-Chow. If he should succeed in having the -general’s soldiers withdrawn from their camp near the mission, he may -yet succeed in his cherished wish.” - -“But Ta-Ling himself has enemies,” Phil exclaimed. “It must have been -these who attempted to drown him in the river.” - -“The one who attempted to drown him in the river is sitting opposite -you in the person of General Hang-Ki,” Emmons answered, smiling at -the lads’ astonished faces. “Knowing that the general would not lend -himself to the intrigues against the lives of foreigners, Ta-Ling -decided to put the general out of the way. The night you saved the -secretary from the river and, as you supposed, received this priceless -royal jade ring as a reward, his Excellency was spending the night with -me on my house-boat. The general, if possible, always sleeps in the -open air, and this aided the would-be murderer in his design. I had -been asleep for some hours when I was aroused by cries, and hurrying -to where I had left the general sleeping, I saw him hurl the body of a -man overboard; but the assassin had nearly accomplished his purpose as -the knife thrust over the general’s heart will show.” Emmons turned his -tongue to the Chinese language, and the general baring his chest, the -lads gazed in horror at the terrible wound. - -“We believed,” continued Emmons, “that the man was only a robber, until -we saw this ring and heard your story, but now there can be no doubt -that the would-be assassin was the viceroy’s interpreter, Ta-Ling -himself.” - -“Is it likely,” Phil asked incredulously, “that if the man was Ta-Ling, -he would give me this ring?” - -“He didn’t give you the ring, you can be sure of that,” Emmons replied -decidedly; “it slipped off his finger when he thanked you. Afterward -when he missed it, he doubtless thought he had lost it in the river.” - -“Do you suppose he has recognized me as the one who pulled him out of -the river?” Phil asked suddenly, grasping at the hope that the Chinaman -might befriend him; but Emmons quickly dashed this hope to the ground. - -“The night was dark, and besides, after his experience in the river, -for he cannot swim, I doubt if he remembers much of what happened. -According to the old law of China he would not dare for his soul’s -peace to take your life if he knew you had saved him, but Ta-Ling is -a progressive Chinaman, and considers his self-preservation in this -world of more importance than the peace of his spirit hereafter. If -this attempt on the life of a trusted general of the emperor were -known, Ta-Ling could not be saved by even the viceroy. The penalty is -death by a terrible torture.” - -“Will the general report this occurrence to the viceroy?” Phil asked -excitedly, his hopes again rising that the interpreter might be -disposed of and Langdon and the rest of the hostages liberated to -return to the safety of their ships. - -“The general believes that the time has not come to expose him,” Emmons -answered, lowering his voice to almost a whisper. “Ta-Ling is now the -master of the viceroy’s yamen and if we failed to break his authority -he would make certain of your destruction, reporting to the viceroy -that you all had committed suicide for shame at your misdeeds.” - -Both midshipmen’s faces broke into smiles in spite of the serious -situation. Emmons, seeing the merriment caused by his words, hastened -to explain. - -“I know that such an idea is entirely foreign to the American mind, -but not so with the Chinese. If a man knows he has committed some deed -which his fellows condemn, he is ashamed, or as we say in China, ‘loses -face,’ and he is very likely to commit suicide to regain his good name. -And again, a Chinaman held prisoner may take his own life for revenge -against his captors.” - -“They needn’t fear that from us,” Phil replied. “We’ll cling to life as -long as we are able.” - -“That’s what the general and I have come to help you in,” Emmons said -in sympathy; “the jailer has already been cautioned to say nothing of -the ring, and the soldier who brought it to the general is no friend of -Ta-Ling; but even with this doubt removed your lives are in danger so -long as you are held by the viceroy. An ultimatum was received from the -American commander last night that the allies have refused to approve -the commander of the flag of truce’s promises and if the hostages are -not liberated before noon to-morrow, the allied fleet would bombard the -city. This has thrown the viceroy into a fever of fear, for he owns -much valuable property in and about the city. He has given the general -orders to open fire on the fleet if it again moves to an anchorage off -the city.” - -“Will he obey the order?” Phil asked eagerly. - -“He must,” Emmons replied. “He dare not refuse a direct order from the -viceroy, but he has demanded this order in writing, so as to protect -himself when the day of reckoning comes. General Hang-Ki has sent a -memorial to the viceroy protesting against this action; he realizes -that these gunboats stand for many great battle-ships that would be -sent against his forts as soon as the spring floods bring rising water -in the Yangtse River.” - -The midshipmen were silent, while Emmons spoke to the general. The -conversation lasted for several minutes, when finally the former again -spoke in his father’s language. - -“The viceroy is ignorant of our presence here and we must soon leave -you. If Ta-Ling should discover that we had talked with you, all hope -for you would be over.” - -The midshipmen were cast down into the depths of despair. Then they -were not to be liberated at all, and would again go back to their -prison and be in the cruel clutches of that fiend Ta-Ling. - -“The general has done his best to arrange an escape,” were the cheering -words from Emmons. “To-night you will be put in a cell away from the -Chinese prisoners. The door of the cell will be unlocked. Here is -a plan of the yamen, and I have marked your route to the gate and -safety. I shall have chairs waiting you at the gate. Success depends -upon yourselves; we dare not help you farther. In this room marked -in pencil you will find mandarin robes, which you must put on. The -guards throughout the yamen will be removed until midnight, so you must -succeed before that time. The room in which you will find disguises is -occupied by the viceroy’s treasurer. He is a close friend of Ta-Ling -and cannot be bought. If you are discovered the general will be -powerless to save you.” - -“And Langdon?” Phil asked earnestly, his heart beating high with hope. -“We cannot go a step without him and our four sailors.” - -“That is more difficult,” Emmons replied with annoyance. “He is being -constantly visited by Ta-Ling. To attempt his escape may defeat all. -The four sailors are in another part of the yamen and except for cruel -treatment are safe for the present. The general is grateful to you for -revealing this plot against his own life, but his real intention is to -give your captain information as to what will happen if he attempts -to run by the forts. There is, however, a channel, known to only the -Chinese, leading behind and close to the long narrow island on the -opposite side of the river. This island is now covered with tall reed -grass which will conceal the hulls of the gunboats from the rays of the -search-lights of the fort. Here is a sketch plan of this channel. If -your commander will start at night and use the channel I suggest, it -may be that he can take his entire fleet past the forts undiscovered. -I dare not take this message myself, for my movements are closely -watched. I fear even now Ta-Ling may have discovered our purpose.” - -“Can we depend upon this information?” Sydney whispered to Phil, as -Emmons and the general rose to their feet. “Might it not be a trick to -blow the gunboats up by mines in this narrow channel?” - -Phil put the question to Emmons, but the latter assured them of the -honesty of the general. - -“The general believes he is serving his country in giving this -information,” he added; “he knows his people will suffer through the -viceroy’s treachery. If the fleet can pass without being discovered, he -cannot be held guilty of disobeying the order of the viceroy. So you -see it is important that this message should reach your captain in time -to prevent him from carrying out his threat of running the batteries.” - -Reluctantly the midshipmen agreed to leave Langdon and the four sailors -behind and make the attempt to escape in order to carry the information -of the secret channel to Commander Hughes. Each felt that in doing so -they might be sacrificing their friend to the revenge of Ta-Ling when -he had discovered the absence of the midshipmen, but the good of the -cause demanded it be so. - -In but a few moments the jailer led the lads back to their distasteful -prison. - -Passing a great tub of clear water, both lads looked longingly at it -and then at their soiled hands. To their delight the Chinaman smiled -and motioned that they might indulge in a bath. - -Delightedly the lads stripped their unclean clothes from their bodies -and bathed in the soothing water. Forgetful of their surroundings, -with the complacent jailer sitting close by an amused spectator, they -talked gayly of their hoped-for deliverance. Then the bright smiles on -their faces were suddenly frozen by the sound of a voice which they had -learned to dread. - -“You seem very cheerful for men who are soon to be executed,” Ta-Ling -said in his perfect English. “What has put my good friends in such -excellent spirits?” - -Both midshipmen were speechless with astonishment. How long had this -eavesdropper been listening? Had he discovered the intrigue of the -Tartar general? These were the questions that passed through their -minds. They waited in cruel suspense for the next words of their enemy -to answer these fateful questions. - -Ta-Ling turned upon the trembling jailer, berating him soundly, -punctuating his words with kicks and blows which the cringing man -received without a sign of resentment. - -“I have told him that if I saw you laughing again,” he cried angrily, -“he would have his head chopped off. Your treatment here has been too -kind.” - -Then as an afterthought the mandarin picked up Phil’s uniform blouse -from the ground at his feet and searched through the pockets carefully. -Phil was terrified; the plan of the yamen was in his trousers pocket on -the ground at the Chinaman’s feet. If he searched through his trousers, -all hope of escape would be ended. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -A DARING PLAN - - -Ta-Ling threw down the coat impatiently and glanced disdainfully at -the other articles of apparel. He then took up Phil’s muddy trousers -gingerly as if fearful of soiling his esthetic hands. The lad’s heart -was in his throat while he watched the Chinaman guardedly, striving to -appear unconcerned, and cudgeling his brain for something to say in -order to turn the man’s attention from a search of the guilty garment. - -“Why are you so bitter against my people?” Phil asked hoarsely. “Were -you not educated in America?” - -Ta-Ling dropped the tattered garment, glancing up quickly, a scowl on -his yellow face. - -“Why am I bitter against you?” he answered. “I despise everything -American. Was I not put in a pen in San Francisco along with such -cattle as coolies from Japan, Corea and my own country? Your stupid -officials claimed not to be able to distinguish between us. I heard -one say ‘All Chinks look alike to me.’ After the first experience, -when I was washed and my clothes fumigated as if I had been a pauper -immigrant, I got letters from college friends, but armed even with -these I suffered indignities at the hands of these ignorant officials. -When I left America with my graduation diploma in my pocket I took -oath to my father’s spirit that I would consecrate my life to making -foreigners respect the persons of the high class Chinese, and in -starting this crusade I saw it was first necessary to drive all -foreigners out of our sacred country.” - -Both midshipmen were astonished at the earnestness in Ta-Ling’s voice. -If the situation had been reversed, would they have acted differently? -Had not this man ample reason to hate all foreigners? - -“Even if some of our stupidly ignorant and irresponsible officials -could not distinguish between ranks in your society,” Phil urged, “why -should you revenge yourself against us? We are innocent of all blame. -We came into your city under the sacred protection of a flag of truce, -and in committing a crime against us you will only confirm foreigners -in their belief that a Chinaman is not worthy of considerate treatment. -Your cause will not be benefited, and your people will suffer; the -allied fleet will avenge our deaths as was done in Peking.” - -“What do I care how many of these low-caste dogs die?” Ta-Ling retorted -scornfully; “there are over four hundred million of such animals. Your -deaths will force the foreign governments to wage war on China, and -once this war is begun, our people will rise up from one end of the -empire to the other to drive the foreigner from the soil of China.” - -“But the missionaries, who have at heart only the enlightenment of your -people,” Phil urged, catching his clothes stealthily from the ground at -Ta-Ling’s feet. - -“They, of all the foreigners who come to China,” the Chinaman returned -somewhat shamefacedly, “are working unselfishly, but they must suffer -with the others; all foreigners must go for China’s good. - -“I tell you these things,” he ended, turning to leave the midshipmen -with their jailer, “because your death-warrants have already been -signed by the viceroy. At the first hostile shot fired by the allies -your heads will pay the forfeit and we shall attack the mission, -guarded now by your sailors, and kill every foreigner within.” - -As Ta-Ling left them, the jailer seized the lads roughly and dragged -them toward their cell. As the door closed behind them Phil shuddered -at the demoniacal laughs of derision from their fellow prisoners. - -“Our cause has a bitter enemy in Ta-Ling,” Phil whispered, after the -lads had been sitting on their hard wooden bench for several minutes -and the noise from their prison mates had subsided; “but I believe -he’ll fail. When Commander Hughes commences to throw his shells -into the city, he’ll be one of the first, with all his vain show of -patriotism, to cry enough and seek safety.” - -Sydney did not reply; his thoughts were upon the coming night, when the -two midshipmen were to make their dash for freedom. - -After a few minutes he confided his fears to his friend. - -“If Ta-Ling finds that we have talked with the Tartar general we’re as -good as dead men,” he said in an awed whisper. - -This terrible thought sent a shiver through Phil. - -“Did you notice the look on the jailer’s face when Ta-Ling was talking -to him?” he continued in an anxious voice; “it was one of cringing -fear. If Ta-Ling even suspects that we had been out of our cell and -questions that man he will tell all. The jailer probably is keen enough -to know that Hang-Ki and Ta-Ling are enemies, and of the two he fears -the latter most.” - -“Well, the die is cast,” Phil answered, smiling with a great effort; -“there’s no use crying over it. We are either going to escape to-night -or we are going to have our heads chopped off out there in the -courtyard. Nothing that we can do can alter our fate, so we might just -as well look cheerful, even though we don’t feel that way,” and suiting -his actions to his words he began to whistle the class march. - -Sydney sat mournfully listening, while the Chinese criminals crowded -around them, jabbering noisily. - -The hours dragged wearily along. As the light through the barred door -became dimmer, foretelling the end of the tedious day, the midshipmen’s -hopes rose; so far Ta-Ling could not have learned of their visit to his -enemy. - -The midshipmen were taken out into the courtyard as usual for their -evening meal and after the meagre fare had been eaten with great effort -by the anxious and impatient lads, the jailer removed their irons and -washed carefully the aching sore on Sydney’s wrist. - -Phil was delighted to see that the man had recovered from his fear of -a few hours ago, and that he lingered a much longer time than seemed -necessary, for Sydney’s wrist had been securely bound with Phil’s -handkerchief and appeared to be healing, auguring well for the success -of the coming night. - -It was quite dark when the jailer had finished his solicitous -attentions, and replaced the irons on their feet and hands. Motioning -the midshipmen to follow him, he led them along the stone flagging -of the courtyard, cautioning silence by raising his hand and shaking -his head jerkily. Loaded down as they were with heavy chains, to move -quietly was not an easy task, and was one calculated to fatigue the -lads to an alarming extent after their two days of cruel torture in -these steel bonds. - -After traversing nearly half the length of the courtyard, the jailer -suddenly threw open a door, and forcefully pushed them through it into -darkness. The door closed quietly behind his retreating figure. - -Their hearts beating fast, Phil and Sydney strained their ears to catch -the first sound of alarm. Heavy footfalls approaching on the stone -pavement soon told them the reason of the jailer’s haste and his sudden -departure. - -Holding their breath tightly, they heard the newcomer stop hesitatingly -before the door of their cell, then after a second he moved farther -along, and finally the opening and shutting of a door told them he had -entered a room near or even next to the one in which the two midshipmen -had been so suddenly thrust. - -Sounds of a low-pitched voice came distinctly to their ears through -the frail partition; the lads listened eagerly. Then the bold tones of -Langdon’s voice sounded distinctly. - -“For a man who was educated among white men,” he was saying in a -scornful voice, “you seem to have a queer idea of our honesty. If you -liberate all, I’ll take the letter to our captain, but I shall not tell -him I believe the viceroy will play fair, for I don’t believe he will. -I don’t trust him, nor you. Send the letter by one of your own people, -and see what answer he’ll send back. The threat that at the first gun -fired by the allies our heads will be chopped off will not affect his -plans. What are two midshipmen, four sailors, and a pilot to a country -like ours?” - -“Commander Ignacio and two of the allied gunboats have accepted the -viceroy’s word and are back at their old anchorage,” Ta-Ling’s voice -urged. “That shows the viceroy’s good faith.” - -“Don’t talk to me of that traitor,” Langdon exclaimed; “he isn’t white -anyway; his skin is as yellow as yours.” - -“Then you refuse your life?” Ta-Ling’s voice asked. - -“You Chinese are a soft-brained lot,” Langdon said, ignoring the -question; “your intrigue is as plain as children’s play. Men like -Ignacio might be fooled. I don’t know what promises you’ve made to -him. Probably offered to give his countrymen the railroad concession -to Peking, which your viceroy has cheated the Americans out of by -his underhand dealings; but you ought to know after four years at an -American college that we are not that kind. Commander Hughes is in this -river to see that Americans are left unmolested, in accordance with the -treaties made between the two countries.” - -“I suppose you know that when I was in your America I personally -investigated nearly a score of murders of Chinese in what you call the -West. Each case was as brutal and flagrant as any that has occurred in -China,” Ta-Ling’s voice broke in triumphantly. “How then can you boast -of the honesty of your people?--for in not a single instance were the -murderers punished.” - -“That’s because you Chinese are a weak race, and haven’t the back-bone -to stand up for your rights,” Langdon replied, “while we are men enough -to insist on fair treatment for our citizens abroad. That’s where you -are lacking in national character.” - -A rattle of chains and harsh cries of rage and pain followed the -sally of Langdon, causing the listeners to hold themselves rigid with -suppressed excitement. - -“That beast!” Phil whispered. “I wish I had let him drown.” - -“I’ll go to your midshipmen friends,” Ta-Ling said sullenly. “I believe -they are frightened enough to be bought by the price you refuse. -Remember, I’ve given you the last chance you’ll get.” - -Langdon was apparently too angry to speak. The lads could hear -distinctly his heavy breathing, caused by some torture administered by -this cruel Chinaman. - -“You’re trying to hedge, is that it?” the thick voice of the pilot was -heard to say; “or do you count upon catching the gunboats unawares as -they steam by the forts flying flags of truce?” - -The Chinaman administered a vicious kick in answer, and the lads held -their breath in almost a panic as they heard the door of Langdon’s cell -close and Ta-Ling’s footsteps die slowly away down the courtyard. - -“It’s all up with us,” Sydney breathed hopelessly. “He’ll soon find -we are not in our prison, and then----” he ended with a shiver as his -thoughts dwelt upon the terrible death by decapitation. - -A loud clank made the overwrought midshipmen start terrified; then Phil -fairly gasped with surprise and joy; his arm manacles had fallen to the -ground. - -In the darkness he quickly reached out and grasped Sydney’s hand, -fingering nervously the cruel iron bracelets. The metal rings were -clamped but unlocked, and he readily removed the irons from his -companion’s hands. In but a moment more they both stood free of their -retaining bonds. - -“Ta-Ling and the jailer,” Phil whispered as a sound of approaching -footsteps became audible. “If they enter here we must overpower them. -It’s our one chance now.” - -Sydney moved closer to Phil, taking his hand in silence, and pressing -it in sign of his readiness to follow his friend’s lead. - -“They must make no outcry,” Phil continued. “I’ll take the one nearest -me.” - -The Chinamen stopped at the cell door, and the voice of Ta-Ling was -raised angrily, storming in Chinese at the jailer, apparently for -daring to remove the prisoners from their former cell. - -The midshipmen retreated until their backs touched the wall of the -narrow cell, having replaced their hand irons to appear to be still in -chains. - -A dim light shone into their cell as the door swung loudly open, and -the scowling face of Ta-Ling appeared, with the jailer behind him, -timidly holding up an oil lantern. - -“So you didn’t like to be kept with the rest of the cattle?” Ta-Ling’s -cruel voice began. Then he stopped suddenly, and threw up his head with -a wicked laugh. “You’ve heard Langdon’s answer, then?” he continued, -signing to the terrified and trembling jailer to put down the lantern -on the solitary wooden bench. The man entered the cell to obey, leaving -the door open. - -Phil saw the time had come for action. He sought Sydney’s eye, then -stealthily moved his foot, quietly throwing the door off its balance, -allowing it to swing slowly closed. He had purposely moved so that -Ta-Ling in addressing him must turn his back upon Sydney and the -jailer. Burning with excitement he watched Sydney grasp his hand irons -firmly. The great bulk of the jailer loomed almost grotesquely in -the light of the flickering lantern. Fearing that Ta-Ling might be -attracted by the eagerness which he was powerless to hide, Phil lowered -his gaze, but out of the tail of his eye he was conscious that the iron -flashed in the lamplight as the click of the shutting door caused the -interpreter to glance toward it suspiciously. - -Then a rattle of chain and a dull sound behind him made Ta-Ling swing -suddenly around. Phil’s opportunity had arrived. With fingers itching -for this cruel Chinaman’s throat he sprang upon him, smothering the -cry that was ready to give the alarm to the yamen guard, and bore him -heavily to the ground. In the flickering light he saw the man’s face -turn livid, then purple, while his muscles relaxed. Glancing up, he saw -Sydney removing a great bunch of keys from the prostrate body of the -jailer. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -HOPES OF ESCAPE - - -Ta-Ling had ceased to struggle; his eyes protruded in ghastly fashion, -while through his open mouth his tongue showed blue and swollen. Phil -was terrified at the sight, believing he had killed the Chinaman, but -upon opening his coat he felt his heart beating faintly. - -With a sigh of great relief he rose to his feet and, taking the lantern -in his hand, he scanned his prostrate victim. - -“You must put on his clothes and release Langdon,” Sydney whispered, -holding the keys out toward Phil. - -Without a word, but with fingers trembling with excitement, the lad -stooped down, stripping the robes from the inanimate form; the baggy -trousers, the silken hose and satin shoes and the long flowing robe -with the mandarin square of the scholar embroidered in gold on its -front. - -Discarding his naval uniform he hastily put on his enemy’s garments. -When completely clothed he turned to Sydney, who gasped with -astonishment at the altered appearance of his friend. The hat with its -horsetail plume and pink button concealed his long front hair which in -a Chinaman is always missing, being shaved close to his scalp. - -Sydney immediately followed his comrade’s example and was soon arrayed -in the costume of the Chinese jailer. - -Phil pointed to their discarded irons and in a few moments they had -snapped feet and hand manacles over the helpless limbs of Ta-Ling. Then -they both turned impatiently toward the door. Phil hesitated for an -instant. - -“They may come to before we can make our escape,” he said. “We must gag -them.” - -Stripping their prisoners of their undergarments, these as gags were -tied firmly over their mouths. - -“I hope he doesn’t smother,” Phil whispered in some alarm; “he seems to -be hardly breathing.” - -“We can’t take any chances now,” Sydney returned calmly; “it’s their -life or ours. If we are caught now nothing can save us.” - -To make more sure of their prisoners, the arms of each were bound to -their sides, so that upon regaining consciousness they could not work -their gags off their mouths and give the alarm to the yamen. - -“I hope they’ll be found before they starve to death,” Phil said -anxiously. “I fear the jailer will feel that we are ungrateful for his -aid. I don’t dare liberate him; he may in fear betray us into the hands -of the guard.” - -“They’ll surely be found in the morning,” Sydney assured him. “Our -friends the prisoners will clamor when their breakfast doesn’t appear, -and then a search will be made for him and for us too. If we are not -found before,” he ended grimly. - -“What’s this!” Phil exclaimed, drawing from the inside pocket of his -Chinese coat a number of papers and examining them in the light of the -lantern. “A telegram!” he cried, “and addressed to Commander Hughes!” - -Both lads gazed at the sealed envelope as if they would like to bore -through the outer covering and read the message within. - -“Dare we open it?” Phil asked. “If it is in the ordinary cipher I know -the key word. It may be something important, and as well for us to know -the contents if we lose the telegram. And here is a letter addressed -to the captain,” he continued excitedly. “This is surely the one which -Ta-Ling tempted Langdon to take. But come,” he added hastily, “we must -not allow him to be a minute longer in his chains.” - -Taking the keys from Sydney’s hand, he opened the cell door and led -the way to the door of Langdon’s prison. There was no sound in the -enclosure except an occasional shrill cry from the prisoners at the -far corner. As they waited in the silent courtyard to make sure all -was well before entering, Langdon’s heavy breathing came distinctly to -their ears. - -After a few seconds Phil selected the right key and the next moment the -door swung open, while the lad whispered softly: - -“Langdon!” - -But there was no answer; then the dim light shed its fitful rays about -the dungeon and the lad gave a smothered cry of concern, for the sight -which met his gaze was indeed appalling: Langdon, bound tightly, was -triced up to a beam overhead by his feet and the iron ring about his -neck, and he was by degrees strangling to death. - -The anxious lads quickly cut the ropes and lowered the insensible man -to the floor. Then removing the irons they worked over him anxiously -while the time passed on winged feet. Finally the pilot opened his eyes -and stared at the lads with angry, sullen eyes, making a futile attempt -to speak. - -“You miserable coward,” he finally managed to say in a thick whisper. -“I hope some day you’ll be treated as you’ve treated me.” - -The midshipmen were at first so taken aback that they were silent. Then -the comical part of the tragedy appealed to them and in that instant -Langdon recognized his rescuers. - -“We’ve got him now in almost the same condition that you were in,” Phil -whispered. - -The pilot gazed in wonder at the midshipmen. Raising a trembling hand -he passed it over his eyes uncertainly, as if he would sweep away the -delusion. - -“What does it mean?” he asked weakly. - -“It means that we are for the time free,” Phil answered; “but come, -we must start. If we delay Ta-Ling may be missed and a search for him -would spoil all. Can you walk?” he asked solicitously. - -“In a minute,” the pilot replied. “Help me to my feet. I’d have been -gone in a half hour more,” he added, feeling his sore and swollen -throat. - -The lads helped him to his feet and he stood unsteadily, leaning his -great weight on their shoulders. - -“It was partly our fault,” Sydney said apologetically; “he no doubt -intended coming back and lowering you; but we couldn’t allow him to -leave our cell.” - -After a few minutes more to permit Langdon to regain his strength and -give the blood a chance to circulate into his cramped limbs, Phil made -the motion to follow, and all three noiselessly filed out into the -courtyard and entered the cell where the Chinamen were lying. - -The interpreter’s breathing showed that he would soon regain his -senses. Langdon glared triumphantly down upon the villain who would -gladly kill all the foreigners within the Chinese Empire. - -“He’s not half gagged,” he exclaimed in a hoarse whisper. Then he -untied the gag which the lads had made and jammed the mandarin’s mouth -full of his own clothing, binding it in with a tight bandage. After -rearranging the jailer’s gag, he arose and gloated over the fallen -favorite of the viceroy. - -Phil had torn open the telegram and in the dim light scanned it -anxiously. Then he drew from his pocket a pencil and in silence wrote -the key word above the words of the message. Sydney regarded him in a -fever of excitement. Finally Phil’s pencil was still and he looked up -with a white, anxious face. - -“I’d like to destroy it, but I don’t dare,” he said. Then he read in a -voice trembling with emotion: - -“Department condemns your actions in entering To-Yan Lake and attacking -Chinese soldiers. Proceed immediately back to Ku-Ling and offer ample -apology to viceroy. Consider yourself relieved of your command.” - -If a shell had exploded in their midst the eager listeners could not -have been more surprised. - -“Burn it up,” Langdon exclaimed indignantly. “That’s the way things are -run from a distance of ten thousand miles.” Then his glance encountered -the wide-open eyes of Ta-Ling and he snorted with rage as he roughly -jerked the bound Chinaman to his feet. - -“Did you hear it?” he cried. - -The mandarin’s eyes burned balefully as he nodded his head in assent. -Langdon released the Chinaman, and but for Phil’s steadying hand he -would have fallen to the floor. Then the pilot raised the long braided -cue of the interpreter and with a swift cut of his jack-knife severed -it close up to the Chinaman’s head; the next second, holding it out to -Phil, he cried gleefully: - -“Put this on under your cap; it’s all you need to complete your costume. - -“You won’t be so keen to show yourself in public hereafter,” he -continued spitefully to the mandarin. - -Ta-Ling was beside himself with rage, but he could only grow red and -utter inarticulate sounds, while Langdon sat on the wooden bench -laughing scornfully at the disgraced official. - -“If he doesn’t commit suicide in twenty-four hours, it’s because -he’s chicken-hearted.” Langdon laughed in a low tone, mainly for the -Chinaman’s ear. The pilot knew he held the secret of the cablegram. -Apparently he had guessed at the contents and was going to send it -together with the letter for the American captain. If the viceroy -knew the stand that was being taken by the American government, every -missionary in the valley of the Yangtse would be unsafe. The mandarin -officials in the towns of the provinces were as yet guarding the -foreigners against attack until they could be sure of the outcome at -Ku-Ling. Once the viceroy had humbled the foreign pride then the rabble -would be free to indulge its aroused hatred. - -Phil cut short the pilot’s mirth by taking him by the arm and leading -him silently to the door. Once outside the cell the lad showed him the -sketch plan of the yamen with the path they must take to reach the room -where clothes would be found. - -“If we only knew where the sailors are,” Sydney whispered. - -Phil shook his head. It might only defeat them, and the sailors would -be no better off. - -Langdon for the first time realized that he was not in the plot and -would have asked many questions, but Phil and Sydney grasped him firmly -on each side as if he were their prisoner and marched openly down the -stone pavement of the courtyard. The place indicated on the sketch was -easily found and Phil, leaving his companions, pushed the door quietly -open. The room was lighted by a single swinging lamp, while in one -corner sat a Chinaman reckoning laboriously on his abacus, a counting -device used by the Oriental races; the click of the small wooden balls -as he moved them along their wires sounded distinctly in the quiet of -the room. - -As Phil closed the door softly behind him the Chinaman glanced up -casually, speaking a few words in his guttural tongue. The lad made -no reply, but glanced about hastily to make sure those near could not -discover what was about to happen. His heart was beating fast. He saw -a door beyond the victim which he knew must lead directly into the -viceroy’s own apartments; voices, almost inaudible, came to his ears -from the rooms on the other side of that slender partition. He saw -that he must work quickly and silently. Any moment the door might open -and he would be discovered, for his disguise would be useless under -the direct gaze of a Chinese mandarin. The treasurer had seen him but -indistinctly and had taken for granted that he was Ta-Ling. - -[Illustration: _HE MEASURED THE STRENGTH OF HIS ANTAGONIST_] - -Moving silently to the side of the absorbed Chinaman, Phil stood for -the fraction of a second looking down on his work. His eyes sought out -the curve of the neck in its enveloping robe while he measured the -strength of his antagonist. Raising his hands in readiness, he poised -them aloft ready to grasp the slender neck within his muscular fingers. - -As if by premonition of the danger threatening him, the Chinaman -dropped his hands from the abacus and glanced swiftly up into Phil’s -face. The next second the midshipman’s hands had encircled his neck -and the terrified outcry which the lad saw in his frightened eyes was -stifled. - -“Hurry, Langdon!” Phil whispered over his shoulder, as the pilot -noiselessly entered to dress himself in one of the many robes hanging -about the room. - -While Phil slowly reduced the treasurer to a harmless state, the pilot -made a hasty change, and as the lads had done, rolled his own clothes -in a bundle, concealing them under his flowing robe. - -With articles of clothing the Americans silently bound and gagged the -treasurer and laid his body away, hidden from the view of the casual -observer entering the room; then the three proceeded to carry out the -last and most trying stage of their perilous adventure. - -Phil leading, they arrived in sight of the outer gate. So far no -guards had been met, but now with sinking heart Phil saw a large crowd -gathered on the outside of the open gateway. Soldiers, their muskets -in hand, stood stolidly on guard, while others sat on the ground, -chattering volubly. Was this but the usual crowd always seen at the -gates of a Chinese yamen--the poor awaiting crumbs from the rich man’s -table? Overhead several oil lanterns shed their meagre light upon the -assemblage. The score or more of Chinese would surely penetrate their -disguise! He saw Langdon raise his hand with its flowing sleeve to his -face, and quickly imitated the movement, nudging Sydney to do likewise. - -A hoarse cry rang out from the guard at the gate as they approached, -which sent chills of terror down the lad’s spine. His first inclination -was to turn and flee back into the yamen and he stopped so abruptly -that Sydney trod on his heels. What were the men at the gate calling to -each other? - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -THE ESCAPE - - -For the moment the midshipmen were sure that they had been discovered. -Then Langdon’s low voice reassured them: - -“Come, it’s all right. They take us for mandarins, and are calling the -guard to ‘attention.’ Keep your sleeves over your faces and don’t look -up as we pass.” - -Again the Americans were in motion toward the lighted gateway. With -hearts beating high, in a terrible suspense, their feet mechanically -carried them slowly toward the spot where they would be under the fire -of a scrutiny of scores of people whose nationality the Americans were -endeavoring to counterfeit. Would not the Chinese see through their -flimsy disguise? As the escaping men passed the first guard, he raised -his rifle smartly to the “present” in salute, but the quick motion -struck terror to Phil’s heart, making him jump aside involuntarily as -if he were dodging an expected blow. Shamefacedly the lad recovered -himself by a great effort. In a moment more the gateway was passed and -the Americans found themselves on the edge of the inquisitive crowd. - -Langdon raised his hand, and immediately three chairs were brought by -coolies from the edge of the narrow street and placed obediently on the -ground before them. Phil longed to be within the shadow of the chair -canopies. How could these Chinamen be so easily deceived! As he fairly -dived into the friendly darkness of the nearest chair he cast a swift, -uneasy glance at the crowd. The reason of their immunity was plain. -The eyes of the crowd were directed upon the ground for fear in the -presence of their all-powerful rulers. - -Langdon gave a brief order in Chinese. With high hopes for success Phil -felt his chair borne upward to the muscular shoulders of the coolie -carriers and then with loud shouts of warning to the crowd to make -way, they started off in a long, swinging walk. Phil drew his curtains -tightly shut and lay back with a great sigh of relief in his cushioned -seat. - -They were out of the yamen at last, but the city gate must yet be -passed. If their absence were discovered while they were yet within the -walled city their recapture was assured. - -Although the coolies traveled at a lively pace, it seemed to the -anxious Americans that they were but crawling through the deserted -streets; the Chinese on account of the lateness of the hour were all -within their hovel-like houses. An occasional soldier, clanking a chain -loudly to frighten away demons, and calling out in his harsh language -that all was well, brought a sudden shock to Phil’s high-strung nerves. - -At last the gate of the city was reached and the chairs stopped. -Through his bamboo screen Phil saw that the guards were hesitating -about opening the gate. Once a gate was closed an order from the -viceroy alone could open it between the setting and rising of the sun. - -An officer came forward, peering inside the protecting hoods. Phil -believed that all was lost as he felt, even in the gloom of his chair, -the scrutinizing gaze upon him. The officer spoke a few words, and the -lad realized by the rising inflection in the man’s voice that he was -asking a question. The midshipman nodded and raising his hand pointed -haughtily to the gate. - -Then to his joy the officer withdrew his head as if satisfied and gave -an order in a loud voice. Immediately the gate swung open and with a -rattle of rusty chain the drawbridge was lowered. - -Quickly the Americans were carried through the gate and across the -moat. They had left the terrors of the walled city and were now upon -the neutral ground of the foreign concession. As they passed over the -wide streets, in great contrast to the ill-kept, narrow ones of the -Chinese city, the pungent odors of the docks struck pleasantly upon -their nostrils. - -Phil’s chair was still in the lead, and the Chinese carriers, as if -acting under instructions, trudged steadily onward to the “Bund,” the -street paralleling the water front. Finally the coolies halted, putting -the chairs down for the occupants to alight. Phil disentangled himself -from the enshrouding curtains and stood on the broad street, joyfully -inhaling the fresh air of the river, while Langdon waved the coolies to -be gone. - -Once alone the Americans were at liberty to talk. Phil told in as few -words as possible of their visit to Emmons and the Tartar general. - -“Where is Emmons?” Langdon exclaimed irritably. “We’re in as much -danger as ever here. The foreigners have all fled. The concession is -deserted, and doubtless the streets are full of robbers who would -very cheerfully pitch us into the river for the sake of a few Mexican -dollars.” - -Phil was about to disclaim any knowledge of the whereabouts of the -half-breed, when Sydney’s exclamation of surprise drew his attention to -three small gunboats anchored in the river but a short distance away, -and the bright lights of a steam launch approaching the jetty from one -of their dark hulls. - -Phil’s heart was filled with joy. Here at last was safety! - -The three men hastened gladly to the landing at which the launch had -arrived, while Phil stepped forward to accost an officer who had -hastily left the launch and was approaching up the ladder from the -landing float below. - -“You are late,” the newcomer said irritably. “I’ve been watching the -landing for over an hour.” - -Phil was about to reply, but something which he could not explain held -his tongue, for he recognized instantly the voice of Ignacio. - -“Where are your chairs?” Commander Ignacio continued; “you can hardly -expect me to walk through the dirty streets of your ill-smelling city, -even for the pleasure of seeing that young braggart tortured in true -Chinese fashion. You see I am not entirely confident of you and your -viceroy, so I have brought along a few companions;” he pointed toward -the float, where eight or ten sailors had disembarked from the launch, -rifles in hand. - -Phil’s tongue clove to the top of his mouth at the suddenness of their -dilemma. What should he do? Ignacio had said too much now to cover his -tracks, and his sailors would undoubtedly obey his orders, even to -killing three innocent Americans in cold blood. - -“Come, what are we waiting for?” the foreigner added, grasping Phil’s -arm, and turning him away from the river. “I don’t want to lose all my -sleep; it’s nearly ten o’clock now.” - -Phil’s companions stood by speechless. Even Langdon with all his sang -froid was at a loss what to do. To reveal their true character to their -enemy would mean that at the least he would take them forcibly back to -the viceroy. Phil at the Naval Academy had been declared a fine mimic -and in the class minstrel shows he had to the delight of the brigade -caricatured and impersonated each of the officers on duty at the -school. Could he impersonate Ta-Ling? Was it possible to imitate his -voice and the peculiar pronunciation of the English words? It was their -only hope. Even if he failed, they could be no worse off. - -By a great effort he stilled the rapid heartbeats and brought his -trembling voice under control. - -“I was detained by his Excellency the viceroy,” he began in a voice -that startled even himself and made Langdon and Sydney fairly jump -with surprise and glance hastily around for the owner of that despised -voice; “but if you are now ready we can start. The chairs are up the -street only a short distance.” - -Commander Ignacio voiced his willingness and the two men in the lead, -followed by Sydney and the pilot, retraced their steps toward the gate -of the walled city. - -“Send your men back to the ship,” Phil, stopping suddenly, said in the -voice of Ta-Ling. “You know me well enough to know that I have no wish -to harm you.” - -Commander Ignacio hesitated. Doubtless he felt safer with a few trusty -sailors between himself and the treacherous Chinese. - -“Did you send my telegrams?” he asked quickly; “and have any come from -Washington for that American pig?” - -“Yours were sent,” Phil answered promptly, “but the American captain -has received none.” - -“Well, it will come, I’m sure, and then after he is disgraced, I -shall be chosen as the leader of the allies,” the foreign captain -said boastfully; “but you must keep your part of the contract and -hold your people in check until I can get the credit of quelling -the disturbance. Say a month before you kill these flat-chested -missionaries.” - -“That was our agreement,” Phil replied; “now show that you have -confidence in me and send your men aboard.” - -Commander Ignacio reluctantly left Phil’s side and walked back to the -landing float to give his orders. - -“Don’t open your mouths!” Phil whispered in a tense voice. “When his -men are once out of sight I’ll lead him to where he thinks the chairs -are waiting. When I raise my hand, jump on him like a ton of brick. The -chairs we got were waiting for Ta-Ling and they may now be waiting for -him near here, so we must be quiet about it. I noticed the coolies were -surprised when Langdon motioned them to go.” - -Phil had barely finished his instructions before Commander Ignacio -rejoined him. - -“I’ve sent them back,” he said in a voice that showed plainly his -dislike at so doing, “and ordered the launch to return and wait for me. -Have you the viceroy’s promise for the railroad concession?” he ended -covetously; “it means fifty thousand[1] Mexican to you when the deed -is signed.” - -“Yes, that’s all fixed,” Phil replied, now laughing inwardly at the -success of his strategy, as he saw the steam launch with the sailors -leave the float and head back to their ship. - -“Remember your promise to make way with those three Americans. Their -government will do nothing except demand satisfaction,” the foreigner -urged earnestly. “That means a little money squeezed from the viceroy’s -hoarded savings and half a dozen cut-throats beheaded in the presence -of the American representatives.” - -“But you only asked that one of them be executed,” Phil returned, -aghast at his joke on such a gruesome topic. - -“Well, I might have said only one,” Ignacio made answer; “he is the -darker of the two midshipmen; the one that dared rebuke me at the -council before the viceroy; but the others know too much to go free.” - -By this time the party had left the docks and were walking slowly up -the street leading to the city gate. The street was in darkness. The -few lanterns had not been lighted since the exodus of the foreigners, -and as they passed the large buildings, it was plainly seen that the -foreign concession had been given over to pillage; the steps and -pavement in front were littered with articles which could not easily be -carried away by the avaricious Chinamen. - -“Have you a revolver?” Phil asked. “I am not armed, and sometimes these -robbers are dangerous if they think they can get money.” - -Phil wanted to know if Ignacio was armed. He feared that in the -struggle which was soon to come a pistol might be accidentally -discharged, which would not only arouse the Chinese guards at the gate -scarcely a few hundred yards away, but might bring a party of sailors -from Commander Ignacio’s ship. - -“Yes, two; one in each pocket,” the foreigner answered, shoving his -hands in the pockets of his naval tunic. “I always carry them, and I -can shoot through my coat from the hip and hit every time.” - -“Good,” Phil thought; “they’ll come in very handy for us before the -night is over.” - -They were nearing a part of the street which to the lad seemed the very -place to carry out his design to render harmless the companion walking -so confidently beside him. - -“Our chairs should be near here,” he said, leading the way down a -narrow alley behind a great white building, the English Bank, which -Phil recognized as the scene of his first encounter with Commander -Ignacio. What spot could be more fitting for this last encounter? -Then he continued: “What makes you think a telegram will come from -Washington disgracing the American captain?” - -“The telegram you sent me this morning was from my friend, the naval -attaché in Washington; he says it is already published in the American -paper,” Commander Ignacio answered. “Everything is printed in the -newspapers in America, you know. They do not understand there the -military value of secrecy, which is the fundamental basis of diplomacy.” - -Phil ground his teeth in rage and mortification. He could have struck -the man down for talking of his country and countrymen so slurringly. -Yet he could only acknowledge that the man was but repeating what had -often been said in Europe. - -“Where are the chairs?” Commander Ignacio asked in some alarm, as they -reached the end of the alley and it was apparent that the square, -court-like space was empty. Phil appeared to search the deeper shadows -with his eyes, at the same time making the guttural call which he had -heard used by Chinamen calling to them a chair and coolies. Ignacio -still had one hand in his pocket and Phil felt sure his nervous finger -was on a trigger. The lad racked his brain to devise some scheme to get -him off his guard. Even now his suspicions might have been aroused. - -Langdon and Sydney were close behind their victim, doubtless watching -eagerly for the sign from Phil. Ignacio stood close to a door, his -right hand, which was no doubt encircling the butt of a revolver, -nearest the knob. - -“Try that door,” Phil said in as careless tones as he could command. -“It’s rather damp outside and they might have gone inside to sleep.” - -It apparently did not occur to the foreigner that the great bulky -chairs would not be taken inside, and if the coolies were there the -chairs would have been plainly in evidence in the court, for he -unguardedly took his right hand from his pocket and raised it to the -doorknob. - -Phil waited not a second, but raised his hand quickly above his head. -He saw the bodies of Sydney and Langdon hurl themselves upon the -unguarded victim. Then the door flew open inward and his heart stopped -beating with terror and dismay, while the silence was broken by the -loud report of a pistol shot, accompanied by the most unearthly yells -he had ever heard. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -AN ENEMY SILENCED - - -Langdon and Sydney had so forcibly driven their enemy to the ground -that one of the revolvers, which was cocked, had gone off, the noise -of the discharge reverberating through the bare building in a most -startling way. Intent upon their work, the pilot had seized the wrists -of the foreign captain in an iron grip, while Sydney quickly disarmed -him. - -Phil’s heart stopped beating at the sight which presented itself as the -door swung wide open. By the light of three or four dripping candles, -he saw a dozen Chinamen seated about the floor of the room. - -As the lad forced his way boldly into the midst of the startled -Chinamen, holding before him a revolver taken from Sydney’s hand in -passing, the surprised Orientals threw themselves face downward upon -the floor, whining piteously for mercy. - -Leaving the disarmed foreigner to Sydney, Langdon quickly joined -the other midshipman, surrounded as he was by the cringing and -terror-stricken natives. - -“Canton Chinamen,” he whispered; “these must be Emmons’ launch crews; -but what are they doing here?” - -Langdon raised his voice, addressing the terrified men. At the sound of -their own tongue a Chinaman raised himself tremblingly from the floor, -his fear giving place to joy as he recognized the familiar voice of the -pilot, whom he had so frequently seen piloting ships on the great river. - -After a few minutes’ conversation with the native Langdon turned to -Phil, drawing the lad out of ear-shot of their helpless enemy lying -upon the floor with Sydney’s muscular weight upon his chest. - -“It looks bad for us!” he exclaimed. “This man, Nam-Sing, is one of -Emmons’ head men, and these men are his crew. A mob this afternoon -looted the foreign concession and destroyed all of Emmons’ launches, -butchering the Canton Chinese crews in cold blood. The foreign -gunboats, he says, looked on and would not interfere. Emmons, he -thinks, was killed. These men took refuge in the secret vaults of the -bank, known by Nam-Sing because he was for some years employed here. -Believing that all was quiet, they were trying to muster up courage to -escape down the river.” - -Phil could have wept with disappointment. On the threshold of safety, -they found their escape cut off. His mind sought for a way to overcome -the difficulties. Ignacio’s launch was at the landing. Why could they -not overpower the crew and escape in it? But he soon saw that this plan -would be worse than foolhardy. They could not expect to pass the alert -gunboat, and once alongside, the strategy would be discovered. But what -else could be done? A junk was out of the question, for the wind was -contrary, blowing up the river, and before they could hope to pass the -forts, daylight would reveal them and the Chinese guns would soon make -them return and surrender or else they would be sunk. The longer the -Americans remained on shore the smaller were the chances for escape; it -was but a matter of time before their absence from the yamen would be -known. While the lad pondered wildly on a method of escape he saw the -Chinaman Nam-Sing attract Langdon’s attention and then fairly explode -in a volley of excited words. - -“He says that one of the launches is not so badly damaged,” the pilot -whispered to Phil. “It’s a steam launch, but under the stern-boards is -a small gasoline engine, and he thinks the mob did not destroy that, -for it is hidden from view.” - -“Come on!” Phil exclaimed eagerly. Then he cast an uncertain look at -the captive whom Sydney had bound hand and foot, securing a gag in his -mouth and muffling his ears so that he could hear only the loudest -tones. - -“We must leave him behind,” Langdon insisted immediately, interpreting -the glance. “He must take his chances.” - -“I don’t dare leave him there,” Phil exclaimed. “He might be killed by -the Chinese. No, the consequences would be too serious.” - -“Then what are we to do?” the pilot asked impatiently. “He would as -soon stick a knife in you if you were in his power.” - -“I know,” Phil declared stoutly, “but I am going to get him on board -his own ship.” - -“But how on earth can you?” Langdon exclaimed in disgust at Phil’s -leniency. If the pilot could have had his way he would have wrung his -neck then and there, which punishment the foreigner doubtless deserved. - -Phil did not reply immediately. A bold plan had flashed through his -mind, and he was rapidly revolving it in his thoughts to discover if it -was feasible. - -“Tell the Chinese to carry the prisoner,” he said finally, his mind -fully made up to attempt the one scheme which seemed to give the -foreign commander a chance for his life. If he left him in the foreign -concession his life would not be worth a copper cash when the robbers -from the city came back to complete their ghoulish work. - -Langdon trusted Phil’s judgment too thoroughly to demur, so he quietly -gave Nam-Sing his orders, and then the three Americans started, -cautiously leading the way down the alley and out upon the street -running toward the river. - -Reaching the “Bund,” Nam-Sing pointed out the direction of the launch, -which appeared to be their last chance for safety. Passing the waiting -launch of Commander Ignacio, Phil glanced uneasily at the sailors; but -they appeared to give them but passing notice. - -The midshipman saw Nam-Sing step aboard a black launch some hundred -yards down the “Bund” from where their prisoner’s launch was lying. -Phil directed that the bound foreigner be laid on the deck forward, -then he watched impatiently the crew of the launch, under the guidance -of the Chinese leading man, go to work with the usual Oriental -industry. The lad saw at a glance that the engine and boiler were -beyond patching; the machinery was a mass of twisted steel, while the -boiler tubes were bent and wrenched from their sockets. - -Quickly uncoupling the useless engine from the propeller shaft, -Nam-Sing directed the removal of the boards covering from view the -small compact gas engine. With familiarity he tested out the spark -circuit and examined the gear wheels, making sure all was right. After -a delay of not more than ten minutes, although it seemed much more -to the ever-increasing anxiety of the Americans, the Chinaman seized -the crank lever, exerting his power to start the engine. The machine -wheezed and sputtered. Again and again came the wheezing cough and when -Phil was about to give up hope, it coughed volubly, then the smooth -chug of the rapidly rotating engine struck joyfully on his ears. - -Langdon took his place at the wheel, while Phil motioned that all lines -be cast off from the shore, and presently the launch moved slowly away -from the dock out into the swift current of the river. - -“Head her for the starboard gangway of the ‘Albaque,’” Phil ordered in -a calm voice, although his pulses were throbbing wildly. - -Langdon fairly jumped with surprise. - -“Why, man alive! What are you doing?” he exclaimed. - -In the gloom Phil almost smiled as he realized how odd his plan, -without explanation, must seem to his companions. - -He spoke quietly, his manner calm, but decided. - -“We shall find a small boat in the water made fast to the lower -swinging boom forward of the gangway. When we get alongside, I’ll go -on board and give a message from their captain. While I’m on board you -and Sydney move the launch ahead sufficiently to be able to drop the -prisoner over the bow into the boat. Do it carefully and make no noise. -He is securely bound and will lie there until the morning. By that time -we shall, I hope, be safely out of his reach.” - -Langdon and Sydney could hardly control an expression of their -enthusiasm at the conception of such a daring plan. Its very -recklessness with Phil’s knack of mimicry would carry it safely through. - -A gruff hail in a foreign tongue came startlingly from the black hull -of the gunboat, which the launch was slowly approaching. - -Phil waited a second for breath and then in the voice of the Chinese -interpreter called across the water: - -“On the service of the viceroy.” - -As the launch stopped at the gangway of the war-ship Phil boldly -ascended the ladder to the deck. There he found an officer awaiting -him. - -“Commander Ignacio has sent me for a copy of the letter written by him -yesterday to the viceroy. This letter has been lost in transit and he -wishes to give his Excellency the copy.” - -Phil pronounced his words slowly, making his accent even broader than -that used by the real Ta-Ling. - -“Will you wait?” the officer asked politely. “Commander Ignacio keeps -his own papers. I shall endeavor to find it.” - -Phil bowed his willingness, and the foreign officer beckoning the -quartermaster to follow with his lantern, the two disappeared within -the cabin. - -The disguised midshipman saw the launch crawl slowly ahead, and a -moment afterward his straining ear caught the indistinct sound of a -body being lowered into the whale-boat tied at the boom of the gunboat. -Then as the launch drifted almost imperceptibly back to its place at -the ladder, the gleam of the lantern told him that the ship’s officers -were returning. - -“Here is a package of letters marked for the viceroy,” the officer said -as he emerged from the cabin; “but have you no written message from my -captain?” - -Phil feared he had gone too far. He would like to hold the proofs of -Commander Ignacio’s perfidy, but not at the risk of detection. - -“No, your captain gave me no letter,” he answered carelessly; “he -supposed that Ta-Ling, the viceroy’s secretary, was well enough known; -I am Ta-Ling, the viceroy’s secretary; but if you do not wish to -trust me I shall return and get a letter from him. It will, however, -displease both your commander and the viceroy.” - -The officer gave Phil a searching look, but apparently seeing nothing -suspicious in his appearance, handed him the package. - -Phil was about to descend the ladder, when the officer, as if wishing -to make amends for doubting the honesty of the Chinaman, stopped him by -a motion of the hand. - -“There’s a Chinaman on board who came over in a sanpan, shortly after -our captain left the ship. He had escaped from a mob ashore and asked -our protection.” - -Phil held himself well in hand, fearing by undue interest he would -jeopardize his cause. - -“Would you care to see him?” the officer continued. - -The midshipman nodded indifferently. - -“I must hurry,” he said; “my viceroy becomes very impatient if he is -kept waiting.” - -An order was given to a sailor standing near and Phil saw the man go -rapidly forward. The lad’s hopes ran high. Was it Emmons? - -A moment afterward Emmons was brought aft by the sailor messenger. The -lantern was raised above the sailor’s head, shedding its light on the -startled face of the half-breed. Phil regarded him with well-feigned -loathing. - -“This man is an enemy of the viceroy,” Phil declared, in well simulated -anger. “His escape would be a very serious matter. I can take him with -me now if you will agree to trust him in my hands.” - -The officer did not exactly relish the turn of affairs. If he had made -a mistake in delivering his captain’s letters and then the fugitive -into the wrong hands, he knew he would suffer severely. - -“I dare not do that,” he said. “By my government’s regulations asylum -must be given to all asking protection. To-morrow after my captain -returns he will, if he sees fit, deliver him to the viceroy. I shall -lock him up for safety and you can be sure he will not escape.” - -“But I have been searching for this man,” Phil declared, his voice now -really earnest. He must get Emmons from his perilous position. “It is -all-important that he be taken to the viceroy to-night. I can assure -you that if your captain were here he would deliver him up to Ta-Ling.” - -All suspicion had disappeared from the officer’s mind upon hearing -this earnest appeal. After all, he was but a Chinaman, and he knew his -captain was very friendly with the viceroy and his powerful secretary -Ta-Ling. - -“All right,” he said. “I will take your word that in delivering the man -to you I shall be acting as my captain would wish.” - -“He should be bound,” Phil said almost gleefully. “Can you get me a -rope?” - -The officer, leaving Phil’s side, crossed the deck to a chest; opening -it, he searched through its contents. The midshipman, greatly fearing -an outbreak from Emmons, stepped cautiously to his side and whispered -for him to make no outcry. - -“I knew you immediately,” Emmons breathed. - -At the sound of muttering voices, the officer looked up quickly; the -light of the lantern on his face told Phil that his suspicions had -been aroused. Quicker than thought the midshipman drew back his fist, -then he shot it forward, striking with force the startled half-breed -squarely under the chin. Emmons lay where he fell, moaning audibly, -while Phil quietly explained his act to the officer. - -“He had the temerity to revile me,” he said; “but give me the rope. We -should be on our way back to the city.” - -Emmons was quickly bound, hand and foot; then Phil bowed ceremoniously -and, lifting the stunned man on his broad shoulders, walked steadily -down the ladder and into the launch, where he deposited the body with a -great show of force for the benefit of those above. A few seconds later -the launch had left the war-ship and was headed down the river as if -she would again land in her berth at the dock. - -As soon as the gunboat had disappeared in the darkness, Phil and Sydney -cut the ropes binding the prisoner and raised him to a seat on the deck -house. He was but stunned by the blow and presently opened his eyes, -gazing about him in bewilderment. - -“What happened?” Emmons asked, recognizing in the thin light of a -screened lantern Phil’s anxious face bending over him. The lad quickly -explained the reason for his apparently unfriendly act. - -Emmons, with a genuine show of deep gratitude, thanked the midshipman -for his unlooked-for deliverance; then he plied the lads with eager -questions, and Phil gave him the unvarnished history of the night’s -experiences; of the triumph over Ta-Ling, and then the ruse they had -played upon Commander Ignacio and the officer on board the “Albaque.” - -“I have, I think, papers which will reveal all that villain’s secrets,” -he ended, patting the papers in the pocket of his long Chinese robe. -“And the plan of the secret channel--I have that safe here also,” he -added. “We owe a great deal to you.” - -“Yes,” replied Emmons, “but it has cost me all that I have accumulated -in ten years of business. I got warning this afternoon from the Tartar -general that an order had been signed by the viceroy for my execution. -I succeeded in hiding in an abandoned house in the foreign concession -while the soldiers of Ta-Ling searched for me. After dark I tried to -find Nam-Sing and the launch which I was holding in readiness to aid -your escape, but when I reached the docks I found all my launches -deserted, and their machinery wrecked. Knowing that I could not remain -another day ashore without capture, I secured a sanpan and sculled to -the nearest gunboat, believing I was then safe; but it seems that I had -put myself in the hands of an enemy.” - -“The blood of every foreigner killed should be laid to Ignacio’s -account,” Phil declared angrily; “but we have now the means of exposing -his treachery. - -“Tell us about the mission,” he exclaimed anxiously. “Is it yet -unharmed?” - -“It is still under the general’s protection,” Emmons replied, “and he -will not permit an attack. I have expected every day to hear that the -soldiers had been removed. Ta-Ling’s outlaws are encamped within a mile -of the soldiers, apparently waiting an order from their leader.” - -“How many are there of these rebels?” Sydney asked in alarm. - -“I have not seen them, but my men tell me there are thousands,” Emmons -answered. - -“There must be some reason for the delay,” Emmons declared. “Have you -read the viceroy’s letter to your captain?” he asked quickly. “Maybe -there we shall find the cause of it.” - -With trembling fingers Phil drew the letter from his pocket and without -hesitation broke the formidable looking seal of the viceroy. The -writing was in English and the penmanship seemed strangely familiar. - -“It’s the same writing as that in the letter I picked up in the bank!” -he exclaimed in surprise, then in the lantern’s dim light his eager -eyes traveled rapidly over the words before him. - -Sydney and Emmons waited impatiently until Phil began to read excitedly: - -“His Excellency, Chang-Li-Hun, is deeply grieved at the lawless -actions of the foreign gunboats, which have banded together under the -leadership of the American commander to defy the authority of the laws -of China. Commander Ignacio and two of his brother commanders have -accepted his Excellency’s leniency and after voluntarily offering their -apology have anchored at Ku-Ling. To show that China has kept faith, -his Excellency has caused a strong guard of his soldiers to encamp on -the hills near the American mission. - -“If by ten o’clock to-morrow morning the foreign gunboats will steam to -Ku-Ling flying white flags of truce, the viceroy will still give them -clemency. The viceroy has held the hostages to show his displeasure at -the foreigners for entering To-Yan Lake, waters forbidden them by the -government of China. - -“His Excellency will be powerless to protect either the hostages or the -mission if a single hostile shot is fired. Enclosed is a telegram for -the American commander.” - -“If this letter and the telegram had gone to Commander Hughes,” Phil -exclaimed as he folded the letter and returned it in his pocket, -“Ta-Ling and Ignacio would have won. Without the strong personality -of our captain the allies would have weakened and accepted the terms -offered.” - -“Now when Ta-Ling is liberated,” Sydney cried alarmingly, “the soldiers -will be removed and the rebels allowed to attack the mission.” Then -he stopped suddenly, while a lump rose in his throat. “Does Ta-Ling -suspect the secret of the channel is ours?” he asked fearfully. - -Emmons shook his head thoughtfully. - -“The chart was procured by Hang-Ki from the viceroy’s papers through -bribing a lesser official,” he answered. “Ta-Ling may have discovered -its absence and suspected that I would carry it to your captain. That -would explain his sudden desire to have me captured and executed.” - -“To-night is the turning-point in this intrigue,” Phil exclaimed, -while his heart beat faster at the thought. “We must use this channel -to-night, and after we have run the forts and anchored in safety above -Ku-Ling, we must start at once to the rescue of those in the mission. -I hope Lieutenant Wilson can withstand the assault until aid arrives. - -“Our poor sailors in the yamen,” he added sorrowfully, “I fear are no -better than dead men.” - -“You are right,” Emmons declared in no uncertain voice. “To-morrow -Ta-Ling will cause the high reed grass on the island to be set on fire. -It is dry and will burn like tinder. Then the island will offer no -protection, the search-light on the fort will disclose the presence of -the gunboats and the secret channel is well within the range of the -fort guns.” - -While the midshipmen were absorbed in their conversation with the -half-breed, the launch, under the skilful guidance of the pilot, -steamed rapidly down the swift current of the river. The junks moored -at the docks flashed by unheeded. The high frowning cliffs, on top -of which were the gun emplacements, appeared dimly from the darkness -ahead. Then the launch’s bow was turned sharply to port, steering -across the river, to put as great a distance as possible between it -and the menacing batteries. - -The midshipmen and Emmons had now joined Langdon at his post at the -wheel. - -“To-night Hang-Ki has relieved many of the lookouts in the forts,” -Emmons whispered, “and if we can keep close under the shadow of the -island we may pass undiscovered.” - -Phil was in a fever of anxiety. He glanced fearfully at the frowning -forts, looming oppressively close in the darkness to starboard. The -island on the other side of which was the secret channel slowly took -shape, and as the launch approached became ever more distinct. Now -he imagined he could see the tops of the high reeds, tall enough to -conceal the hull of a gunboat, waving menacingly in the fitful breeze, -and in the stillness, broken only by the muffled chug of the gas -engine, he could now hear the dry rustle telling him only too plainly -that this rank vegetation was ripe for Ta-Ling’s torch. - -The night was dark and cloudy, and the deeper gloom of the island -toward which Langdon was steering would make it almost impossible to -locate the small launch. - -Even under the trying circumstances, expecting momentarily to hear the -loud discharge of hostile cannon, Phil’s mind dwelt anxiously on the -possibilities before the coming day. Fully realizing that the lives of -those in the mission depended upon the ability of the allies to pass -the forts before morning, would they find the fleet prepared to start -immediately? Without mishaps two hours must elapse before the launch -could reach Lien-Chow, and then scarcely five hours of the night would -remain. - -With all lights save that at the compass carefully screened, the launch -sped quietly onward. The forts had faded slowly into the darkness as -the island shore had been approached. Langdon spun his wheel from side -to side seeking the deepest channel, while a Chinaman with a long -bamboo pole measured the depth of the water continuously, calling out -in a sing-song whisper his soundings. - -“Go on this side of the island,” Phil ordered, hastily measuring with -his eye the distance by the chart. “Time’s precious. We must run the -risk.” - -“Aye, aye,” the pilot answered quickly, bringing the bow of the launch -smartly about to parallel the island shore. “They can’t hit us anyway,” -he added contemptuously. - -Minute after minute dragged by. The Americans were on the point of -congratulating themselves upon having passed the forts in safety, when -a flash of flame sprang from the darkness of the hill forts and the -screech of a shell sounded menacingly in their ears. - -With the anxiety of one who is being fired upon without the opportunity -to return the fire, those on the launch stuck manfully at their posts. -Sydney’s blood raced rapidly through his veins, and his hopes seemed on -the point of being cast to the very depths of despair. - -Flash followed flash on the fortifications and the reverberations of -the heavy artillery shook the valley. It seemed to the midshipmen -that hundreds of guns must be hurling tons of steel at their small -inoffensive black launch as it bravely steamed down the river. - -With intense excitement and fearful dread as to the outcome, all gazed -fascinated upon the myriads of flashes of flame from the forts. The -moans and screeches of the shells were loud in their ears while the -steel bolts lashed the water to foam about them. - -Suddenly a bright shaft of light bored through the night and then swung -spasmodically over the water. Fearfully the midshipmen watched the -search-light ray in its attempt to concentrate upon the rapidly moving -launch. When once they were held in its beam, they would furnish as -clear a target for their enemy’s guns as if it were day. - -As Phil watched, fascinated, the wavering light, it stopped uncertainly -short of the launch but truly in line, then the light raised suddenly -and the lad was fairly blinded by the bright flash as it clung -tenaciously to the discovered hull. The fort guns now renewed their -vociferous cannonade and the screech of shells was sufficient to -unnerve the stoutest heart. - -“One hit and we’ll be counted out,” Phil exclaimed wildly, clutching -Sydney in his excitement, as he dodged involuntarily the hot breath of -the speeding projectiles. - -“Take that sounding pole!” Langdon shouted hoarsely, as the terrified -Chinaman dropped it on deck and dived for safety below decks. - -Sydney quickly grasped the pole as it clattered from the man’s hand, -and plunged it over the side. It struck bottom, showing the water had -suddenly become dangerously shallow. - -“Keep her off,” he cried loudly, above the roar of the hissing shells. - -Blinded by the bright glare of the search-light, Langdon had nearly -run the launch ashore on the island, but by quick action, he now threw -the bow out into the river. A low grating sound made Phil’s heart stop -beating, but the next second the launch darted clear of the treacherous -shoal. Then to the joy of the anxious men the search-light beam died -suddenly away. - -The fire from the forts immediately slackened, and in a few seconds -had ceased altogether. An occasional boom and the screech of a passing -shell, however, showed the Americans that the enemy was waiting -impatiently to begin its fusillade as soon as the now extinguished -search-light could again pick up the helpless target. - -A startled cry from Emmons drew the Americans’ attention. Looking -anxiously in the direction indicated by the half-breed, Phil saw the -white and colored lights of a steamer standing up the river, in the -middle of the main channel. Those in the forts seemed also to have made -the discovery. The entire crest of the hill forts burst into sudden -flame and the distant screech of shell told the lad that this time the -launch was not the target. - -“What can it be?” he exclaimed in a fever of excitement. “The allies -know better than to carry lights. It must be a stranger.” - -Then as he gazed spellbound upon the spectacle before him, the -search-light of the fort once more cut its narrow path of flame through -the inky blackness. It swept spasmodically over the intruder and -then to the Americans’ delighted eyes was revealed the outline of a -monitor, the light of the search-light beam reflected brightly from her -glistening, pointed hull. - -“The ‘Monterey’!” Phil cried, joyfully hugging Sydney. “And Jack -O’Neil is on board her.” But a second later his joy was changed -to apprehension. Would the monitor appreciate the situation and be -prepared to return this fire? A fear took possession of his thoughts -that the sailors, not knowing of the existence of hostilities, might -have been standing unprotected upon the deck and before they could have -sought the shelter of armor many might have already been killed by the -shells of the enemy. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -REËNFORCEMENTS - - -All eyes were now intent on the American war-ship. The guns in the -forts had become silent, as if startled at the sudden appearance of an -enemy worthy of their metal. The monitor, apparently unconscious of the -danger into which it had run, steamed proudly onward. The search-light -of the fort lighted up every detail of the formidable vessel; the -heavy turret guns were lowered, pointing inoffensively away from the -inquisitive search-light. - -“They won’t dare fire again at her!” Sydney exclaimed. “See, she has -shown her colors!” - -As the midshipman spoke a large American flag rose proudly aloft to -the truck of the “Monterey,” where it fluttered defiantly, as if to -say: “Now if you fire, knowing who I am, you declare war on the country -which I represent.” - -Then the Chinese threw down the gauntlet; a flash of flame darted from -the dark fort, licking the heels of a great shell, and a high splash of -foam sprang up in the glare of the search-light not more than a half -hundred yards from the bow of the silent monitor. - -Again, like huge fireflies on a summer night, the hill forts flashed -fire, while still the monitor steamed boldly onward, closer and closer -to the hostile guns. - -“Why doesn’t she return it?” Sydney exclaimed excitedly. “A few shots -from her guns will startle the soldiers in those forts.” - -As the lads watched the one-sided contest, two shafts of light darted -from the monitor; the search-light from the fort from its size and -greater illuminating power concealed the commencement of the war-ship’s -less powerful lights, but upon the forts two round white spots traveled -slowly along, and where they rested the midshipmen could see distinctly -the gun emplacements and the great gun tubes protruding from the -protecting rock and earth. - -In a terrible suspense those on the launch held their breath, while -the heavy turrets, plainly visible in the light from the forts, swung -around slowly; then the gun muzzles were raised and pointed steadily at -the two white spots, the end of the search-light rays. After a terrible -suspense, two great tongues of flame leaped far out over the river and -a dull boom shook the air. - -“Fine shots!” Phil exclaimed joyfully as he saw the earth on two of the -emplacements rise in the air as if a magazine had exploded underneath -it. - -Again the monitor spoke angrily with her great twelve-inch guns, -and again within the illumination the eager watchers saw masses of -earth fly high in the air as the half ton shells exploded on the very -parapets of the Chinese forts. - -“She’s turning!” Sydney exclaimed. - -Sure enough, the “Monterey” was swinging her bow away from the enemy. -Not understanding the meaning of this treatment, the war-ship was -circling to return down the river, out of range of the formidable forts. - -The search-light of the fort held steadily upon the retreating -war-ship, but those of the “Monterey” had been extinguished. The fort -guns, for the time silenced by the straight shooting of their enemy, -now reopened with renewed energy. But the monitor, as if unconscious of -the rain of shell about her, turned in silence, her flag waving proudly -at the mast-head, and started down river. - -“Head over for her!” Phil ordered. - -With relief and satisfaction, the Americans saw that now after the -monitor had turned, the Chinese gunners were shooting wildly. All the -shots were falling aimlessly short of the retreating war-ship. But -still the search-light ray clung tenaciously, as if it feared the -monitor once out of the vision of its bright eye would take wings and -fly away. - -Suddenly from the monitor’s after turret belched forth a single flash. -Those on the launch watched in excited admiration to see the burst of -flame on the ramparts of the fort, but instead, high above the guns, -above even the search-light mounted at the very top of the hill, a jet -of flame, a living ball of fire, cleft the darkness; a second later and -the monitor had faded from sight. - -“Shrapnel,” Phil exclaimed intensely, as the sound of the explosion -reached his ears; “that search-light is out of business for the -present.” Then he realized that the launch and the “Monterey” were -rapidly approaching each other on converging courses. - -“Light the side lights,” he cried to Emmons, at his side, spellbound -and silent. “We can’t take the risk of having her shoot at us. She -might hit us.” - -Emmons obeyed the order by giving a few harsh commands to his reassured -Chinese boatmen and soon the red and green lights were burning on -the launch’s sides. The forts were now silent, their target having -dissolved into the night, but Langdon had taken her bearing and the -launch’s bow was held in the direction which he knew would bring them -close to the monitor. - -After many long minutes of anxious search a dark smudge appeared almost -directly in the path of the launch. Then suddenly a flash sprang from -the dark smudge, and a shell shrieked across the bow of the approaching -boat. - -“Stop her!” Phil cried in alarm, while he ran quickly forward. Standing -at the bow of the launch, he cleared his voice and raised his hands to -his mouth, ready to answer the hail from the war-ship. - -“Boat ahoy!” came distinctly across the water. “Stop where you are, or -we’ll sink you.” - -“Aye, aye, sir,” Phil hailed back. “We’re friends--American naval -officers.” - -“All right, don’t come any closer and we’ll send a boat,” came the -answer in clear, decided tones. - -Those on the launch noted the creak of blocks as a boat shot down from -its davits into the water, and a few minutes afterward they heard the -regular dip of the oars and their rhythmical thud in their sockets. -Then a long, slim whale-boat, propelled by six stalwart sailors, shot -out of the gloom and came quietly alongside the motionless launch. - -An officer scrambled nimbly on board. - -“What’s the meaning of this?” he exclaimed in astonishment. For in the -ray of the solitary lantern held in the hands of a Chinese boatman, he -saw that he was in the presence of Chinamen. He stopped precipitously, -sliding his hand cautiously to his revolver holster while he eyed -suspiciously the men before him. - -Phil was about to answer the officer’s question, never realizing the -cause of the speaker’s abrupt silence, when his eye caught sight of a -familiar face peering in over the launch’s rail. Forgetful of all else, -the lad hastened excitedly forward. Reaching down he grasped the owner -of the face in a strong grip. - -“O’Neil!” he exclaimed delightedly. “Well, if this isn’t luck!” - -While Sydney in his turn shook hands warmly with their old friend the -boatswain’s mate, who had served with them through many a difficult -position during a South American revolution, when they were together -on the battle-ship “Connecticut,” Phil explained the situation to the -mystified officer. - -The lad for the moment had not fully appreciated the dumbfounded -astonishment of the naval man, Lieutenant Washburn of the “Monterey,” -upon finding himself among Chinamen, after he had heard the answer from -the “Monterey’s” hail that American naval officers were on board the -launch. - -“We’ve just escaped from prison,” Phil explained, “and your ship -arrived in time to save us from those guns. Their shots were beginning -to come pretty near, I can tell you.” - -“Escaped from prison,” Lieutenant Washburn exclaimed, still mystified. -“Where then is the ‘Phœnix’? She hasn’t been sunk, I hope,” he added -hastily in sudden alarm. - -Phil quickly set his mind at rest on that point. “She’s at Lien-Chow, -in the To-Yan Lake, and we are on our way there now. - -“Commander Hughes will be mighty relieved to see the ‘Monterey’!” he -exclaimed joyfully. “With her the forts have no perils--she can run by -whenever she wishes.” - -“I am sorry for him,” Lieutenant Washburn answered, his voice betraying -a note of bitterness, “for I am a great admirer of your captain. He’s -the kind of man we need in command of our ships. There’s a rumor afloat -that he’s in disgrace and will be put under arrest. I hope it’s not -true, but the rumor was persistent in the fleet when we left. If it’s -true I suppose our captain has the order.” - -Phil pretended to be greatly surprised and unconsciously raised his -hand to make sure the telegram was safe in his pocket. - -“The ‘Monadnock’ is on her way up the river. She’s slower than we are, -and as our captain is senior he pressed ahead. - -“Nice surprise they gave us,” he added laughingly, pointing to the now -quiet forts. “We thought they were only having target practice and -supposed of course they’d stop to let us pass. But when they opened -on us, although our captain had sounded to ‘general quarters’ as a -precaution, you could have knocked us all down with a feather.” - -“I am happy to say their target practice upon us was not good,” Phil -returned in high humor; “but if you’ll excuse me, I’ll shed these gay -clothes. Mine are pretty seedy after three days in a Chinese prison, -but I’d appear to better advantage when we go aboard the ‘Monterey.’” - -The war-ship, by signal-lights, informed her lieutenant that she -was about to anchor, directing the launch to follow and then come -alongside. - -Before the rattle of chain announced that the anchor was holding the -steel fortress stationary against the swift current, the midshipmen -recited to Lieutenant Washburn the story of their adventures. O’Neil -listened eagerly, grunting with glee when they told of the triumph over -Ta-Ling and Commander Ignacio. - -After a short delay the launch was steered alongside the anchored -war-ship, and the Americans, now in their own clothes, quickly -scrambled over the low side. - -Commander Barnes, the monitor’s captain, ranking junior to Commander -Hughes, immediately summoned the midshipmen and Langdon to his cabin. - -Phil as spokesman gave the surprised captain a detailed account of -the happenings since the attempt to blow in the gates of the American -mission. Commander Barnes’ eyes opened wider and wider in astonishment -as the lad proceeded. - -“It’s all very terrible,” he exclaimed after Phil had finished. “The -admiral knows nothing of this. Why has not Hughes wired the situation?” - -“He has sent telegrams,” Phil declared, “but the viceroy will not -forward them.” - -“That’s strange,” the captain said in a low voice. “The admiral led -me to suppose that I would be in command of the three ships, and that -Hughes would be relieved of his command. Yet I have no orders to that -effect.” - -Phil trembled with joy at overhearing these words, not intended for -his ears. The “Monterey” brought no orders. He held the only order in -his pocket, and the fatal telegram would remain there until Commander -Hughes had won his fight and relieved the situation. - -But time was pressing. The fleet must run the batteries to-night. The -arrival of the monitors would make the passage of the secret channel -even more secure by hotly engaging the forts if necessary. In order to -make success sure the midshipman knew that they should proceed at once -upon the remainder of their journey. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -ABOARD THE “PHŒNIX” - - -Commander Barnes consulted his watch and then called for his orderly. -The ring of the bell had scarcely sounded before a marine stood -obediently before him. - -“It’s eleven now,” the captain mused, then, turning to the orderly: - -“My compliments to the executive officer. Tell him to secure and pipe -down. We shall remain here for the present.” - -Forgetting in his anxiety the vast gulf in rank between them, Phil -raised his hand impatiently. - -“Captain!” he exclaimed, intensely in earnest. “We must go to Commander -Hughes immediately. The mission must be relieved to-night. It is -probably now surrounded by the outlaws. To-morrow the difficulties will -increase. The secret channel may be impossible, besides there are four -American sailors in prison in the yamen. By to-morrow they will have -been executed.” - -Over Commander Barnes’ face flitted for a second the suspicion of a -frown, while the orderly waited with indecision in his manner. - -“By the morning we shall have two monitors,” the captain answered; “I -think we can rely on their guns to escort the fleet past the forts -without harm. However, you may go on your launch and give your news to -Commander Hughes. I have orders forbidding me to enter To-Yan Lake. - -“I do not see how the allied fleet can possibly embark its sailors and -be here before daylight,” he added, after a few moments’ thought, “so I -see no reason to keep my officers and men up all night in waiting.” - -“Commander Hughes will be here inside of three hours,” Phil urgently -exclaimed. “I am sure, sir, that he will not lose a moment. He does not -wish to risk fighting the forts. If he can bring Ku-Ling under his guns -without a fight, he will win his point and save the foreigners. - -“If I may suggest, sir,” the midshipman added in a respectful voice, -“it would be best to keep all ready to get under way. It is but ten -miles to the allied fleet. We shall be there in an hour and in two more -the gunboats will be here on their way to enter this secret channel.” - -Commander Barnes smiled indulgently at the lad’s earnestness as he -waved a dismissal to the orderly. - -“Tell the executive officer,” he said, “to be ready to get under way in -three hours and notify the officer of the deck to keep a sharp lookout -for the ‘Monadnock.’ Signal her when sighted to anchor near us. - -“Your captain has a convincing advocate in you, Mr. Perry,” he -continued, after the orderly had departed with his message. “I shall -wait his coming and be ready to join him.” - -Phil was elated with the success of his appeal, and in a short time he -had gathered his party together ready to again embark in Emmons’ launch. - -Before leaving the captain’s cabin the midshipmen had asked that -boatswain’s mate O’Neil be allowed to go, to steer the launch, which -request Commander Barnes readily granted. - -“The telegram is the only order relieving our captain of his command,” -Phil exclaimed to Sydney while the launch sped toward the distant -lights of the allied fleet. “What would happen if I gave him the -cable?” he asked quickly. - -“He would have but to obey it,” Sydney answered. “It’s a direct order -from the navy department. Commander Barnes as senior officer of the -American ships would be bound to send a flag of truce and offer his -apologies for Commander Hughes’ actions.” - -“And that would mean a victory for the viceroy and Ta-Ling!” Phil -exclaimed. “If I lose my commission for it that telegram is going to -remain secret until the allied fleet have exacted an humble apology and -restitution from those guilty of wishing to murder innocent foreigners.” - -In the light of a solitary lantern Phil opened the envelope and glanced -excitedly over their enemy’s correspondence with the viceroy. It was in -English and written in a clear and legible hand. - -Paper after paper was read in silence by the two midshipmen, revealing -the most bare-faced treachery. - -“Do you remember that day at the bank?” Phil exclaimed suddenly after -he had finished reading a letter which he held open before him, his -face in the thin light betraying intense wrath and indignation. “I have -wondered so often over that incident. I have never until now been able -to discover why Ignacio was so angry at me for picking up his letter -from the ground. Do you remember how he snatched it from my hand? I -thought he would strike me. Well, that innocent sheet of paper was a -letter from Ta-Ling. If I could have held it another minute much of our -trouble would never have occurred. This is Ignacio’s answer: - -“‘I will do all in my power to thwart the aim of these Americans. I -despise them as much as you do. I have just drawn on the company which -I represent for the sum you named, and it will be deposited in the bank -at Shanghai. When you have obtained the viceroy’s signature, giving -my company the railroad rights from here to Peking, I shall at once -transfer this sum to your credit. - -“‘Your letter was picked up from the bank floor, where I had carelessly -dropped it, by a young American officer. I do not think he had enough -knowledge or time to divine its meaning.’” - -The two midshipmen looked sheepishly at each other for a second and -then both laughed. - -“We are innocents, aren’t we, Phil?” Sydney laughed. “Now it’s all -clear. Ignacio attempted to throw the allies into a panic at Lien-Chow. -He worked himself into being selected as the senior officer for the -flag of truce, and he concealed his eagerness so cleverly that we -thought he was afraid. Then he played his game beautifully before the -viceroy. But by to-morrow morning Ignacio’s dreams will be smashed. -Ku-Ling will awake to find the fleet at anchor with its guns trained on -the viceroy’s palace.” - -“What’s this new mischief you’re hatching?” inquired Langdon, -approaching the midshipmen, after having conned the launch over the -treacherous shoals at the entrance to the lake. “We’ll be at the fleet -in a short time now,” he added, pointing to the lights fast appearing -ahead. - -Phil arose, throwing a swift glance at the lights of the gunboats, -growing ever brighter as the launch sped swiftly onward. Then he -returned to his seat on the deck house and told the pilot of the -discovery. - -“Why did you never tell me of this meeting with Ignacio in the bank?” -Langdon asked, in a hurt voice. “I might have put two and two together -and saved us a great deal of trouble.” - -“Oh! pipe down, Joe Langdon!” Phil exclaimed, in good humor. “You -wouldn’t have found it out any sooner than we did. It’s all plain -enough now after you know.” - -“I can’t help worrying about our four sailors,” Sydney said sadly, and -immediately the mirth died on Phil’s face. “After Ta-Ling is released, -he will be mad enough to have them summarily executed.” - -His companions made no reply. Each felt that the chances for the four -captive Americans were small. - -While the launch was approaching the line of anchored ships, Phil left -his two companions and stood close beside O’Neil, while the sailor -steered for the lights which had been pointed out to him as being on -board the “Phœnix.” - -The lads were delighted to have this fine American sailor-man again -with them. Phil recounted again all the exciting adventures through -which they had just passed and O’Neil in his turn told of the -monotonous life on board a monitor in Manila Bay. - -“It’s worse than going to sea in a submarine, Mr. Perry,” the sailor -exclaimed. “She’s so low in the water and rolls so quickly that we was -awash all the way up the China coast. We couldn’t use them big guns at -sea; one second they are pointing in the water and the next they are -looking at the moon; but here in the river it’s different. We can cut -our name on those forts if they’ll give us a chance. - -“That captain of yours, Mr. Perry, is a fire-eater. There ain’t nothing -he is afraid of. I am glad,” he added, lowering his voice, although -there was no one but a Chinese crew man within ear-shot, “to hear you -tell me that our skipper ain’t going to lead this expedition. He’s all -right when he gets good and mad, like he did when the fort fired at him -to-night, but he ain’t got the initiative. Now, ‘Bucko’ Hughes, that’s -his name on the foc’s’le, is different; he always likes to hit first.” -Then he continued in a moralizing tone while he spun his wheel to steer -the course to bring the ship’s lights on a proper bearing: - -“The longer I live, Mr. Perry, the more I believe that’s the best -tactics for a fighting man. If you hit first and hit hard enough maybe -the other fellow’ll drop his fists and say he’s had enough.” - -Phil slapped the sailor on the back in sign of agreement with his -views, while O’Neil brought the “Phœnix’s” lights, now close aboard, -broad on his beam in order to round to for a landing at the gangway, -and in answer to a hoarse challenge from the gunboat, he sang out in -his clear voice: - -“Aye! Aye!” - -“We’re still midshipmen,” Phil corrected; “you should have answered -‘No! No!’”[2] - -“That’s all right, sir,” the sailor returned with a grin. “It ain’t who -you are; it’s the news you bring. If I’d said, ‘No! No!’ they might not -have waked ‘Bucko,’ and I know he’d want to see you as soon as you put -foot on board.” - -A few minutes later Phil led the way up the gangway ladder and soon -found himself in the enthusiastic embrace of the officer of the -deck. Although it was after twelve o’clock many of the officers were -awake and a glance about the ship told the midshipman that careful -preparations were being made to protect the vital parts of the gunboat -from the shells of the enemy. - -They were told that Commander Hughes was in the cabin and as yet in -ignorance of the return of the hostages. - -“I sent down word just now by the orderly,” the officer of the deck -said with a smile, “that some commissioned officers were coming -alongside in a launch, so I suppose he’s awake, for it’s not often that -we receive callers this time of night.” - -The three Americans and Emmons went hastily to the captain’s cabin, -where they found the orderly awaiting them, while Commander Hughes was -seated at his desk. Phil was shocked at the change in his captain’s -face. His buoyant expression had been displaced by a haggard look and -as he turned his eyes toward the door, the lad noticed, with a twinge -of pity, that their expression was one of worry, while the dark circles -below them told only too plainly the story of sleepless nights. - -It was not until Phil had advanced almost to his side that Commander -Hughes realized who his visitors were. Then the mask dropped from his -face and he sprang eagerly to his feet with a glad cry. - -“I was just thinking,” he exclaimed joyfully as he embraced one after -another of the men returning to him as if from the grave, “that for a -glimpse of you safe on board here again I’d give ten years of my life.” - -After the first joyful shock of meeting was over Commander Hughes made -the midshipmen and their companions be seated, and each in turn told -the thrilling details of his experiences since leaving Lien-Chow with -the flag of truce. The story of Commander Ignacio’s duplicity, much to -the lads’ surprise, brought forth but little comment. - -“I have suspected him,” their captain answered, almost sadly, “since -his return without you.” - -When the part in their ventures taken by Emmons was told him, Commander -Hughes arose from his chair and, much to the embarrassment of the -half-breed, took his hand in both of his, thanking him eloquently for -his self-sacrificing acts. Then Phil’s heart leaped with delight as his -captain cast from him all signs of sentiment; the old fire had returned -to his eyes. - -The midshipmen were so intent upon their own experiences that the -mention of the arrival of the monitors came only at the end of their -narrative. - -Commander Hughes could hardly believe his ears. - -“The monitors are actually here!” he exclaimed, doubting the welcome -news. It was too good to be true. - -[Illustration: “_THE MONITORS ARE ACTUALLY HERE!_”] - -“The ‘Monterey’ is at anchor at the entrance of the lake,” Phil assured -him. “The ‘Monadnock’ should have arrived by now. Commander Barnes -has kept up steam awaiting your arrival. I told him you would go up the -river to-night,” he added hastily. - -Commander Hughes’ joy showed plainly in his strong face. - -“How glad I should be that I have not yielded to the persistent -counsels of the other captains!” he cried. “No one knows what these -last few days of suspense and uncertainty have been. When Ignacio left -us it required the combined effort of Buresford and myself to prevent -the rest from following like a flock of sheep. I had wrung a reluctant -promise from those remaining to attempt to run the batteries to-morrow -night unless the viceroy agreed to our demands. My letter to him sent -by one of the renegades has not been answered.” - -Phil gasped. The viceroy’s answer was in the pocket of his blouse, but -he must not deliver it. To do so would betray the fact of a telegram. - -“But now,” the captain continued, “we cannot wait for his answer. The -lives of those in the mission depend upon immediate action on our part. -I feel sure that the news of the arrival of the monitors and this -chart of a safe channel will bolster up our allies’ waning courage. - -“I fear for the sailors in the yamen,” he added, a note of grave -anxiety in his voice; “but if a hair of their heads is injured I shall -not rest until those guilty of the outrage are punished. The viceroy -himself shall not escape the penalty of this crime.” - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -THE START FOR KU-LING - - -The midshipmen, after leaving the captain’s cabin, hastened to their -rooms to bathe and don fresh clothes. Phil eyed his bunk longingly; he -had not had a comfortable sleep for many nights, but he withstood the -temptation and soon found the duty of helping to prepare the ship for -battle far more interesting. - -Commander Hughes had signaled at once for the gunboat captains, and -each had left the “Phœnix,” enthusiastic at the lucky turn affairs had -taken, and cordially willing to coöperate. - -“I am in doubt,” Commander Hughes confided to Phil on the quarter-deck, -where the lad had been directing the work of the men of his division, -“what to do with our non-combatants. Each gunboat is carrying a dozen -or more of their own nationality, former residents of the foreign -concession at Ku-Ling. These gunboats will offer no protection to the -women and children if we are discovered and fired upon by the forts. -One large shell might even, if it hit in a vital spot, sink this -vessel.” - -“Why not put all on board the monitors?” Phil suggested; “they would be -perfectly safe there behind armor.” - -“A good idea,” the captain replied gladly. “I shall signal at once to -have the refugees ready to disembark. - -“How many can Emmons’ launch carry?” he questioned. - -“It’s a good-sized boat, sir,” Phil replied. “I should say certainly -fifty persons.” - -“That’s very well,” the former said. Then Phil, recognizing a change of -tone in his superior’s voice, drew himself to attention as the captain -added slowly: - -“We shall be ready to get under way at one o’clock at the latest. -You will follow in the launch and when the ‘Phœnix,’ which of course -will lead the column, reaches the monitors, you will begin at once -to transfer all refugees from the gunboats, dividing them equally -between the two monitors. I shall write out immediately orders for the -commanding officers of the ‘Monterey’ and ‘Monadnock,’ which I shall -hand you for delivery before you shove off. They will be unable to -follow us through the secret channel, as their draft is too great, so I -have directed that they remain beyond the range of fire of the forts, -unless by chance we are menaced by the enemy’s guns. - -“I sincerely hope,” he continued in a less official voice, “that -nothing happens to either of the monitors with such precious freight. -Do you know, Mr. Perry,” he added feelingly, “out in these countries -where lives are so cheap, we Americans would sacrifice a whole shipload -of men for the single life of a mother or a child.” - -Phil inclined his head in mute token of agreement to his captain’s -humane sentiment. Then suddenly a thought seemed to strike the latter, -and he drew the lad farther away from the sailors engaged in making -a protecting screen of hammocks about the after-gun positions, for -greater safety against the possibility of infantry fire from the -island, close to which the channel was shown to lead. - -“What is your theory, Mr. Perry,” he asked earnestly, “of the actions -of Commander Ignacio? Is it merely a hostile dislike for me and our -countrymen, or does it come from a deeper and more subtle reason?” - -Phil hesitated; could he give his honest views, or more correctly -speaking, his knowledge of the reasons for Ignacio’s actions, without -endangering the asking of a question from his captain, to answer -which he might have to descend to subterfuge and even deceit? The -fatal telegram lay snugly in his pocket; he could almost imagine -that Commander Hughes’ piercing eyes could read, through the cloth -of his blouse, the words which seemed engraved in bold letters on -the lad’s brain. Phil had purposely cautioned his companions to say -nothing of the captured letters which had passed between Ignacio -and the viceroy’s secretary, for fear that the many allusions to -the hope of accomplishing the disgrace of the American leader might -awaken suspicion. These letters, the boy had decided, could not be of -benefit now to Commander Hughes, but would be of vital importance in -justifying the suppression of the cablegram taken from the person of -Ta-Ling. - -“I think, sir,” Phil answered after several moments of silence, “that -Commander Ignacio’s motive lies much deeper than personal enmity. -There must surely be some important objective toward which he has been -striving. Possibly,” he hinted vaguely in an endeavor to have his -captain broach the real reason, of which the lad knew only too well, -“he believes that he can secure better commercial benefits for his -own countrymen and to the hurt of American interests. They say that -the viceroy has been openly antagonistic for months to all American -investments in his provinces.” - -“How stupid of me!” Commander Hughes exclaimed. “The railroad to Peking -and through the interior provinces! I have been so much engrossed with -my own troubles that I have not given the motive of this hostile action -the attention which it deserves. I heard in Shanghai before we sailed -that the American corporation having the railroad concession rights -was having great trouble in getting permission to break ground, and a -great mass of material is lying idle in steamers awaiting permission of -the viceroy to land. Of course, that must be at the bottom of all this! - -“It is this commercial rivalry which will forever keep the Chinese from -looking upon foreigners as desirable residents of their country,” he -continued thoughtfully. “We are ever at each other’s throats in our -commercial dealings. There are grave consequences to be feared in the -opening of this vast and rich territory, and if we are not strictly -honest in our dealings with each other, the consequences may well -warrant the building of a great navy.” - -Commander Hughes, as he finished speaking, gazed out over the water to -the anchored ships of the allied fleet and then, nodding a dismissal to -the midshipmen, he walked toward the companion ladder leading to his -cabin. - -“The signal is two white lights when ready,” he said to the officer -of the deck. “Notify me when all the ships have shown the signal, and -keep the launch ready for Mr. Perry.” Then to Phil, as he descended the -companionway, “Langdon must of course stay with us. We shall need him -to help us over the shoals at the entrance to the lake.” - -Phil saluted and then glanced at the clock on the cabin bulkhead. He -saw its hands pointed to twenty minutes of one. In but a few hours -all would be decided. Either Commander Hughes would win and his act -of suppressing the cablegram be condoned, or else the gunboats would -be utterly defeated, maybe destroyed by the fire of the forts and his -hated enemy Ignacio raised to power as the leader of the dissenters. -The possibilities were so terrifying that he looked about him for some -object upon which to concentrate his mind. He wished to keep himself -from brooding on the future of the night’s venture. Gazing out into -the darkness, he could see black smoke and sparks belching from the -smoke-stacks of the “Phœnix’s” consorts. The shrill whistles of the -boatswain’s mates and the creaking of tackles came distinctly across -the still water, showing their hurried preparations to be ready. - -He saw that two white lights burned at the yard-arm of his own ship; -she then was ready to lead the fleet on its perilous undertaking; to -run by, well inside of the range of the forts’ guns, with but a screen -of high grass to protect the unarmored ships from the heavy shells of -their enemy. While the lad watched silently, his pulses beating fast, -the signal of readiness flashed out from gunboat after gunboat, until -the entire fleet had mutely informed the “Phœnix” that it was ready and -eager to follow the lead of its intrepid commander. - -A moment later he heard a step at his side, and the captain’s voice -saying: - -“Here are the orders for the monitors. You understand what you are to -do. I shall give you further orders later.” - -Phil took the two envelopes and put them carefully in his pocket; then -seeing his captain’s hand still extended, he grasped it warmly. - -“We little realize how much depends upon our success to-night,” -Commander Hughes said in an earnest voice. Then casting from him -the air of depression, he added lightly, “Our star is still in the -ascendent. We shall not consider failure.” - -Phil gazed almost worshipfully at his captain as the latter left him, -going forward toward the gunboat’s bridge to make the signal which -would launch the fleet upon its perilous mission; then he was conscious -that Sydney stood by him and the officer of the deck appeared anxious -to have the big launch shove off. Together the lads descended the -ladder, followed by Emmons as an interpreter for the Chinese crew men, -for Langdon had been detailed to remain to pilot the fleet. - -Quietly the fleet got under way, forming in column of vessels with the -American gunboat leading. Then as if by signal, commencing with the -leader, each of the gunboats dissolved into the night. To the lads it -appeared as if a cloak had been thrown over each vessel. - -“Their lights are all screened!” Sydney exclaimed. “Look! you can -barely see the vessel following the ‘Phœnix.’” - -Phil allowed his eyes to travel over the scene where a moment before -many lights pierced the darkness; now all that was visible was the -shadowy form of the American vessel scarce a hundred yards away and a -dark smudge of the next following; all others had vanished from view. - -In the long, tedious hour necessary to arrive at the anchored monitors, -the midshipmen stood by O’Neil and Emmons at the launch’s wheel. Their -pulses beat high in semi-dread at what the night would bring forth. -They had seen enough of the marksmanship of the forts to know that -their gunners were not to be despised. The island, behind which the -gunboats were to find refuge in passing the forts, was low, but being -covered with a dense growth of giant reeds, would conceal all but the -lofty spars of the vessels, which for greater security had been lowered -to the decks. - -“Is there any doubt of the existence of this channel?” Sydney -questioned Emmons, a sudden fear of treachery coming into his mind, -for if it were not there the gunboats endeavoring to find its entrance -would ground upon the shifting shoals of the river and when day dawned -be under fire at close range of the enemy’s guns. - -“I have navigated my launches on the river for six years,” Emmons -replied, “and never until the Tartar general gave me this chart did I -suspect that the channel existed. There is a legend among the Chinese -sailors that it was used by war junks a half century ago in escaping -from British men-of-war.” - -After arriving at the anchorage of the monitors, for the “Monadnock” -now lay near her consort, Phil directed the launch be steered alongside -the farthest gunboat. Refugees, men, women and children, carrying in -their hands but the necessary clothes for one night, quickly embarked -and were carried expeditiously to the monitors, where Phil gave -Commander Hughes’ verbal instructions and the written orders. - -This duty completed, the launch once more drew up alongside of the -“Phœnix’s” gangway ladder. - -“Mr. Perry!” called a voice from the bridge, which Phil recognized as -that of his captain. “Remain in the launch and start ahead of us. If -you find less water than our draft, signal us at once.” - -Phil acknowledged the order and gave the word to proceed. He had taken -the precaution to make a rough sketch of the chart; now laying the -sheet of paper on the deck house under the ray of a bull’s-eye lantern -he judged the course to steer. O’Neil swung the launch’s bow in the -compass direction, while the Chinese leadsman stood ready to test the -depth of water with his bamboo pole. - -Silently they sped onward; the low island across the river slowly took -shape and the lad directed the boatswain’s mate to steer for the end of -the black line barely discernible above the water. - -“We are now within the arc of fire of the forts,” Phil whispered to -Sydney; “from here to the island the gunboats will be unprotected if -discovered by the sentries at the guns. However, it’s long range, and -fortunately the night is dark.” - -Silently and regularly the leadsman thrust downward his pole until -twelve feet, three feet greater than the maximum draft of the gunboats, -was buried beneath the surface. - -All on board the launch were silently anxious. The deep channel of -the river had been left behind and, under the train of the fort guns, -they were traveling over water that on the charts issued by the home -government showed barely enough water to float a row-boat, and yet the -leadsman untiringly plunged his bamboo to a distance of twelve feet -without touching the sandy bottom. Hope rose in Phil’s heart. - -“Emmons’ chart is true!” Sydney exclaimed in a low, joyful voice. “See, -we’re nearly abreast of the point. In a few minutes more the island -will be between us and the guns.” - -Phil’s eyes traveled excitedly over the scene; the forts, some -thousands of yards away, were enshrouded in darkness; the island -appeared ever more distinct, the deep shadow of its high vegetation -rising ghastly from the water. - -“Round the point close,” Phil directed O’Neil, “and keep in to the -shore-line.” - -Boldly the launch neared the dark land, now so near at hand that it -seemed possible in the darkness to reach out and touch the long, -overhanging reeds. The dry rustle of the wind among the rank growth -seemed in the silence almost as loud as the footsteps of an army -marching. - -So far all seemed to be progressing happily for the allies. The channel -was an established fact and the midshipmen saw with relief that once -behind the island the gunboats could not be seen by the soldiers in -the forts. The island was narrow, but so long that when the vessels -emerged from its protection above the city of Ku-Ling, they would be in -the dead angle of the heavy batteries and well beyond the range of the -lighter guns. - -The launch chugged steadily onward, the intention being to discover if -possible any shoaling of the water in the channel, but the leadsman’s -bamboo pole betrayed no change. - -“What’s that ahead, sir?” O’Neil exclaimed suddenly; “It’s a launch, -I’m sure.” - -The lads strained their eyes in the direction indicated, but could see -nothing; then a light shot into the air, followed by a shower of sparks -and a bright flame, and again all was darkness. - -“What does it mean?” Phil gasped in sudden alarm. “It’s a launch, -that’s sure. She’s carrying no lights, and the flame from her -smoke-stack shows she has seen us and is making haste to escape.” - -“She’s going faster than we are, too,” O’Neil exclaimed, his keen eyes -detecting what the midshipmen had failed to see. - -“Do you smell smoke?” Sydney questioned anxiously. - -A moment later there was no longer doubt of the presence of smoke; -a light breeze from the direction of the island carried the pungent -odor of burning brush down the wind to the nostrils of the surprised -Americans. - -“There’s a fire on the island!” O’Neil suddenly exclaimed. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -THE SECRET CHANNEL - - -After the Americans had departed, leaving Ta-Ling tightly bound and -gagged on the cell floor, the Chinaman remained quietly bemoaning his -cruel destiny. He knew from the silence throughout the yamen that it -would be futile for him to waste his strength in useless struggling at -the bonds that bound him. His Oriental mind counseled self-destruction. -There was no alternative to wipe out the dishonor of being defeated -and humiliated by his despised enemies. The loss of his sacred cue was -a bitter misfortune. How could he appear before his brother mandarins -with this necessary appendage missing? The more he revolved the -situation over in his mind, the calmer he became. His Western teaching, -with its more worldly and less devious ways of thought, came to his -aid, driving away all ideas of self-destruction, and he resolved that -he would fight according to the methods taught by his new learning so -long as life remained him. - -It seemed to the helpless man that many hours must have passed while he -remained motionless on the damp earth. He had during this time thought -over and over again of all that had been said by the Americans. While -he lay to all appearances insensible, he had heard the wording of the -cipher message to the American commander. He had been upon the point of -sending the cablegrams to the American ship, but now they were in the -hands of the midshipmen and he had heard them say that they would not -give them to their captain. So much of the plan of his ally, Commander -Ignacio, was a failure. - -The missing chart which he felt sure had been taken by Emmons caused -him the greatest anxiety. He had intended to block this channel with -sunken stone-laden junks, but with the usual roundabout methods of the -Chinese he had found the mandarin in charge of such work could not load -the junks for some days, so he had passed it by, believing that the -presence of such a channel would remain a secret. Hang-Ki, the Tartar -general, could be the only one of those in the secrets of the yamen -who would dare thwart him. Ta-Ling’s veins swelled with suppressed -anger as he blamed his ill-luck for not having succeeded in his attempt -on the general’s life. This man he felt sure was also in the daring -plot which had liberated the Americans and placed him, second only in -power to the viceroy, in chains, helpless, while his carefully-laid -scheme of forever ridding China of the foreign leeches was falling like -a house of cards about his head. - -While his mind grappled with the intricate intrigues, there came a dull -boom of heavy cannon, shaking violently the yamen. Again and again -the earth was shaken and the deep tones of discharges of great guns -reverberated through the vast building. - -What did it mean? Had the Americans then succeeded in escaping and were -the fort guns firing upon them? How could they escape by water when -every launch had been wrecked by his trusted soldiers? - -The yamen now was no longer silent. Ta-Ling could hear shrill cries and -the hurried march of feet. Men were running wildly here and there, an -unknown fear in their hearts. The Chinaman’s hopes rose; the viceroy -would send for him to know the cause of the firing and he must before -long be discovered. He tugged desperately but fruitlessly at his bonds, -but Langdon had done his work well. - -Exhausted and breathless, he at length resigned himself to fate. Then -he heard his own name cried by the viceroy’s crier, resounding loudly -throughout the yamen. After what seemed an eternity, the door of his -cell was thrown open and several guards entered the dark prison. - -“Here they are,” he heard a soldier exclaim, and then he felt himself -grasped roughly and carried out into the courtyard. - -The next moment a light was thrust in his face and then the guards -recoiled in mortal fear as they beheld the features of the Chinese -tyrant. - -“We beg a million pardons, Excellency,” the leader cried, cringing -before the terrible eye of the viceroy’s secretary, while his -companions prostrated themselves before him. - -Ta-Ling made a sign to remove his gag, his joy at deliverance fighting -with his outraged dignity at being so roughly handled. - -“Take off these irons, you dogs,” he hissed when he could speak; “the -keys are on the floor of the cell.” - -The keys were quickly brought from where Ta-Ling had seen them thrown -by the midshipmen, and soon he was free. - -“Meet me at the yamen gate,” he ordered huskily, kicking a kneeling -figure savagely to punctuate his words; and then he hastened to his -quarters to replace the clothes of which his former captives had -deprived him. - -Upon the threshold of his room he encountered the frail figure of the -aged mandarin, his features stamped with fear. - -“You traitor,” he cried in a weak trembling voice, as he caught sight -of the disheveled Ta-Ling; “so this is the end of your vain boasting. -The foreign dogs are coming to destroy me.” - -The secretary used all of his powers of persuasion to reassure his -master. He told the viceroy hurriedly of the escape of the Americans -and the loss of the chart, but protested that there was no immediate -danger from the guns of the fleet. - -Leading the trembling old man back to his own room, he called loudly -for the treasurer, appreciating that in order to make true his words to -his master not a second must be wasted. - -Receiving no answer to his call, he retraced his steps to his room, and -there he was not surprised to find the bound body of his friend in the -dark corner where Phil had thrown him. - -After setting the man free, he gave him hasty instructions and sent him -to keep the viceroy company, while he feverishly threw on the garments -of a mandarin before joining his awaiting soldiers. Hastily writing an -order he took it to the viceroy for signature, then calling a waiting -messenger he directed it be taken at once to the Tartar general at the -forts. - -Ten minutes later Ta-Ling, preceded by his guards, pressed through -the frightened throngs of Chinese in the narrow street outside of the -yamen. The gun fire had now ceased and the terrified natives were -slowly slinking back to their hovels. - -Passing unhindered through the city gate, the secretary led the way -directly to the jetty. Here he was to have met his ally, Commander -Ignacio, earlier in the evening, but much to his surprise and -satisfaction, as he reached the landing, he saw a steam launch waiting. - -“Can you take me to the ‘Albaque’?” he questioned the coxswain eagerly. - -The sailor glanced up in surprise. Where was his captain? He had seen -him, as he supposed, with this Chinaman. - -“I am waiting for the captain,” he replied, a shade of suspicion in his -voice. “Wasn’t he with you?” - -It was Ta-Ling’s turn to be surprised. - -“With me!” he exclaimed. “I was to have met him hours ago.” - -The coxswain shook his head, mystified. Had he not seen his captain go -away with this man? Then he suddenly thought of the crowd of Chinese -who had boarded a launch below him and had then gone alongside of his -ship. His captain surely could not have been among those men. He gave -it up. It was too deep for his understanding, for that launch had then -gone down the river shortly before the fight between the forts and a -strange war-ship. - -“All right; get in,” he said finally. - -In several minutes Ta-Ling was greeted warmly by the officer of the -deck of the “Albaque.” The latter was glad to see the Chinaman again. -The quartermaster of the gunboat had persisted that the launch of the -Chinaman had not landed, but had gone down the river, and the young -officer had commenced to fear that he had been duped into giving up -both the captain’s correspondence and the Chinese refugee. - -“May I see your captain?” Ta-Ling asked anxiously. “It’s of the utmost -importance.” - -“My captain has not returned!” the officer exclaimed, alarm in his -voice. - -“Where is he? quick, man! Everything depends upon my finding him at -once,” Ta-Ling cried in vexation. - -“He was with you; the launch was waiting for him,” the officer -returned, catching his breath, his heart in his throat. - -“I haven’t seen him since this morning,” the Chinaman declared -impatiently. “Does no one know of his whereabouts?” - -The officer was rooted to the spot from fright. His throat was parched -with fear and his tongue unruly. - -“You were here to-night asking for the papers of the captain,” he -managed to gasp, his worst fears realized. - -“You’re dreaming, man,” Ta-Ling retorted almost angrily. “Come, -explain! What do you mean?” - -The officer related to the anxious Chinaman how some one whom he could -have taken oath was he had come on board from a launch and he had given -him the copies of his captain’s letters to the viceroy, and also a -Chinese refugee who had escaped on board from the shore. - -Ta-Ling groaned in anguish as the full significance of this news dawned -upon him. The Americans evidently had Emmons--and his chart. But had -they escaped? That was surely the cause of the firing. - -“What was the firing?” Ta-Ling asked hurriedly. - -“An American monitor and the forts,” the officer replied in a shaky -voice. - -“What have I done?” he added questioningly, much terrified over the -results of his indiscretion. - -“You’ve given your captain’s letters to his enemy, for one thing,” the -Chinaman answered in his cruel voice, “and besides you have liberated a -man----” - -A shrill cry from the steam launch, which had, while waiting for the -Chinaman, hauled out to the lower boom to lie more securely in the -tideway, cut short Ta-Ling’s words and drew the two men to the rail. - -“There’s a man tied hand and foot in this boat,” called out the -coxswain in alarm. “It’s the captain!” he exclaimed with many -imprecations upon those who had perpetrated the deed. - -“Cut him loose, quick!” the officer cried excitedly. - -Eager hands quickly cut the tight cords, and Commander Ignacio soon -stood on his quarter-deck. - -“An hour ago I would have throttled you if you’d stood here before -me,” were his first words, spoken hoarsely and with difficulty to the -Chinaman, “but I see it all now. We’ve been unmercifully duped.” - -[Illustration: “_THERE IS STILL A CHANCE_”] - -With many bitter recriminations the whole plot and its disastrous -success was discussed. Commander Ignacio could barely control his rage -against the young officer who had innocently betrayed him. - -“Come, we must act at once!” Ta-Ling finally exclaimed. “There is still -a chance.” - -The foreign captain’s face brightened as he questioned eagerly the -excited secretary. - -“The channel will be useless to the fleet if we can burn off the reed -grass,” Ta-Ling explained quickly. “The land itself is low and will -not hide the gunboats from the forts. But we must be quick. That -fire-eating American will start immediately he receives the information -of this channel.” - -“Come to my cabin,” Ignacio ordered in a low voice, glancing -suspiciously at his abashed lieutenant. - -“If I understand you,” he continued as the door closed behind them, -“you ask me to aid you in burning the vegetation on this island.” - -“Certainly!” Ta-Ling cried impatiently. “Isn’t it to your interest that -this American does not succeed?” - -“Softly,” cautioned the foreign captain; “we don’t want our talk to -be common property,” indicating by a motion of his hand the hatchway -leading to the sleeping quarters of his officers; “some one may be -awake down there.” - -Ignacio pondered for a few seconds. To go in his own launch and set -fire to this island would betray his part in the intrigue with the -viceroy. His sailors could not be depended upon to keep such a secret. - -“I see no alternative but to decline,” he continued decidedly. “You -must do this act yourself; my men could not be trusted with such a -secret.” - -“I will furnish the men,” Ta-Ling cried, beside himself with -impatience. “You must furnish me a launch with some one to run it; but -hurry, man,” he urged excitedly. “The grass must be burned off before -the fleet arrives at the island, or else we are defeated.” - -Commander Ignacio immediately awoke to action. The thought of the -lieutenant who had innocently betrayed him came happily to his mind; he -could run the engine and the sailors could remain on board ship. The -secret would be safe with this officer. No one could connect him with -the act of burning the island. - -The lieutenant was called and was eager to regain his captain’s favor. -Ten minutes later the launch from the “Albaque,” manned by the Chinese -soldiers, with Commander Ignacio himself at the helm, had quietly left -the gunboat. - -Reaching the northern point of the island, a landing was made and a -Chinaman landed, armed with instructions from the viceroy’s secretary -to set fire to the grass in as many places as possible and to return in -time to be picked up on the launch’s return. - -The launch then steamed down stream, stopping at several points to land -the soldiers. - -As yet, all was well. The launch had run the complete length of the -long island, landing the incendiary soldiers; the south end of the -island was only a few hundred yards ahead. Ta-Ling directed the foreign -captain to steer once more to the steep shore. There were no more -soldiers remaining; the ten men had all been landed and ten fires were -by now burning fiercely in as many places on the long island. Stepping -ashore, he was soon lost in the high grass towering over twenty -feet above him. Lighting a fire-brand, hastily made of dry reeds, he -carefully applied it, as he walked along, to the dying vegetation. Now -in an hour the island would be a blazing furnace. For the rest of the -night the channels would be lighted as bright as day. Even the monitors -would not dare to attempt to pass the forts until the following night, -and by that time he would have fully revenged himself on the Americans -and escaped to the interior. He smiled cruelly as his thoughts dwelt -upon his cunning ruse upon the viceroy; the mandarin, in his excited -fear, had signed the order to Hang-Ki to withdraw his soldiers from the -mission to protect the forts. Now the bloodthirsty rabble, armed and -organized by him (Ta-Ling), could with impunity hurl themselves upon -the mission. - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -RUNNING THE BATTERIES - - -The midshipmen gazed fearfully toward the island. What could it mean? -Had the grass on the island been fired, and if so, would the fire reach -dangerous proportions before the fleet had safely passed its shelter? -What was the meaning of the launch ahead of their own? - -Suddenly from a point on the far end of the island a single flame of -fire shot in the air; the breeze caught it, helping it forward on its -career of destruction. Quickly at intermediate points fires appeared -to spring to life out of the very ground. Then, as if to complete the -picture of failure in Phil’s mind, a heavy reverberation shook the dry -air and the noise of a screeching shell came to his ears. - -“It’s the end,” gasped Phil as the search-light from the fort appeared -suddenly, as if the monstrous guns had been awakened from a sound -sleep and opened this one bright, piercing eye. - -The midshipmen were spellbound with fear as they saw the beam of light -sweep slowly along the island, penetrating the thick grass. For an -instant, as the bright ray swept by, the launch ahead stood out in bold -outline. - -“Ignacio’s launch!” Sydney exclaimed, aghast. Then the enemy dissolved -into the night. The light moved over their own launch and then step by -step approached the southern end of the island where, the lads knew, -was the column of advancing gunboats. - -An exclamation of relief escaped Phil as he saw the beam of light -stop and then sweep back along the island. As yet, the gunboats were -undiscovered. - -A terrible anxiety filled the lad’s mind. By now Commander Hughes would -know the meaning of the numerous fires. Would he turn back, believing -the attempt to run the forts would be a useless sacrifice? Here was -a situation from which there could be no protection. The channel ran -close to the island; the grass was dry and burned like a prairie fire. -After the great bonfire had once gained its head no living thing could -remain in the channel. In a half hour the fire would have devoured the -protecting screen and the gunboats would be in the direct view of the -fort guns. - -After the first alarm gun the forts had become silent, but the lads -watched the search-light swing back toward the allied fleet. Then -Phil’s heart seemed to stop beating, then beat faster for joy as the -hull of the “Phœnix” appeared, standing out ghastly in the glow of the -conflagration, steaming boldly onward; the white surge under the bow -showed the effort Commander Hughes was making to take his fleet as soon -as possible through the waters of the dangerous channel. Then the lads -saw the terrible light sweep along the length of the following column; -deliberately it moved, revealing one after another of the unprotected -gunboats. - -Then the sound of the fire so close at hand was drowned by a sullen -roar as the guns of the forts hurled their great shells toward the -daring gunboats, hastening forward silently to put the flames of the -burning island between them and this irresistible menace. - -“If they can get behind the fire before it gets too hot they’ll be -safe,” Phil cried clutching Sydney’s arm in his excitement. “They can’t -see through the fire; even the search-light will be useless.” - -“How many guns have you?” O’Neil asked suddenly. The boatswain’s mate -had in silence steered after the launch ahead, urging Emmons time and -again to encourage his men to speed the gasoline engine up to its -limit. “We can’t be no use to them gunboats,” he added in explanation; -“our job is to catch the fellows that set this here island on fire.” - -Phil withdrew his attention with difficulty from the terrible one-sided -battle raging astern of them, to answer the sailor’s question. - -“There are two stacks[3] and a thousand rounds of ammunition. Can we -catch them?” he questioned eagerly. - -“If we can’t, we can stop ’em with twelve rifles,” O’Neil replied -grimly. - -“I don’t dare fire on the launch,” Phil cried. “If we can overhaul -them, that’s another matter.” - -The spectacle now revealed to those on the launch was awe inspiring. -The forts had developed into a blaze of fire, while all about the -advancing gunboats shells struck incessantly. The sides of the small -vessels had burst into flame as they fired their small guns at the -distant enemy. The high vegetation on the island near them burned with -ever-increasing rapidity, the flames mounting high in the air and -lighting the surroundings as bright as dawn. - -The “Phœnix” now had entered the channel, and with her battery silent -cut swiftly through the brightly lighted water. The air was shaken by -the noise of shell and the shock of explosions. - -The flame of fire from the burning island formed a fiery veil, through -which the eye could not penetrate, but by the increased roar of -explosions and discharges, the lads felt confident that the monitors -were now engaging the forts. - -Another and even greater danger suddenly confronted the allies. The -breeze, which had been light, now had increased and was blowing the -suffocating smoke toward the channel. In a short while as the fire -gained headway the channel would be enshrouded in thick smoke through -which it would be well-nigh impossible to see. If by a fatal chance a -gunboat mistook the channel it would remain hard and fast aground and -in the morning would be destroyed by the forts. - -The “Phœnix” was now close aboard, a wave under her forefoot showing -her burst of speed. The air every minute became hotter and more -stifling and those on the launch without protection would soon suffer -from the scorching heat of the flames. - -A line whistled over the launch, while Commander Hughes’ cool voice -directed: - -“Make it fast, and keep under our lee. We’ll protect you from the heat.” - -Quickly the tow-line was secured in the bow of the launch and those -on board the smaller vessel were almost thrown from their feet as the -launch was dragged forward by the tautening of the tow-rope. - -Thicker and thicker, and more stifling, became the smoke. The Americans -wet their handkerchiefs, putting them over their mouths to enable them -to breathe. - -Phil wondered how the following gunboats were faring. The screech -of shell was no longer heard near them, but the reverberations of -discharges still smote upon their ears. - -Then after what seemed hours of anxious waiting they emerged into the -clear night. Filling their lungs with the pure air the lads gazed about -them. The island, a mass of soaring flame, was behind them, and far -away on the port quarter they could see the stirring spectacle of the -monitors hotly engaging the forts. The city of Ku-Ling had been passed; -the lights of the three anchored gunboats were indistinctly visible in -the darkness. - -“Where’s the launch?” Sydney exclaimed, gazing searchingly about him. - -“She’s back to the ‘Albaque’ by this time,” Phil replied -disappointedly. “If we could have only caught them red handed. That -means that Ta-Ling and Ignacio have both been set free, for only they -would set fire to the island.” - -Inside of ten minutes, Captain Hughes’ voice hailed them: - -“Let go the line. We are going to anchor.” - -The line was quickly cast off and a moment later, the lads were on -the deck of the gunboat, warmly congratulating their captain upon his -well-earned success. - -“Signal the monitors to join us and be ready to land their sailors,” -the captain ordered the signal officer, then turning to Langdon, “We -must take the chance from this side. Perhaps we shall find the bridge -intact.” - -The allied gunboats one after another dropped their anchors near the -“Phœnix.” As they passed the American vessel the crews manned the rails -with lusty cheers, which the “Phœnix’s” crew returned with a will. - -“Here they come,” Sydney exclaimed in admiration as the two victorious -and unharmed monitors steamed swiftly toward their flagship and -anchored one on each quarter. - -“This is to be only an American expedition,” Commander Hughes declared -to the eager midshipmen. “Four hundred men all told from the three -ships.” - -Quietly and without confusion the American war-ships lowered their -boats and embarked their sailors. And inside of twenty minutes after -anchoring the strong force had started for the shore to push forward to -the relief of the mission. - -Phil and Sydney remained with Commander Hughes, who had elected to lead -the force in person. - -As the boats grounded upon the sandy shore the sailors noiselessly -fell in ranks under their officers. The American captain, with Langdon -as guide, took the lead, followed closely by the two midshipmen with -O’Neil and a dozen men. The main force came along a hundred yards -behind them. - -As yet all was silent. The forts had ceased their fire, and no sound -came from the direction of the mission. - -The force moved at a lively pace over the rough ground. The sailors -had been cautioned to move noiselessly, and all loose metal had -been carefully muffled; everything depended upon the possibility of -surprise, or else upon gaining admittance to the compound of the -mission before the enemy had gathered to the attack. - -Phil marched by Langdon’s side; his blood warmed for adventure, and he -hoped that this time he would be able to see and enjoy the fighting. -During the few minutes in the attack on Lien-Chow, he had been so much -occupied in forcing Commander Ignacio to charge the enemy that he had -failed to take note of all save the sound of the bullets as they had -whistled past him. He rejoiced in the coolness and tact shown on all -occasions by his friend Langdon; his duty was not to fight, yet he was -ever eager to risk his life wherever Commander Hughes suggested. - -The Americans moved steadily onward, Langdon time and again leaving -the narrow road to circle a small hamlet with its shading willow trees -in an endeavor to avoid the discovering bark of the always-present -Chinese dog. Fortunately the countryside was deserted; there were no -travelers on the road to flee and give warning of the approaching band -of hostiles. - -As the distance to the mission diminished, the sailors grasped their -rifles more firmly, ever expecting to hear the discharges and see the -flashes of the guns of an ambushing enemy. - -While the expedition was ascending a small hill covered with the graves -of centuries of China’s dead, Langdon turned quietly to his captain -and pointed to an indistinct mass coming in sight beyond the ridge -ahead of them. - -“The mission,” he whispered; then he stopped in his tracks, while those -behind pressed forward eagerly to know the cause. The metallic bark of -a Colt gun rang out distantly on the quiet evening air, accompanied by -the duller rattle of musketry. The mission was already being attacked. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -TO THE RESCUE OF THE MISSION - - -The ominous sound of strife sent shivers up and down Phil’s spine; the -mission was surrounded by a force far in excess of the handful guarding -the helpless ones inside its wall; but the droning sound of the Colt -gun was reassuring; it showed that Lieutenant Wilson had been on the -alert, and he knew that officer well enough to believe that he would -sacrifice himself and every man with him before the women and children -were allowed to fall into the hands of the cruel Chinese mob. - -These thoughts flashed through Phil’s mind while the sailors quickened -their pace in obedience to Commander Hughes’ orders. - -Reaching the crest of the hill, Phil gazed with his companions through -the darkness down upon the valley between the mission hill and the one -on which they were standing. - -“Don’t deploy yet,” Langdon cautioned in a whisper to the American -commander, who, he observed, was on the point of forming for the -attack; “we must cross the bridge over that irrigation ditch in the -middle of the valley; you can see the shadow of willows along it from -here. Once across that, all will be clear ground between us and the -mission.” - -They pressed forward until the pilot raised his hand warningly and -Commander Hughes signaled a halt. Langdon, motioning Phil to accompany -him, left the column and advanced cautiously along the road toward the -bridge, concealed from their view by a group of willow trees. Reaching -the bridge, the pilot examined carefully the bamboo structure, then he -gingerly placed his heavy foot on the wooden planking, testing it with -his great weight of over two hundred pounds. Motioning Phil to remain -where he was, he then walked cautiously across the bridge to test the -fastenings on the other side of the deep ditch. The midshipmen saw his -huge bulk dissolve in the darkness, but in a few moments he returned -and his discovery was calculated to bring despair to the stoutest -heart. They quickly joined the main body, waiting impatiently to push -forward to the rescue of their comrades. - -“Many of the lashings are cut on the far side, sir,” Langdon exclaimed -in a low, excited voice; “one or two men at a time can probably cross -in safety, but no more. There is no other bridge for five miles, and -that may be in a similar condition.” - -Here indeed was an effective stop to the eager sailors in sight of the -battle between their comrades and the bloodthirsty enemy. The volume of -musketry fire directed upon the mission had increased alarmingly, and -at frequent intervals came the roar of artillery. - -“Breaching the wall or shelling the gate,” Phil whispered in an awed -voice as his eyes caught the flash of a heavy explosion at the base -of the wall. His gaze, accustomed to the darkness, traveled over the -ground across the ditch; it was strewn with high mounds, graves of -forgotten Chinamen, and the lad saw that the natural protection offered -excellent cover for the sailors when once across the shaky bridge -structure; but, and a great fear rose in his mind, it would also aid -the enemy in its endeavor to prevent the rescuers from crossing the -nearly destroyed structure. Were those mounds even now concealing a -large force of Chinese soldiers, who, when the unwary foreigners had -rushed upon the tottering bridge, and many had fallen to the bottom -of the deep culvert fifty feet below, would open fire upon their -demoralized comrades, cut off from further attempts to succor those -inside the mission compound? - -The sailors advanced in silence to the edge of the ditch, and then -Commander Hughes, grasping Langdon’s arm, stepped boldly upon the -treacherous planking, whispering to the midshipman hurriedly: - -“Stay on this side and send the men over two at a time.” - -As soon as the midshipman saw that his captain and the pilot were -safely on the other side, he and Sydney silently selected two sailors -to follow; then in turn two more to cross the intervening space. Slowly -those on the wrong side of the bridge decreased; Phil could see that -Commander Hughes had deployed his men to protect the bridge in case of -a sudden attack, while he and Langdon at the far side of the bridge -were receiving and instructing the men after they had crossed the -swaying structure. Then without warning, a flash of flame shot out into -the night from the direction of the Chinese graves, and the screech of -hostile bullets sounded loudly about the foreigners. Phil, from his -position, saw the figures beyond the bridge seek refuge behind a high -mound, and then the reverberation of the sailors’ rifles told him that -Commander Hughes was returning the fire in the hopes of protecting from -the hot fire of the enemy those still to cross the ditch. - -The bridge was already swept by a hail of lead; a groan from a man at -his side told him that unless they crossed quickly, there would be but -few remaining at all to cross the tottering bamboo. He sent five men at -a time, watching fearfully until he saw them disappear in the gloom; -then six followed; the bridge stood the weight, but swayed and seemed -on the point of falling. There were now but four remaining, Sydney and -two men, one of whom lay sorely wounded on the ground at his feet. - -“Go, Syd!” the lad exclaimed to his brother midshipman. The lad shook -his head, forcing the remaining sailor before him; then by mutual -consent he and Phil lifted tenderly the wounded man. - -Carefully they picked their way across the bullet-swept, swaying -structure. With their burden, they reached the middle in safety; Phil -shuddered as his eyes took one fleeting glance at the fall below him. -Amid the noise of strife, the tearing of the thongs, holding the bridge -on the far side, gave the two officers no warning, and not until the -floor tilted to an unnerving angle did they see that they must hasten -if they would not be precipitated to the bottom of the ditch. The -wounded man was a dead weight on their hands; Phil, when he had felt -the bridge sinking under him, ran his hand nervously over the face of -the wounded sailor; the drooping jaw told him that he had passed beyond -mortal aid. - -“He’s dead; save yourself!” he cried loudly to his companion as he let -fall his burden and sprang forward. - -By almost superhuman effort, side by side, the whistle of the enemy’s -bullets in their ears, they threw themselves at the rising earth as -their platform with increasing speed sank beneath them. - -Clutching at the crumbling earth, digging their fingers deep into the -rank grass, while the bridge behind them fell with a great crash into -the stagnant and noisome water fifty feet below, the two lads drew -themselves up, breathless but safe. - -Phil quickly found Commander Hughes, who had sought cover behind a -mound and was waiting until his men became steadied before giving the -order to advance. - -Langdon threw his great arms about the lads as they reached the -protecting earth mound, while the captain’s voice struck encouragingly -upon their ears. - -“Splendid!” he exclaimed. - -“He was dead, sir,” Phil said sorrowfully. “We couldn’t have saved his -body and ourselves too.” - -Silence lasted for several minutes, each reverencing the visit of death. - -“We must win now!” Commander Hughes exclaimed grimly. “And we must -repair that bridge before we can return. But come; we must leave our -cover and drive these Chinamen from our path.” - -Suiting his action to his words, he blew a shrill blast from his -whistle, the signal on the skirmish line for “attention.” - -“Forward,” he commanded in a voice that sounded loudly above the din of -musketry. - -The sailors sprang forward with enthusiasm; the long wait under the -fire of an unseen enemy had bottled up their energy. Each sailor’s -foremost desire was to come to close quarters with the treacherous -Chinamen. The long, slender line moved upward toward the mission crest; -the men taking cover as they found it, and shooting when their keen -eyes discerned a shadowy form skulking away before their advance into -the darker shadows. - -The sharp rattle of the Colt guns told the advancing men that the -mission was stubbornly resisting. - -Phil moved incessantly along the advancing skirmish line, carrying -orders from his captain to the flank companies; the alarming song of -the bullets ever in his ears. - -“Press forward, keeping the guide on the center!” had been Commander -Hughes’ simple instructions, and faithfully were they being carried out -by the determined men. The mission loomed through the darkness scarce -five hundred yards distant; the tongues of flame from its wall answered -by cries of rage and defiance from the enemy’s position inspired the -rescuing sailors to renewed exertions to reach the protecting compound. -The Chinese who had opened fire upon the Americans during the passage -across the ill-fated bridge had stolen away toward the shadowy flanks; -between the advancing sailors and their objective there were now no -answering shots. Then suddenly the battery which had been hurling shell -at the stone wall of the mission turned its fierce attention upon the -unprotected rescuers. - -“Seek cover!” Commander Hughes ordered; and the men huddled together -in groups, thankful for the homes of the dead, which furnished such -perfect protection from the well-directed fire of grape and canister -from the Chinese artillery, now giving its undivided attention to the -approaching reënforcements. - -Commander Hughes saw that a new danger confronted the success of his -undertaking; those in the mission as yet could not know of the close -proximity of their friends, and might they not in their vigorous -defense turn the muzzles of their Colt guns against them? The thought -was fearful to contemplate. - -“Mr. Perry,” he ordered in a strained voice, “those guns,” pointing -to the hill on the right from which long tongues of flame darted -momentarily, “must be silenced. We dare not advance further under their -murderous fire. Take a hundred men and flank them.” - -Phil gasped at the suddenness of the order, thanking his captain in his -heart for his confidence in his ability to do what seemed to the lad -impossible. - -“Langdon will show you the way,” Commander Hughes ordered quickly; -“don’t expose your men to our own fire. I shall endeavor to get word to -the mission. Mr. Monroe will remain with me.” - -As silently as possible Phil selected those to go with him, among them -being his old friend O’Neil, leading them on a run back toward the -ditch which had been crossed scarcely a quarter of an hour before; -then he gathered the men about him to explain the dangerous work for -which they had been chosen. - -“We shall get on the flank of the artillery, and when the order is -given to advance we must gain a position from which we can charge -directly upon the battery. The lives of all depend upon our success.” - -The men in silence accepted the conditions, and in another minute -Langdon was leading the small band along the deep ditch in the shadow -of the bordering trees. After traversing a few hundred yards the pilot -paused at a road crossing the one they were on. - -“This is the road we took the other night,” Langdon whispered; “we -shall follow it for a short distance and then we shall be on the flank -and a little in rear of the Chinese position.” - -The command moved cautiously forward until the pilot stopped and -the midshipman knew that the position desired had been reached. -Deploying his men quietly, he bade them advance silently toward the -pandemonium of the Chinese attackers ahead of them. While he moved -forward up the gentle rise of the land he could see distinctly the -bright flashes from the enemy’s guns, but his own men were as yet -undiscovered and protected by the intervening crest of the low hill up -which they were doggedly marching. He glanced fearfully to his left -to see how Commander Hughes and his men were faring; that part of the -battle-ground was in darkness; the Chinese seemed now too much absorbed -in their desire to destroy the mission to give thought to the handful -of sailors known to have crossed the bridge before it collapsed into -the ditch below. - -Steadily the flanking party advanced toward the coveted position over -the uneven ground, the men casting apprehensive glances to left and -right, their rifles held ready for instant conflict. - -While Phil’s attention was absorbed by the stirring sight ahead of him, -against which he would in but a few minutes launch his hundred men in -what seemed a forlorn hope, to take and silence the formidable battery -now exerting itself to the utmost to breach the wall of the compound, -a terrifying danger loomed before him. The sailors in the compound -were delivering a murderous fire from their Colt guns, directed at the -troublesome artillery, but many of the bullets were falling alarmingly -close to the flanking force. The midshipman realized that he must go no -farther; with the battery scarce three hundred yards in his front and -his men as yet undiscovered he must call a halt and remain without that -awful zone of fire until their friends on the mission wall had been -apprised of his intentions by Commander Hughes. - -The word was passed quietly by word of mouth along the line, and the -sailors, keyed to the highest pitch of excitement, threw themselves -face downward on the ground, while less than a hundred yards ahead of -them a storm of bullets swept every inch of the soil. - -“It looks black,” Langdon breathed in the grass close to Phil’s ear as -they both were racked by ominous foreboding while watching the sweep -of the devastating stream of bullets; “they haven’t got word to the -mission yet that we are here; if those guns are pointed ten degrees -further this way, it will be all up with us. See,” he added pointing -in the direction of the active artillery, “those guns are behind -intrenchments, for otherwise the Chinese could not have stood such a -murderous fire for a minute. It’s withering,” he gasped with a shudder, -while the singing of bullets redoubled, seeming to be slowly drawing -their deadly zone nearer to encompass the crouching sailors. - -Phil cast his anxious eyes often on the dark slope of the mission hill -where he had left the main force under Commander Hughes, but the night -was too dark for him to discover what was going forward. There was -nothing for him to do save wait with what patience he could muster. To -rush ahead could mean but annihilation at the hands of his own guns. He -must not open fire upon the battery, so close that the smell of burning -powder was rank in his nostrils; to do so might draw the fire of the -Colt guns, for how could the mission know that help was so near at hand? - -After what seemed an eternity to the anxious men, the fire of the Colt -guns suddenly ceased, while from the Chinese position, believing no -doubt that their enemy was weakening, a great volume of musketry fire -added its roar to that of the big guns. Phil felt the moment had come; -the cessation of the rhythmical discharges of the Colt guns must be the -result of communication between Commander Hughes and those defending -the compound. He glanced anxiously through the night toward the hidden -enemy, while he was at that moment framing the words which would send -his hundred men in a mad dash against an intrenched foe, counting their -numbers by the thousands. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -THE LAST CHARGE - - -With the order to charge trembling on his lips, Phil hesitated. What -did the silence of the mission tell him? Had Commander Hughes succeeded -in gaining an entrance, and had the mission ceased its fire by his -order to allow the midshipman’s party to flank the battery so intent -upon breaching the wall through which the savage horde would surge into -the enclosure, butchering every Christian found there? - -He turned to O’Neil, lying quietly beside him in the high grass. -Through many adventures the lad had become thoroughly convinced of the -sailor’s good and calm judgment. He turned to him now, a grave fear -in his mind that precious moments were slipping away, yet if he made -a mistake and that withering fire should again be loosened, all would -indeed be lost. - -“Are they waiting to allow us to advance?” he whispered, half rising to -his feet. - -“Wait,” O’Neil cautioned; “if they know we’re here they’ll signal. -See!” he added, his eyes fixed upon the mission. - -Even as he spoke, a bright light flamed suddenly above the wall, its -appearance awakening the enemy to renewed action. - -Each of the hundred sailors turned his eyes expectantly toward the -mission. The light burned brightly and then flickered regularly and -evenly for a few seconds, again burning steadily. - -“You’re right; signal!” Phil exclaimed, straining his eyes to read the -message which he knew would be spelled out by that flashing light. - -Slowly, painfully the bright point of light appeared and disappeared; -all who knew the navy code were reading, with muscles tense and breath -held tight, the encouraging words flashing to them from across the -intervening darkness: - -“We are holding our fire.” - -There was small need to give the order to charge; every sailor in that -impatient line in but a moment knew that those in the mission were -waiting and trusting to them for deliverance from the murderous fire of -the Chinese artillery. - -The lad rose to his feet, grasping his revolver firmly, and as one -man the sailors swept forward. Three hundred yards ahead four pieces -of modern artillery were battering away at the concrete wall of the -mission, while dusky figures, believing their foe had been silenced, -swarmed boldly over the grassy slopes behind and on either side of the -guns. So noiselessly did Phil’s men advance that the enemy were even -now ignorant of the presence of a foe so near at hand. - -“When we charge,” Langdon whispered breathlessly, “order the men to -yell; the Chinese are as much afraid of noise as they are of bullets.” - -Phil had always trained his men in their drills to charge cheering. Now -the time had arrived; in the next hundred yards the men would surely be -exposed to the view and fire of their enemy; concealment then would not -be an advantage; the Chinese should see and hear the danger in order -to have it strike terror to their hearts. - -Raising his whistle to his lips, Phil blew a shrill blast. - -“Open fire!” he shouted at the top of his lungs, “and charge, men, -cheering!” he added, raising his voice in an excited shout as he sprang -forward, leading the way toward the now startled enemy. - -The sailor line, an advancing sheet of flame, charged straight for -the crest of the hill in front. The Chinese, occupied in their -attack on the mission, had never dreamed that the small body of men -believed to have crossed the bridge would dare attack a position as -impregnable as theirs. Then out of the night, without warning, what -seemed to their superstitious minds a thousand yelling demons came as -lightning towards them. If these were the foreigners that had crossed -the bridge a miracle had been wrought and their number increased a -hundredfold; their simple minds were ready to believe that the despised -foreign devils had taken wings and flown across the unbridged ditch. -An unreasonable terror seized the surprised Orientals; some threw -down their guns and deserted precipitously, while others showed their -military training in turning gallantly and firing fiercely at the -rapidly approaching attackers; some even made a vain effort to turn the -artillery in the direction of the unlooked-for attack, but the charging -Americans were amongst them before a single gun could be moved. - -His revolver tightly gripped, Phil fired blindly at the shadowy forms -now but a few yards from him; the bright flashes of his shots revealing -the terror in his victims’ faces as they gave way before him, and -then screaming with pain and an unconquerable fear, melted into the -night. Deafeningly in his ears rang the discharges of both the pilot’s -and O’Neil’s revolvers, unerringly mowing down those who dared stand -in their path, while on either side he saw his men fire volley after -volley into the mass of totally demoralized Asiatics. Without leaders -to stay them, their wild terror had put wings to their feet, and in but -a few minutes the Americans found themselves in undisputed possession -of the fortified position held so recently by their enemy. - -Phil could hardly believe his eyes; he glanced joyfully about him at -the four guns and his exultant men crowding into the enemy’s deserted -trenches. O’Neil’s cool voice soon brought him to a realization of his -duty; his thoughts had been full of his easily-won victory against such -a formidable foe. - -“We must hold this hill,” the sailor exclaimed; “if the Chinese find -out how few men we have they’ll try to retake it.” - -“You’re right, O’Neil,” he answered quickly; “but I must send word to -Commander Hughes. I’ll stay here while you, Langdon, take a dozen men -and give the captain the news; he may have some new move in mind.” - -Langdon readily agreed, and after a hand-clasp with the midshipman, the -pilot led his handful of men back toward the main American force. - -After his friend had gone, Phil, with his boatswain’s mate, looked -carefully over the situation. He saw with joy that the enemy had left a -great store of ammunition for the artillery pieces, and that the guns -were similar to those his men used for drill on board ship. He started -his men to work with a will and in a few minutes they had turned the -guns’ muzzles away from the mission and directed them toward the line -of the enemy’s flight. - -“This is the very thing, sir,” O’Neil cried, showing the midshipman -a shell which he recognized at once as canister; “they can’t do much -against us if we can find plenty of that kind.” - -Phil immediately ordered a search, with the result that nearly half of -all the ammunition boxes were found to contain these deadly cartridges. - -Scarcely had the survey been completed when the Americans found -themselves suddenly subjected to a heavy musketry fire from the -direction taken by the fleeing enemy; the lad could see distinctly -shadowy forms darting here and there from behind the mound-like graves, -and each moment the figures drew closer and seemed bolder; Phil -realized that their enemy had been rallied in its precipitous retreat -by a trusted leader and now the reassured Chinese were advancing -intent upon recapturing the guns which they had abandoned in their -demoralized stampede. A few of his men had already opened fire upon -the misty forms, but the lad saw at once that the battery could not be -saved by the weak fire of less than a hundred rifles. - -“Cease firing!” he shouted above the increasing din of battle. “To the -guns, men; load with canister!” - -Obediently the sailors dropped their rifles and took their stations -at the four guns, the leading men, petty officers, instructing those -under them as coolly as if they were but drilling recruits on board -ship. Phil heard the metallic rasping of the shells as they were loaded -into the breeches of the guns and the silvery ring of the breech plugs -thrown quickly shut. The guns’ crews stood silently ready, waiting for -the word from their young leader. - -Controlling his excitement, the lad delayed the expectant word to open -fire; the Chinese, in their eagerness to discredit the bravery of their -enemy, mistook the silence to mean that the foreigners had retreated -and came boldly on, shouting their fanatical war-songs and exposing -their numbers to the view of the Americans waiting to open upon them -with their own artillery. The sailors trained their artillery pieces in -silence, keeping the muzzles pointed in the direction of the reckless -horde of delirious Chinamen. - -Then swiftly at a word from the midshipman the four guns in unison -roared out a challenge, leaving death and destruction in the path of -the hundreds of bullets fired at once from the bores of the guns. Again -the reverberation shook the hilltop and again the leaden hail poured -into the now disordered ranks of the advancing fanatics. As rapidly as -if the guns’ crews were at target practice, the four guns spoke, each -time cutting deep gaps in the enemy’s line. After a feeble attempt to -rally the disordered legions, the Chinese leaders turned and fled, -followed by the already stampeded soldiers. - -Having assured himself that this time the enemy would not be likely to -return, Phil gave the order to cease firing and then turned his eyes -expectantly toward the mission, realizing that its inmates had seen the -attack and were doubtless anxious of the final outcome. However, in -but a few minutes the signal-light appeared and flashed out a message -which showed the boy that his captain had understood that he had -gallantly repulsed the sudden attack: - -“Am coming to join you.” - -Ten minutes later Commander Hughes, with a hundred more men at his -back, stood beside Phil in the enemy’s trenches; his captain was -unstinting in his praises, while Sydney, who had accompanied him, -hugged his chum delightedly; Langdon stood by an amused and pleased -spectator. - -“You’ve taught the enemy a lesson which they will not soon forget,” the -American captain exclaimed, “and they will not be likely to wish to -try conclusions with us again to-night, but at the same time we cannot -afford to treat the Chinese with too much scorn.” - -Phil quickly explained the find of canister, and the captain, much to -O’Neil’s embarrassment, called him up before the assembled sailors and -complimented him upon his ready resource. - -“It’s men like you, O’Neil,” he said warmly, “that make an expedition -of this kind possible.” - -O’Neil even in the darkness grinned sheepishly, as if he had been -discovered doing something for which he ought to have been ashamed. - -Great was the rejoicing in the mission at the unlooked-for deliverance, -and upon Commander Hughes’ order the relieved non-combatants quietly -packed up their most treasured belongings, ready to be conveyed through -the enemy’s country to the protection of the war-ships. - -It being found impossible to save the captured guns, Phil, with -O’Neil’s aid, deftly dismantled the breech mechanisms and, securing -a heavy axe from the mission, rendered quite useless the delicately -fitting parts, giving the sailors the damaged pieces to carry to the -ditch where they would be thrown into the stagnant water at the bottom. - -The missionaries, with tears in their eyes, bid farewell to their home, -expecting that after the sailors had gone, the Chinese would return -and send up in smoke that spacious monument to their earnest labors in -China. The party was obliged to make a wide detour to reach a bridge -some miles from the one crossed earlier in the night. - -Dawn was breaking when the commander led his victorious men with the -rescued missionaries safely to the bank of the river, where small -boats were waiting to transport them to the protection of the American -war-ships. As the last of the refugees disembarked at the gangway of -the “Phœnix,” the sun peeped out from behind the distant hills. - -Phil and Sydney longed for a few hours’ sleep, but they well knew that -if they succumbed to this desire they might miss altogether what they -felt would be the closing scenes in the drama. - -By signal, Commander Hughes at once ordered that all non-combatants be -sent on board the gunboats, and that the monitors hold themselves in -readiness to get under way within the hour. - -Phil’s hopes ran high as he and Sydney made themselves presentable -after their strenuous night’s experience. - -After a hasty breakfast the lads appeared on deck. There they found -their captain before them, gazing closely through his binoculars at -the distant forts. - -At the gangway three cutters were lying, and the landing force of the -“Phœnix,” rifles in hand, were standing in ranks ready to embark. - -“March the men into the boats, Wilson,” Commander Hughes ordered -suddenly, putting his binoculars in their leather case. Then as he -turned to go below to his cabin, “Mr. Perry, you and Mr. Monroe report -to Mr. Wilson.” - -“Where are we going?” Phil asked excitedly as he saluted the lieutenant. - -“To the ‘Monterey,’” Lieutenant Wilson answered, “but that’s as far as -I know. The captain must expect hot work; each of my men is ordered to -take two hundred rounds of ammunition.” - -“We’re going to storm the walled city,” Sydney exclaimed. “There’s no -sign of submission on either the forts or the viceroy’s yamen. The -captain means to rescue the four sailors and carry out his threats upon -Ku-Ling.” - -Phil’s pulses beat faster at the thought. Now war had been declared, -and his captain believed in striking promptly before his enemy had time -to gather his forces! - -Quickly the sailors were embarked in the waiting boats, and as -Commander Hughes, accompanied by Langdon, took his place in the stern -of the leading cutter, the oars were thrust out through the rowlocks -and the boats pulled with swift strokes alongside the monitor, anchored -only a few hundred yards down the river from the “Phœnix.” - -“Get under way, Barnes,” Commander Hughes ordered as he stepped on -board the “Monterey,” “and signal the ‘Monadnock’ to follow us. Bend on -the signal to her to ‘clear ship for action’; the gunboats will remain -here out of range of the fort guns.” - -The stirring call of the bugles sounded with its nerve-tingling ring -throughout the ship, repeated in a few minutes by the “Monadnock,” and -with a cheer of delight the crews disappeared below decks to their -stations for battle. - -Inside of fifteen minutes all was in readiness, and the heavy anchors -were lifted from the bottom of the river. - -With all the men not at gun stations behind the thick armor of the -small river battle-ships, the “Monterey” gracefully turned around close -to the fleet of anchored gunboats. Phil’s nerves were atingle as he -heard the admiring cheers of the allies float to them across the water. -Then the “Monterey,” her huge turret guns loaded and ready to open the -battle, and followed closely by her consort, steamed swiftly toward the -hostile forts. - -“Break the battle flags,” Commander Hughes ordered in his calm voice, -standing on the bridge beside the captain of the “Monterey,” while -Phil, Sydney and Langdon, in the lee of the conning-tower, gazed, -consumed with excitement, upon the forts, toward which the two big -twelve-inch guns were pointing. Phil saw on the flagstaff at the top -of the emplacement the proud yellow banner of China, with its monster -dragon endeavoring to swallow a red ball, just beyond the reach of its -fiery nostrils. - -“O’Neil is in the turret,” Sydney exclaimed to Phil at his side. “He -will fire one of the guns. I wonder if he can still shoot the way he -did at our record target practice when you had the after turret.” - -“He’s as steady as a rock,” Phil replied enthusiastically. “I’ll wager -that every one of his shots will go true. He was the best gun-pointer -on the ‘Connecticut.’” - -“What’s the range?” Commander Hughes inquired, a shade of excitement -creeping into his voice. - -“Three thousand yards, sir,” the officer at the range-finder called out -hoarsely. - -“Fire one shot at the nearest gun emplacement,” the American commander -ordered the “Monterey’s” captain, “and signal the ‘Monadnock’ to sheer -up abreast us and when the fort replies swing around and open with her -broadside.” - -Phil saw the alert signalmen swiftly signal with their small hand -flags the message to their consort, and then immediately afterward -the “Monadnock,” which had been steaming in the “Monterey’s” wake, -swung her bow in toward the city of Ku-Ling, which the two vessels -were rapidly passing. The high wall was thronged with Chinamen; their -curiosity having overcome their fear of the terrible foreign war-ships. - -The next second a heavy roar filled the air and the forts disappeared -completely from view in the brownish vapor from the turret gun. - -Grasping the rail tightly in his excitement, his heart beating like -a trip-hammer, Phil gazed through the quickly dissolving smoke. The -sonorous screech of the shell in his ears, he strained his eyes to pick -up the huge projectile, travelling nearly a half a mile a second toward -the hostile fort. - -Grasping the binoculars from Langdon’s hand, he raised them swiftly -to his eyes. A black dot appeared, upon which the lad focused his -attention, as if to lose it might mean a miss. He saw the bird-like -bolt rise high above the white stone emplacements, and knew on the -instant, from his long experience watching just such shells at the -peaceful drill of target practice, that the messenger of destruction, -filled with an explosive that would scatter death and consternation in -its path, would go true to its aim. - -“Right on top of the emplacement!” he shouted excitedly a half second -before a liquid fire flashed on the parapet of the forts, while tons of -earth and rock were scattered in every direction. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII - -THE FORTS SURRENDER - - -While Phil had been gazing spellbound at the half ton shell, fired by -O’Neil with such startling effect, Sydney was watching excitedly a -small squad of Chinese soldiers toiling painfully upward from the gun -emplacements. - -When the roar of discharge shook the air he had seen these small black -figures throw themselves behind the jutting rocks, and after the -missile had exploded upon the parapets of the forts, hurling by its -tremendous force a large gun backward from its substantial mountings, -these persistent dots of men again appeared to view, creeping steadily -upward. What did it mean? Were these men deserting their guns? - -Sydney heard his captain give the order to reload, and knew that within -the minute another shell would be speeding toward the enemy. The -foremost Chinaman had now reached the foot of the great flagstaff, and -the next second, to the lad’s delight, he saw the yellow banner flutter -slowly to the ground. - -“They are striking their colors,” he cried excitedly. - -All eyes turned in glad surprise toward the flagstaff to the right of -and above the gun emplacements. - -“A white flag!” Phil gasped, a tinge of disappointment in his voice, as -he saw the banner of submission mount the flagpole quickly. Now all was -over, and he had seen but one shot fired. - -“Cease firing!” Commander Hughes hastily ordered, fearing that the -next shot might, with the white flag displayed on the forts, cause the -Chinese to think that the monitor had intentionally disregarded the -sanctity of the emblem, thus precipitating an engagement with the forts -which the American officer was only too glad to avoid. - -The bugles sounded the retreat from firing, and disappointed faces soon -appeared from the turrets, to gaze out upon the unwelcome white flag -flaunting in the light morning breeze. - -“Follow us,” had been the signal to the “Monadnock,” and the two -victorious vessels, in column, made a graceful turn and then steamed up -stream toward the renegade gunboats anchored off Ku-Ling. - -“What does it mean?” Phil breathed excitedly to Langdon. - -“Something has happened,” Langdon exclaimed, shaking his head in -mystery. - -“The viceroy’s now going to send a flag of truce to us,” Sydney -suggested; “and I hope Ta-Ling comes with it. I’d certainly like to see -Phil hand him back the pigtail he borrowed.” - -Despite the seriousness of the situation all laughed at the thought of -the discomfited Chinaman without his cue. - -The ships were now passing close to the “Albaque”; the sailors of that -gunboat watched the American monitors in sullen silence. The midshipmen -looked in vain for Commander Ignacio; he was not on deck. - -“She’s ready to get under way,” Phil exclaimed, pointing to that -vessel. “See! her anchor gear is rove off and her steam launch has -been hoisted inboard.” Sure signs indeed that the gunboat was ready to -move. - -The “Monterey” slowly steamed by the renegades until the gate of the -city came in view from the river; then a rattle of chain announced that -the war-ship had anchored. - -The “Monadnock” had by order stopped astern and upon signal dropped her -anchor, so that in case of treachery that monitor’s big guns could be -readily trained on the forts. - -“Now, Barnes,” Commander Hughes said with energy, “call away the -landing force and set them ashore.” Then he drew Lieutenant Wilson -aside, talking earnestly with him for some minutes. - -Inside of another ten minutes the midshipmen found themselves on the -jetty of the foreign concession, while in ranks along the water front, -their rifles at the shoulder, stood three hundred stalwart sailors from -the three American ships. - -Phil glanced uneasily toward the high city wall. The gate he could not -see, but he knew it was closed and the drawbridge raised. Probably the -Chinamen he had seen on the wall when the monitors steamed down the -river were now peering out through the hundreds of loopholes, their -rifles ready to defend their city from the foreign invader, for the lad -knew that Lieutenant Wilson’s orders had been to rescue the sailors in -the yamen. - -“How shall we cross the moat?” he faltered to Langdon at his side. - -The question remained unanswered, for the next moment a heavy discharge -rent the still air, followed by an explosion near the city wall. Again -came the shock of firing and Phil saw that the “Monterey’s” big guns -had been fired at the main gateway of the city. - -Shell after shell sped quickly toward the gateway, scarcely five -hundred yards from the monitor’s guns. - -The lads gazed about them in bewilderment. How could this aid them? -Then the firing ceased and a flag waved rapidly from the war-ship. - -“Fours right,” Lieutenant Wilson cried excitedly, hastily leading the -column to the cross street up which the monitor had fired. Arriving -there, Phil gasped with admiration at the havoc wrought by the big -shells. The drawbridge was down across the moat and the great gate of -wood and iron had been literally torn from its huge hinges and thrown -bodily fifty feet within the city. - -In silence the sailors were led across the drawbridge, Phil noticing -the severed chains which had allowed the bridge to fall in place, and -then they were inside the city. - -No signs of life were visible, and the open doors and windows of the -houses showed plainly that the Chinese had departed suddenly, fearing -the shells of the foreigners. - -“To the yamen, Langdon,” Lieutenant Wilson cried eagerly. Then as the -pilot pointed out the direction: “Fix bayonets!” The rasping of the -three hundred bayonets as they were adjusted on the rifles lasted for -half a minute and then Lieutenant Wilson added sharply, “Forward, -double time.” - -At a run the rescuing column swept along the narrow street. - -Phil and Sydney eagerly raced ahead, followed closely by the lieutenant -and Langdon. After but a few minutes the midshipmen reached the gateway -of the yamen. - -An exclamation of grave concern from Sydney caused his companions to -cast anxious glances toward the expansive parade grounds in front of -the yamen gate. The sight that met their eyes was indeed disconcerting. -They had expected no more than feeble resistance, but there before -them, drawn up as if on parade, was a vast army of Chinese soldiers. - -“What’s the meaning of this?” Lieutenant Wilson asked falteringly, -coming to a sudden stop, while his men gazed in wonder at the thousands -of well-armed soldiers, apparently in battle array, awaiting the word -to begin the fight. - -“It means that viceroy Chang-Li-Hun has overshot his bolt,” Langdon -returned joyfully; “these men are of another province. Do you see their -yellow plumes? The viceroy’s soldiers wear red. - -“Sent by Peking,” he added. “It means the viceroy is to be brought to -account by his government.” - -While Langdon was speaking, a horseman rode rapidly toward the -Americans. Langdon walked out quickly to meet him when he drew rein -at the edge of the roadway, and immediately addressed him in his own -language. - -Then, after a few moments’ rapid talk, he turned to the lieutenant, a -broad smile on his face. - -“Just as I supposed. They are here to suppress outlaws. His general -has gone to the forts to confer with Hang-Ki. He says the viceroy has -refused to receive him.” - -“Tell him,” Lieutenant Wilson said hurriedly, “that four of our sailors -are held prisoners in the yamen, and that I am going to enter by force -if they refuse to open the gate.” - -“He says his men will not interfere,” the pilot returned, after a few -hurried words with the Chinese officer. “In fact, I believe they’d -gladly help us. This viceroy is not popular with the Manchus.” - -Without more ado Lieutenant Wilson knocked loudly on the gate with the -butt of his revolver. There followed a whispered consultation from -beyond the gate and then a small slit slid back suddenly, revealing a -pair of almond eyes, peering out suspiciously. - -Before Langdon could speak, the Chinese officer had dismounted from his -Tartar pony, and held the owner of the eyes in earnest conversation. -A moment later the slit was closed sharply, and the officer recoiled -angrily, muttering invectives at the rudeness of his rebuff. - -“He says, break in the gate,” the pilot laughed in amusement. - -Anticipating this move, Sydney had led a party of men to where a -telegraph pole was lying on the ground, ready to replace a pole -apparently condemned. - -“It couldn’t have been handier,” he exclaimed, as the men lifting it -moved it in position to batter in the gateway. - -A few forceful blows, and the American sailors poured through the -shattered gates. - -Another gateway barred further progress, and this was soon sent flying -to pieces and the foreigners found themselves within the main courtyard -of the viceroy’s palace. Never before had foreign sailors entered these -sacred precincts with hostile intent. - -“Mr. Perry, you and Mr. Monroe press ahead,” Lieutenant Wilson ordered. -“You know something of the yamen,” he added, a faint smile on his -earnest face. “Don’t be rash,” he warned. “I’ll be on hand if you need -aid, but it looks as if the yamen were deserted.” - -Quickly selecting a dozen men, among whom was O’Neil, who had pressed -forward to the midshipmen’s side upon entering the building, Phil led -the way toward the viceroy’s private apartments. - -The door through which they had entered the night before was bolted -from within, but by the united weight of Langdon and O’Neil it soon -opened obediently. They found this room empty, but the door to the -viceroy’s bedroom was open slightly. - -“Careful, Mr. Perry,” O’Neil cried, catching the lad’s arm and drawing -him back from the open door. - -The boatswain’s mate was just in the nick of time. A rifle muzzle had -suddenly been thrust through the opening and discharged, filling the -room with the noise of thunder. Phil recoiled in terror, his face -burning painfully from the heat of the discharge, while his ears were -deafened. - -“Do you see, sir?” O’Neil observed huskily, as he wrenched the rifle -from the Chinaman’s hand and clubbed him into insensibility before he -could run. “Always approach an open door with caution and from the -side.” - -Crowding into the viceroy’s bedchamber, the Americans were struck dumb -by the sadness of the spectacle before them. - -There in the great canopied bed lay the form of the aged viceroy; his -eyes were closed, while upon his parchment-like face had spread the -pallor of death. The room was empty save for a single figure standing -beside the bed, a look of mortal fear in his eyes. - -“Dead!” Phil whispered in awe at the sight, while he reverently removed -his cap. The sailors stood in silence, their heads uncovered, thrilled -by the scene. Chang-Li-Hun’s face, even in death, had not lost its -cruel expression. He lay there, silent, unconquered. The will of Peking -held no terrors for him now. - -[Illustration: _THE AMERICANS WERE STRUCK DUMB_] - -Langdon motioned to the Chinaman at the dead man’s bedside that no harm -would come to him, and after gaining courage, but eyeing fearfully -the insensible body of the last remaining guard, he came slowly to the -pilot’s side. - -“He says Ta-Ling has not returned,” Langdon breathed in a subdued voice -after a minute’s talk with the frightened man. “He’s the treasurer you -choked in the next room,” he continued hurriedly to Phil, “and he will -lead us to the cell where the sailors were confined.” - -The lad’s hopes ran high. If Ta-Ling had not returned, it might be -possible that the men were as yet alive. - -As the Americans hastened after the Chinaman, they passed Lieutenant -Wilson and his waiting sailors in the courtyard. - -“The viceroy is dead!” Phil exclaimed hurriedly as he passed him. - -The treasurer led the way past the cell in which the midshipmen had -spent so many horrible hours of torture, but to Phil’s alarm it was now -empty. - -“The prisoners are gone,” the lad faltered, pointing to the deserted -prison. “Ask him the meaning, Langdon.” - -“He says he knows nothing,” the pilot replied after stopping suddenly -and questioning the distracted Chinaman. “He has been with the viceroy -all night. Upon hearing of the arrival of the troops sent by Peking, -the viceroy swallowed poison, a deadly Chinese drug, which he always -carried with him.” - -Moving rapidly onward the Chinaman stopped suddenly in front of a cell -door. - -Phil’s heart was as lead as he pushed the door open. The cell was empty. - -“Ta-Ling did return,” he cried in despair. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV - -PHIL EXPLAINS - - -O’Neil, with his characteristic energy, wasted no time upon the cell, -which he had made up his mind long since would be found empty, but with -three or four sailors at his back had pressed forward to the end of the -narrow corridor. - -He heard Phil’s cry of disappointment as he found himself on the edge -of a smaller courtyard, and was just in time to discover a fleeing band -of Chinamen disappearing through a narrow alley at the far end. - -Calling loudly for the others to follow, the boatswain’s mate ran -hurriedly forward across the stone-paved court. - -Reaching the entrance to the alley, the sharp discharges of rifles from -the other end caused him to stop abruptly, but before he could gain -a place of safety, a stinging pain in his shoulder made him cry out -sharply. - -Then his anger overcame his training in discretion and with his men -beside him, while the heavy footfalls of the midshipmen advancing on a -run across the courtyard told him of the approach of reënforcements, he -boldly raced between the bordering walls of brick and mortar now swept -by the enemy’s bullets. - -As he again emerged into the sunlight, he was barely in time to see the -persistent enemy scattering like a covey of partridges through numerous -passages at the far end of a third courtyard, while from that direction -a hot fire was directed upon him and his handful of men. - -What should he do? He could advance no further in the face of that -rifle fire. Glancing anxiously behind him, he saw the midshipmen and -their men were nowhere in view, and yet they had been only a half -hundred paces behind when he had charged down the alley. The sailors -were returning the furious fire of the Chinese, but O’Neil saw that -the enemy was hidden and the spatter of their bullets against the wall -behind the Americans showed him only too plainly that even the poor -shots of the Chinese might accidentally make a hit. Reluctantly he -ordered a retreat back through the arched passageway. - -As O’Neil and his men again reached the second courtyard, across which -he had chased the fleeing Chinamen, he saw the midshipmen and their -party surrounding several objects upon the ground, which had been -covered over with a large piece of canvas. - -“They are safe,” Sydney’s voice hailed as he caught sight of the -returning sailors. “You ran right over them.” - -The prisoners were quickly freed from their manacles, and, supported by -their comrades, the party hastened to rejoin Lieutenant Wilson. - -The four sailors had had a narrow escape. Ta-Ling, determined upon -revenge, had been upon the point of beheading them when O’Neil and -his men had caused him to desist. Then covering them hurriedly with a -large piece of canvas, he hoped to conceal their presence until the -Americans had given up their search, when he would return and finish -his diabolical work. But the curiosity of an American had defeated his -plan; for raising the corner of the canvas the sailor had seen the -blue-clad legs of a bound and gagged shipmate. - -Arriving in the main courtyard, Phil’s eye caught the bright color -of a Chinese mandarin’s clothes, their wearer standing at Lieutenant -Wilson’s side. - -“Hang-Ki!” he exclaimed joyfully as he recognized the Tartar general’s -erect form. - -The two midshipmen hastened to the Manchu’s side and shook hands with -him warmly. - -Hang-Ki had been patiently waiting for Langdon’s return to interpret -his words to the American lieutenant. Another mandarin stood by -Hang-Ki’s side, his rugged frame indicating clearly that he also was of -Tartar blood, from which race the military leaders of China are taken. - -The midshipmen waited impatiently to hear what Hang-Ki had to tell, -while Lieutenant Wilson congratulated all hands upon the success of the -rescue, and shook hands as all had done with the rescued men. - -“His Excellency says the viceroy killed himself early this morning; -the captain of the yamen guards brought him the news, but it did not -arrive in time to hoist the white flag before the monitor had fired her -shell. He says many men were hurt during the night engagement and asks -how many Americans were killed.” - -“Tell him we’ve lost only one man in all the fighting,” Lieutenant -Wilson replied. - -Hang-Ki, after Langdon had given him Lieutenant Wilson’s words, shook -his head as though mystified. - -The two generals expressed a wish to visit the American commander, and -make China’s peace for the hostile acts of the dead viceroy. - -The sailors were assembled and marched directly to the landing. - -As the river and the anchored ships came into view, Phil grasped -Sydney’s arm excitedly, pointing to a white yacht lying gracefully at -anchor between the monitors and the “Phœnix”; the latter having left -the allies at the upper anchorage and steamed down the river while they -were inside the Chinese city. - -“The ‘Alacrity’!” he exclaimed, “and the admiral’s on board; there’s -his flag at the main,” pointing to a large blue flag, with two white -stars in the field. Then the joy died in his face. The letter of the -viceroy and the telegram, as yet undelivered, came to his mind. - -“Where’s the ‘Albaque’?” Sydney asked suddenly, searching the river for -Ignacio’s ship. - -“There she goes,” Langdon cried, pointing down stream, where a trail of -smoke from a fast disappearing steamer hung low over the muddy water of -the river. - -Upon reaching the “Phœnix,” there was Commander Hughes on deck, -anxiously waiting to hear the results of the expedition. His face was -wreathed in smiles as he heard of their unlooked-for success. Then, -motioning Langdon to follow, he led the two Chinese officers to his -cabin. - -Phil had not dared, with his guilt written plainly on his face, to look -his captain in the eye while that officer showered praises upon the two -midshipmen, and he was much relieved to be able to escape to his own -room, there to map out a course of action. - -“Our best plan, Syd,” Phil declared, “is to take all these papers to -the captain and make a clean breast of it.” - -Sydney agreed wholly with his friend’s plan and all that remained -was to muster up courage to go to the captain. Both midshipmen would -much rather have faced a hundred Chinese rifles than confess to their -captain that a telegram and directed to him from the navy department -had been purposely hidden. - -A rap on the door caused Phil’s pulses to beat quicker and his heart -rise to his mouth. - -“The captain would like to see Mr. Perry and Mr. Monroe,” the orderly -announced, peering in through the curtain at the startled lads. - -“Come on, Phil,” Sydney urged; “we’d better get it over with.” - -In silence they walked into the cabin. Phil’s head swam as his old -friend Admiral Taylor shook his hand and spoke solid words of praise -for his valuable services. - -Hang-Ki had risen to go upon the entrance of the midshipmen, and after -bowing to the admiral and captain he stepped quickly to Phil’s side, -pressing into his hand the jade ring. - -“He says,” Langdon interpreted, “that he has evidence enough without it -if he is lucky enough to capture Ta-Ling.” - -“I am delighted, Hughes,” the admiral said as Commander Hughes returned -with the midshipmen, after having escorted the Chinese soldiers to the -gangway, “at the successful end gained by your clear-headed policy. -Washington, hearing nothing from you and at the same time receiving -news of your doings from a foreign government, was quite justified, in -view of your known impetuosity, in being anxious. It was current in -Shanghai that you had been relieved of your command, yet I received no -word up to the time of sailing, two days ago.” - -Phil saw his opportunity had come to bare his secret, and drawing the -viceroy’s letter, the telegram and the correspondence of Ignacio all -from his pocket, he laid them in silence on the table between the two -officers. - -The lads waited in a fever of dread while the officers glanced in -surprise at the papers before them. Phil saw that the admiral held the -cipher telegram, with the translation underneath the cipher words. - -“What does this mean?” the admiral cried sternly, reading aloud the -translation of the cablegram. - -Phil boldly told where and when he had found the telegram, and his -reasons for not delivering it until now. - -The admiral regarded the lad severely. - -“Knowing this was from the department in Washington, you concealed it,” -he exclaimed. “Explain yourself, sir.” - -Phil swallowed hard and then pointed a trembling finger to the other -papers. - -“After you have read those, sir,” he said huskily, “I shall be ready to -stand guilty or not guilty in your eyes.” - -Both officers eagerly read the letters from Ignacio to the viceroy’s -secretary. - -After the admiral had finished reading, he regarded Phil in silence, -his expression fathomless to the anxious midshipman. Commander Hughes’ -eyes gave him no encouragement; they were directed to his brightly -polished shoes. It was a question between the senior midshipman and his -commander-in-chief. Technically a great breach of naval discipline had -been committed. - -The minutes ticked away slowly by the cabin clock while the lad waited -for the wording of his doom. - -“Mr. Perry,” the admiral at length began in his usual calm voice, “this -is the second time that you have placed me in a most embarrassing -position, but I want to say right here,” and his eyes snapped, “if I -had a son, and he had committed this breach of naval discipline in -order to save the situation, I would be mighty proud of him.” As he -finished he put out his hand to the surprised but happy midshipman, who -grasped it joyfully. - -Phil was so surprised that he could not find voice to utter a single -word. He stared dumbly at the admiral, his tear-dimmed eyes eloquently -speaking the words he could not utter. - -Commander Hughes jumped up and grasped the midshipman by the hand, -showing in his face the keen pleasure the admiral’s decision had given -him. - -“This correspondence I shall keep in my safe,” the admiral said, a -twinkle in his eyes, “in case I have trouble in explaining our young -friend’s crime. It may also serve us in the future with this foreign -Judas Iscariot. - -“And now, young man,” he added, his kind face beaming with good -nature, “I think after a few months I shall have to deprive your -captain of your services. I am going to put in commission a number of -small gunboats for duty against the Philippine insurgents, and I have -decided to give Mr. Perry command of one of them with Mr. Monroe as his -executive officer, and I suppose,” he suggested with a smile, “that you -will want O’Neil as the chief boatswain’s mate.” - -Phil could hardly believe his ears. Instead of censure, here was the -admiral offering him a ship of his own. - -As one in a dream he thanked the admiral and accompanied by Sydney, -withdrew from the cabin. - -By order of Peking Hang-Ki was made viceroy and he at once took steps -to safeguard all foreigners throughout the provinces. - -The allied gunboats within the hour anchored off Ku-Ling, and before -the day was over the foreign concession had taken up the thread of -business where it had been so rudely interrupted. Commander Hughes -detailed a force of mechanics from the American war-ships to repair -the damaged launches of the faithful Emmons, and before a week had -passed the launch trade was flourishing as of old. - -The concession to build the railroad to Peking was made more secure -to the American company, and before the “Phœnix” sailed for Shanghai -the lads saw the material, which had long waited for permission to be -landed, safely stored in go-downs and the work on the road started. - -Ta-Ling made good his escape, and it was believed that he had gone to -the mountains, there to remain in hiding until another opportunity -might present itself to avenge himself on the despised foreigner. - -O’Neil’s wound was found by the doctors to be not dangerous and, with -his arm in a sling for several days, he was gazed at admiringly by his -less fortunate shipmates. - -Langdon received the personal thanks of the admiral, and Commander -Hughes stoutly declares that he is as good a pilot ashore as he is on -the river. - - - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] Mexican dollars. - -[2] There is a prescribed rule for hailing a boat at night. A ship, -seeing a boat approaching, hails, “Boat ahoy!” If enlisted men are -in the boat the proper answer is “Hello!” If midshipmen are in the -boat the answer is “No! No!” if commissioned officers, “Aye! Aye!” If -a captain is in the boat the answer is the name of his ship, and an -admiral’s proper answer is “Flag”--meaning that the boat carries an -admiral’s flag. - -[3] Twelve rifles. - - - - -TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES: - - - Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_. - - Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. - - Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized. - - Archaic or alternate spelling has been retained from the original. - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A UNITED STATES MIDSHIPMAN IN -CHINA *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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