"What a beauty of a ship!"
Such was Larry's exclamation as he stepped aboard of the Japanese warship. The vessel was, like the Russian prize, an auxiliary cruiser and named the Mimora Juri. She was but three years old and had been used for passenger service between Japan and China. For such a small cruiser she carried an unusually heavy battery, and everything was shined up to the last degree,—the work having been undertaken directly after the battle was over. The Mimora Juri had suffered but little damage during the contest and only a handful of men had been killed and wounded.
"This looks more like Uncle Sam's navy than anything I have seen yet," said Luke.
"Well, I don't know that the decorations aboard our ships are quite so fine," returned the youth. "But then this isn't an ordinary fighting ship. Some of the auxiliary cruisers we used during the war with Spain—those that used to be trans-Atlantic steamers—were just as fine as this and finer."
As soon as those from the Columbia reached the Japanese warship the wounded were taken in charge by the surgeons and placed in the sick bay, as the hospital on a naval vessel is called. This was also in the best of order, with nice, swinging cots, and appliances of the latest designs.
As there were many things to be arranged between the two Japanese vessels and the Russian prize, our friends were not interviewed until late in the evening. In the meantime, some of the Russians were made prisoners, and a prize crew was placed aboard of the Pocastra. Then the two Japanese warships moved away, with the captured cruiser between them.
"Those Russians must feel sick," was Larry's comment. "It's worse for them, in a way, than if their ship had gone down."
"Well, we all thought she was sinking," returned Captain Ponsberry. "If she had sunk I reckon some of us wouldn't be here to tell the tale."
When evening came, a guard who could speak a little English conducted Captain Ponsberry, Larry, and Tom Grandon to the commander's cabin. Here they were met by Captain Tonkaka, who, being a graduate of the Japanese naval school, could speak not only English but also several other foreign languages. It may be mentioned here that the Japanese naval academy of to-day is one of the foremost institutions of its kind in the world.
"I will hear your story, Captain Ponsberry," said the Japanese captain, politely, as he motioned his visitors to be seated.