"A money belt with gold? You must be dreaming."
"No, I see him mit mine two eyes. He count der gold. He haf more as dirty pieces."
"That is worth remembering," answered Shamhaven. And he began to speculate upon what he could do in Japan if he was free and had a money belt full of gold.
That Larry had a money belt was true. He had purchased it several years before, while on shore duty in the Philippines. He was a saving fellow and found the belt useful in which to place his wages and the money which he occasionally received from home. Strange as it may seem, the belt had not been taken away from him by the Russians, and it now contained nearly three hundred dollars. The money was mostly in gold,—for he had found that gold could be used no matter where he went.
[CHAPTER XVIII]
A CLEVER RUSE
As soon as Captain Ponsberry was in charge of the Columbia once more he set about without delay to put the schooner in proper condition for the run to Nagasaki. The broken-off foremast was allowed to remain as it was, but a temporary bowsprit was set into place, and the damage to the forecastle and to the stern repaired. A temporary rail was also nailed up, so that there might be no danger of anybody slipping overboard.
In all this work the sailors and the ship's carpenter did their best, and the captain and his mates helped. Sails were also sewed up, or replaced, and inside of forty-eight hours the old Columbia was once more on her way. The water taken aboard was pumped out, and the pumps were kept going two hours each morning and two hours each afternoon.
"She will do now," said the captain, after the heaviest of the work was over. "But when we reach Nagasaki I'll have to put her in the dock for regular repairs. I shouldn't dare to take her to Manila or to San Francisco in such a condition."
"It will take a long time to have the repairs made in Japan," said Larry. "All the shipyards are busy on government work."