In the morning nothing was to be seen of the enemy and those on the Japanese warship were much depressed, for they had fancied that an encounter might add greatly to their laurels. But shortly before noon the lookout announced the approach of another ship.
"A Russian cruiser!" was the cry.
This was correct—the vessel was the auxiliary cruiser, Pontomuk, formerly a steamer in the Siberian trade. She was manned by a fierce and swarthy-looking body of sailors and marines, and carried a first and second battery of no mean proportions.
"I'll wager we have got some work cut out for us now," said Larry, and he was right. Finding she could not run away from the Shohirika the Russian auxiliary cruiser came steaming up and let drive at close range,—a broadside that raked the Japanese warship from end to end with deadly effect. The Shohirika answered immediately, and both the steering wheel and the rudder were smashed on the enemy's ship.
"Phew! but this is hot work!" panted Larry, as all those around the gun worked like Trojans.
"An' it's going to be hotter!" ejaculated Luke. He sighted the piece with care. "There, Sally Jane, let her go!" And he pressed the electric button. Bang! went the gun with a roar that was deafening. Then the breech was thrown open and the smoke rolled out, filling the air with a smell that made them cough and sneeze. But nobody stopped work. In a trice the gun was cleaned and cooled and another shell pushed into place, and then the firing was repeated.
"She's coming alongside!" was the announcement from on deck. "All hands to repel boarders!"
"A hand-to-hand fight!" cried Larry, and scarcely had the words been uttered when there came a bump that hurled half the sailors flat. Up they sprang, and as order after order was delivered the marines and others ran for their guns and cutlasses, while the officers saw to it that their pistols were ready for use.
A wild, maddening yell came from the deck of the Russian ship, as marines and sailors poured over the side. An answering Banzai issued from the Japanese, and they met the first onslaught with vigor. Then came a fierce tramping over the deck, as the two conflicting parties moved first to one side and then the other.
"We are ordered up!" cried Larry, a few minutes later. "Here is where we have got to fight for it, Luke!"