"What can we do, Tom? Trust to luck that we get into Nagasaki harbor, or some other port, in safety."
"We'll have to keep a sharp lookout for anything that looks like a warship, unless, of course, she flies a Japanese flag."
Word was passed around to those who could be trusted, and all day long one of the mates and a foremast hand were kept on the lookout, taking turns at looking through the best glass the schooner possessed.
"This is almost as exciting as being in a war," said Larry, when he was on duty with Luke. "Don't you know how we looked for the Spanish ships?"
"Yes, lad; but if we sight a Russian warship it will be small fighting we'll do, to my way of thinking."
"Oh, we won't be able to fight at all. We'll simply have to rely on our wits to keep us out of being gobbled up as a prize of war," responded the young second mate.
[CHAPTER XI]
AN ORDER TO LAY-TO
When taking on his cargo at Manila, Captain Ponsberry had considered the possibility of being captured by a Russian warship, and had talked the matter over with the agents of the Richmond Importing Company and with a Japanese official who was doing business on the sly in the Philippines.
The Japanese Government was willing to pay for the cargo, whether it was delivered or not—presuming it was "gobbled up" by the Russians, but was not willing to pay for the ship if the vessel was taken as a prize of war.