"But seven?"
"Yes."
"And the remainder?"
"The remainder will sail up the coast under the direction of the Russian admiral."
"To bombard the Alaskan coast and try to retake the territory," said the Chinese captain, with a shrewd laugh. "The great Russian bear has always wanted Alaska back, since gold was discovered at the Klondyke and elsewhere."
"Well, who can blame him?" answered the English captain. "What do you ask at the hands of President Adams—a slice of California, where you can locate a new Chinatown—and if he won't give it to you you will kill his daughter."
The talk continued for several minutes more, when there came a call from the deck.
"I will come in a moment," said the English captain, and arising he hurried to the passageway in which Oscar was hiding.
The Englishman passed him, but not so the yellow captains.
One stumbled over a rug and pitched forward, clutching at the curtains which concealed Oscar.