The men were now ordered to move forward with caution, and each weapon was held in readiness for immediate use. It was growing dark rapidly, and there was every indication that the hot summer day was going to end in a violent thunderstorm.
“If it comes I imagine it will be a corker,” was the way Ben expressed himself. “Don’t you notice how close it is getting?”
“Yes, I’ve noticed that for the last hour. See, it is beginning to rain already.”
The young captain was right. At first the drops came down scatteringly, then followed a steady downpour which increased rapidly.
Suddenly in the midst of this rain, one of the Japanese soldiers in advance gave the alarm. He had sighted two Russians, who instantly opened fire. At once the whole company of Japanese pressed forward.
The Russians who had fled earlier in the day had gotten to a spot where about a dozen others of their command were on guard—a lonely outpost such as were then scattered for many miles between Feng-wang-cheng and Liao-Yang and the railroad. Thinking the Japanese had come upon them in force, they fought desperately, and the skirmish was brisk for fully quarter of an hour.
In this fight neither Gilbert nor Ben suffered any injury, although more than once they came to close quarters. Ben was driven against a tree by two Russian soldiers and almost bayoneted, but the Russians were attacked from behind and driven off. Gilbert was also attacked by a Russian officer, and the sword play lasted for fully a minute, when the Russian dropped back between some of his men, convinced, no doubt, that he had met his match.
In the meantime the storm increased in violence. The air was almost black, when a vivid flash of lightning blinded many of the fighters. Then came a deluge of rain, through which little or nothing could be seen. Taking advantage of this sudden burst of the tempest, the Russians began to retreat, and were soon lost to sight.
The Japanese were of a temper to follow, but in such a deluge this was simply impossible. The rain now came down in sheets, driven by a wind which was constantly increasing in violence.
“This is a storm and no mistake,” cried Ben, as he slung the water from his cap. “Puts me in mind of some of the Philippine downpours.”