“You must give up!” roared a burly Russian officer. “If you do not, you will be shot down like so many dogs!”
Some of the Japanese soldiers replied to this speech by a volley from their guns, and as a consequence three more were killed. Seeing how hopeless was the fight the Japanese major made a signal of surrender, and Gilbert and Ben made similar signals. Then the soldiers threw down their arms.
“Ha, ha! a glorious capture!” roared one of the Cossacks, as the cavalrymen pressed closer on their horses.
“Of what use to take prisoners?” came from a half-drunken trooper. “Let us finish them where they stand and move on.”
All of the Cossacks had been indulging freely in vodka, a liquor much in use throughout Russia and Siberia, and they were consequently reckless to the last degree. Rushing in, three seized one of the Japanese privates who was unarmed, and slashed him around the neck with their sabers until he fell lifeless.
It was a sickening sight and fairly made Gilbert’s hair and Ben’s stand on end. Never had they seen such a cold-blooded proceeding before.
“Do they intend to murder us?” faltered Ben. “If so, we had better fight to the finish!”
Another Japanese soldier was attacked, but he backed away and reached for his gun. It was loaded and in a twinkling he raised it and shot one of the Cossacks in the arm.
“Stop! In the name of the Holy Church I command ye to stop!” came in the midst of the uproar, and from behind the Russian infantry came the form of a priest, with long black gown, and with a crucifix in his hand.
At the sudden appearance of the priest the Cossacks paused and shrunk back. The priest was an elderly man, with white hair, but his eyes were clear and firm and his voice steady.