“Perhaps not. But I can’t help it—I only did what was right,” returned the young captain.
Here let me add a few words more, and then bring to a close this story of stirring adventures while fighting “Under the Mikado’s Flag.”
After the evacuation of Liao-Yang by the Russians there came to Gilbert and Ben a short period of well-earned rest, during which the two young officers attended to several small wounds which they had received, and did their best to fortify themselves for the fighting still to come.
During this period of inactivity Ben received a long letter from his brother Larry, in which the sailor boy said the Columbia had arrived in safety at Manila, and was then taking on her cargo for Nagasaki. The letter had been delayed in various ways, and was then many weeks old.
“Larry must have left Manila long ago,” said Gilbert, as he read the communication. “If the Columbia had a safe passage, she must have arrived at Nagasaki before this. But perhaps she fell in with some Russian warship. In that case she’d have a whole lot of trouble.” The Columbia did fall in with one of the ships of the enemy, and what befell Larry at that time and afterward will be told in another volume, to be entitled: “At the Siege of Port Arthur; Or, A Young American in the Japanese Navy.” In this tale we shall meet all our friends again, and also learn something more about Ivan Snokoff and his confederate, Captain Barusky.
“I understand the Russians are sinking Japanese transports wherever they can find them,” said Ben, after reading the letter.
“Well; it’s more than likely that the Japanese are doing the same to the Russian vessels,” returned Gilbert. “One thing is sure, as great as has been the fighting on land, the battles on the water are equally hot.”
“And Japan is winning both on the land and on the sea. Her navy must certainly be a good one.”
“Perhaps Larry will want to join the navy when he learns of all that is going on.”
“If so, I can’t blame him. He’s a natural born sailor boy, and something of a gunner to boot,” answered Ben, but without dreaming of what was in store for his brother.