The sudden breaking out of this war between Russia and Japan had upset all his calculations. He realized that it would be utterly useless for the present to attempt to find Ivan Snokoff, or bring that rascal and Captain Barusky to justice. He also knew it would be useless to attempt to send any message to Nagasaki or any other Japanese port, or try to get a message from the Columbia and those on board.
“The best thing I can do is to get out of Manchuria just as quickly as possible,” was the conclusion he reached. “These Russians feel sure I am friendly to the Japanese, and that being so they’ll handle me without gloves, if I let them catch me. They are forcing me to become an enemy in self-defense.”
From the window Gilbert could see a distant body of Russian soldiers marching through the streets, on their way from the railroad station to their barracks.
“They must be expecting the Japanese to attack them,” he thought. “Certainly they can’t be thinking of sending an army to Japan.” His surmise proved correct; and the attack came not long after, as history has proved.
Towards the middle of the afternoon Jiru Siko appeared, along with one of the Chinamen who owned an interest in the furniture shop. They brought with them something hot to eat and to drink, for which Gilbert was thankful, for, as we know, he had had nothing whatever since early morning.
“Whole town fill up with Russian soldiers,” announced Jiru Siko. “Soldiers in streets, soldiers in houses, soldiers all over. No Japanese show him face—make much trouble.”
“I reckon you’ll have to get out, Siko,” answered the young American. “But how you are going to do it, I don’t know.”
“What Master Pennington going to do?”
“I’m going to get out, too—if I can. But I don’t want to show myself to the Russians.”
“Want to sail on ship?”