“I am sure the Russians will sink any ship carrying goods for our nation,—I mean war stores and other contraband goods. What Japan will do, I do not know.”
“I reckon they’ll do some sinking just as quick,” said the young American. “Your work at Port Arthur shows that you are mightily in earnest in this affair.”
The run to Nagasaki was made in safety, and three days after leaving Chemulpo the steamer came to anchor at her dock in the Japanese port. As Gilbert had visited Nagasaki a number of times, the scenes around him—the strange-looking craft, the flags of various nations, and the small boats filled with stores and floating about, trading—were no novelty to him. He longed to get ashore and hunt up the old Columbia and those on board.
“Hullo, Ben! Hullo, Larry!” exclaimed Gilbert.
Page [135].
But there were certain formalities to be gone through before he could leave the steamer. His hand-bag was thoroughly searched, and he was asked numerous questions. At last all appeared to be satisfactory to the Japanese officials, and he was told he could land and do as he pleased.
It took the young American but a few minutes to ascertain where the Columbia lay, and he lost not a moment in picking his way along the docks in that direction. On all sides were great heaps of army stores, awaiting transportation to Korea and Manchuria. There could be no doubt but that this war was to be carried through on a large scale.
At last he found the ship with which he was so familiar. There on the deck stood that veteran of the sea, Captain Nat Ponsberry, of Gloucester, as hale and hearty as ever. Close at hand was his first mate, Tom Grandon, and not for away were Ben Russell and his younger brother Larry.
“Hullo, Ben! Hullo, Larry!” exclaimed Gilbert. “Glad to see you!”
“Gilbert Pennington!” ejaculated the Russell brothers, in a breath. And then they leaped forward to embrace the newcomer.