"Pray pardon us," gasped the elder officer. "This is really business—from the admiral."
"The admiral!" I exclaimed. "Does he know anything about me?'
"Of course, certainly; and when you talk to him in Japanese"—
This caused another explosion, and I made condemnatory remarks concerning the native smile.
"Well," I asked coldly, "any further joke?"
"This is no joke, indeed," said the sailor. "The Admiral Ito wants a letter conveyed to the Severn—what you call it—cruiser, for conveyance to Admiral Ting, the Chinese naval commander. The little difficulty arose about the messenger being a Japanese, and then I reminded my captain that you were in Port Arthur, and trustworthy. My brother had already told me so much. The immediate result has been our presence here, and our request to bring you to the admiral. Will you come? we will fit you out again."
"And I am to join the Severn?"
"Perhaps. At anyrate if you carry the letter, and bring back an answer or not, you can act as an ambassador."
"With pleasure," I cried, delighted to think I was again to be restored to British protection, and to see English faces. "I will accompany you at once."
I made some few—very few—changes in my appearance, which was a bit remarkable for an English youth, or "man." My stubbly hair, my thick wadded costume,—a la Chinois,—for your Chinaman pads his garments until his bulk, in winter, vies with Mr. Daniel Lambert, of pious memory. Thus, something like a clean scarecrow, crossed with the Fat Boy in Pickwick, I accompanied my deliverers.