As we quitted my quarters, I said as pleasantly as possible—
"Tell me the mistake I made when you came in?"
They smiled at the recollection, and the sailor-boy said, nodding at me—
"It was all right, really. You only said, Hurrah for the Emperor! and" (here he choked)—"and called out for the 'Japan Mail Steam Company.' That's all."
I laughed aloud at the connection. What I intended to say I have now no idea, and my Japanese friends never enlightened me.
This was my last attempt at Asiatic languages—on service.
CHAPTER XVII
EXPLANATIONS—ON BOARD THE NANIWA AGAIN—
THE BLOCKADE OF WEI-HAI-WEI—ON SERVICE
During our journey to Talien Bay, which had become the Japanese naval base after the demolition of Port Arthur, I put a number of questions to Tomi and to the military officer, his brother, whom I now learned was attached to the army staff. Several of these inquiries had reference to the movements of the army and navy, but some questions were personal to myself. At last my kind friends threw off their official reserve, and cheered my heart with the prospect of release.