I accordingly procured sufficient cash, and we were passing the club of Hong Kong, which, by the bye, contains a nice library, when a gentleman accosted the captain. The stranger looked like a Japanese. He was short, intelligent, quiet, but decided in his manner, and spoke English fairly well.
"Captain Goldheugh, I believe?" he said, raising his hat in salute. It was not the salute of an inferior, though; there was no servility in the man's manner.
"Yes, sir," replied the captain, responding in kind.
"Can you favour me with five minutes conversation?" asked the young man. "Perfectly private matter."
"Certainly," was the reply; "shall I accompany you? We may talk here." They drew aside within the shelter of the house, and appeared to be in earnest conversation, which continued for some minutes. Meantime I strolled back and forwards watching the mixed assortment of people, of whom there are specimens from India and Arabia and other lands in abundance—negroes, Europeans, Parsees, Chinese, British, Portuguese, and French, coolies, and some—very few—Japanese; so the gentleman who had accosted my skipper was rather remarkable, perhaps.
When the pair had finished their chat, the skipper came back to me, and said—
"Jule, my lad, ye need not carry the cash to-day. Unless I am mistaken we are in for a fine deal. Mind now, keep your mouth shut. I think we'll make a profitable business of this."
"What is it?" I asked, as we returned to the waterside.
"Well I'm going to trust ye now, as a gentleman. What d'ye think of a war?" he asked.
"A war!" I exclaimed. "Where? In Europe do you mean, against us?"