"I will inform my superior," he replied. "You must be ready to act when the answer comes, whatever it may be."
He then returned to the boat, and the crew gave way rapidly. All these arrangements had occupied quite three hours and a half, and it was then nearly "one bell,"—half-past twelve,—for I remember the bell being struck at the time the Japanese boat was proceeding to the cruiser, which lay about half a mile away.
"Julius," said the captain, "tell the engineers and firemen to come on deck; and hark ye, my lad, put on a life-belt."
"A life-belt! What for?" I exclaimed.
"Do as ye're bid," he said, descending from the bridge, and entering the chart-room, and later, his cabin. Meantime I gave the order, and the engineers and firemen came up, some went forward to wash.
We had not much time to spare. The Chinese sentries had left the bridge before this, and the "calm that precedes a storm" had settled upon us. The pause was broken by the expected reply from the cruiser—
"Leave the steamer at once."
The captain shrugged his shoulders, and called to me—
"Have you told the engineers? Signal, 'I am not allowed,' and ask for a boat for us. Be ready all; there's mischief now."
When the captain had made this reply, he spoke to the mate, who quitted the bridge, and made some preparations to depart. The next thing I remarked was a red flag at the foremast of the cruiser, and a signal abaft—"Can't send boat."