Every light below the deck line revealed an open port, and every open, lighted port showed a gun slung shoreward. The squadron’s people were to land the next day, but they were all vigilance in the mean time.
One by one the vessels moved to their new positions. After an interval, the noise and movement seemed to cease about them. A light was hoisted aloft on board the leading vessel. Instantly every light disappeared from the ports, and the blackness of the night again enveloped their movements.
Mori turned towards the boy, noting curiously the spasmodic working of his features.
“What is it, Jiro?” he asked, kindly.
“It is a strange civilization,” said Jiro, in a choking voice.
“Civilization!” repeated Keiki—“civilization! I seem to hear that word everywhere to-night.”
XXIX
