Mr. Farnum came out, to ask further particulars. Williamson, as soon as he had seen the Japanese disappear up aloft, dropped his revolver back into his pocket, closing the engine room door.
Eph, however, had his own private idea of vengeance to execute. Up the stairs he went, holding hard to the spiral rail, for he was still a bit dizzy. Kamanako, having dropped into the stern of a shore boat, looked unconcerned as he was pulled away.
"Yah!" grunted Eph, shaking his fist. "You kimono! Kimono! Kimono!"
"What does that mean when it's translated?" inquired Hal, looking interested.
"That's a Japanese insult," grinned young Somers.
"Do you think Kamanako understands it?" queried Hastings.
"If he doesn't then what good does it do him to be Japanese?" Eph demanded.
Jacob Farnum listened with great interest to what his young captain had to tell him. David Pollard, being still asleep, had no notion, as yet, of what had happened.
"I reckon," muttered the shipbuilder, "It won't be any use to have any
Japanese aboard here as steward, or as anything else."
"I shan't hire any more of them," Benson replied. "I shall always suspect a spy, after this, when I see any Japanese aboard any kind of a war craft, or serving at any military post."