“And Ming?”
“I placed him under arrest, sir, so as to be on the safe side.”
“I see; well, I hope, Mr. Raxworthy, that your ultimatum—which is highly irregular, let me inform you—will turn up trumps. If it doesn’t, you’ve landed me in a nasty mess. This was to be a sort of diplomatic errand, not a blow-you-to-Hades stunt.”
“It seems to me the only way, sir,” replied the midshipman. “Force is the only argument these fellows understand.”
“Between ourselves, I agree,” said the Owner. “Only I shouldn’t care to proclaim those sentiments at Geneva! Well, we must wait and see what turns up. By Jove! How my head’s aching.”
“Care to turn in, sir?” asked Raxworthy solicitously.
“No fear, not till I’ve seen this through. Another hour to wait.”
“Motor-launch coming down stream, sir!” murmured the yeoman of signals.
Telescopes and binoculars were brought to bear upon the approaching craft. It was the one that had been looted from Blakeborough’s factory. Fu-so-li was not on board, but there were three Chinese and, aft under the canopy, four Europeans.
The launch ran alongside and was made fast.