“It is this commercial rivalry which will forever keep the Chinese from looking upon foreigners as desirable residents of their country,” he continued thoughtfully. “We are ever at each other’s throats in our commercial dealings. There are grave consequences to be feared in the opening of this vast and rich territory, and if we are not strictly honest in our dealings with each other, the consequences may well warrant the building of a great navy.”
Commander Hughes, as he finished speaking, gazed out over the water to the anchored ships of the allied fleet and then, nodding a dismissal to the midshipmen, he walked toward the companion ladder leading to his cabin.
“The signal is two white lights when ready,” he said to the officer of the deck. “Notify me when all the ships have shown the signal, and keep the launch ready for Mr. Perry.” Then to Phil, as he descended the companionway, “Langdon must of course stay with us. We shall need him to help us over the shoals at the entrance to the lake.”
Phil saluted and then glanced at the clock on the cabin bulkhead. He saw its hands pointed to twenty minutes of one. In but a few hours all would be decided. Either Commander Hughes would win and his act of suppressing the cablegram be condoned, or else the gunboats would be utterly defeated, maybe destroyed by the fire of the forts and his hated enemy Ignacio raised to power as the leader of the dissenters. The possibilities were so terrifying that he looked about him for some object upon which to concentrate his mind. He wished to keep himself from brooding on the future of the night’s venture. Gazing out into the darkness, he could see black smoke and sparks belching from the smoke-stacks of the “Phœnix’s” consorts. The shrill whistles of the boatswain’s mates and the creaking of tackles came distinctly across the still water, showing their hurried preparations to be ready.
He saw that two white lights burned at the yard-arm of his own ship; she then was ready to lead the fleet on its perilous undertaking; to run by, well inside of the range of the forts’ guns, with but a screen of high grass to protect the unarmored ships from the heavy shells of their enemy. While the lad watched silently, his pulses beating fast, the signal of readiness flashed out from gunboat after gunboat, until the entire fleet had mutely informed the “Phœnix” that it was ready and eager to follow the lead of its intrepid commander.
A moment later he heard a step at his side, and the captain’s voice saying:
“Here are the orders for the monitors. You understand what you are to do. I shall give you further orders later.”
Phil took the two envelopes and put them carefully in his pocket; then seeing his captain’s hand still extended, he grasped it warmly.
“We little realize how much depends upon our success to-night,” Commander Hughes said in an earnest voice. Then casting from him the air of depression, he added lightly, “Our star is still in the ascendent. We shall not consider failure.”
Phil gazed almost worshipfully at his captain as the latter left him, going forward toward the gunboat’s bridge to make the signal which would launch the fleet upon its perilous mission; then he was conscious that Sydney stood by him and the officer of the deck appeared anxious to have the big launch shove off. Together the lads descended the ladder, followed by Emmons as an interpreter for the Chinese crew men, for Langdon had been detailed to remain to pilot the fleet.