Phil’s heart was filled with joy. Here at last was safety!
The three men hastened gladly to the landing at which the launch had arrived, while Phil stepped forward to accost an officer who had hastily left the launch and was approaching up the ladder from the landing float below.
“You are late,” the newcomer said irritably. “I’ve been watching the landing for over an hour.”
Phil was about to reply, but something which he could not explain held his tongue, for he recognized instantly the voice of Ignacio.
“Where are your chairs?” Commander Ignacio continued; “you can hardly expect me to walk through the dirty streets of your ill-smelling city, even for the pleasure of seeing that young braggart tortured in true Chinese fashion. You see I am not entirely confident of you and your viceroy, so I have brought along a few companions;” he pointed toward the float, where eight or ten sailors had disembarked from the launch, rifles in hand.
Phil’s tongue clove to the top of his mouth at the suddenness of their dilemma. What should he do? Ignacio had said too much now to cover his tracks, and his sailors would undoubtedly obey his orders, even to killing three innocent Americans in cold blood.
“Come, what are we waiting for?” the foreigner added, grasping Phil’s arm, and turning him away from the river. “I don’t want to lose all my sleep; it’s nearly ten o’clock now.”
Phil’s companions stood by speechless. Even Langdon with all his sang froid was at a loss what to do. To reveal their true character to their enemy would mean that at the least he would take them forcibly back to the viceroy. Phil at the Naval Academy had been declared a fine mimic and in the class minstrel shows he had to the delight of the brigade caricatured and impersonated each of the officers on duty at the school. Could he impersonate Ta-Ling? Was it possible to imitate his voice and the peculiar pronunciation of the English words? It was their only hope. Even if he failed, they could be no worse off.
By a great effort he stilled the rapid heartbeats and brought his trembling voice under control.
“I was detained by his Excellency the viceroy,” he began in a voice that startled even himself and made Langdon and Sydney fairly jump with surprise and glance hastily around for the owner of that despised voice; “but if you are now ready we can start. The chairs are up the street only a short distance.”