Phil was about to answer the officer’s question, never realizing the cause of the speaker’s abrupt silence, when his eye caught sight of a familiar face peering in over the launch’s rail. Forgetful of all else, the lad hastened excitedly forward. Reaching down he grasped the owner of the face in a strong grip.
“O’Neil!” he exclaimed delightedly. “Well, if this isn’t luck!”
While Sydney in his turn shook hands warmly with their old friend the boatswain’s mate, who had served with them through many a difficult position during a South American revolution, when they were together on the battle-ship “Connecticut,” Phil explained the situation to the mystified officer.
The lad for the moment had not fully appreciated the dumbfounded astonishment of the naval man, Lieutenant Washburn of the “Monterey,” upon finding himself among Chinamen, after he had heard the answer from the “Monterey’s” hail that American naval officers were on board the launch.
“We’ve just escaped from prison,” Phil explained, “and your ship arrived in time to save us from those guns. Their shots were beginning to come pretty near, I can tell you.”
“Escaped from prison,” Lieutenant Washburn exclaimed, still mystified. “Where then is the ‘Phœnix’? She hasn’t been sunk, I hope,” he added hastily in sudden alarm.
Phil quickly set his mind at rest on that point. “She’s at Lien-Chow, in the To-Yan Lake, and we are on our way there now.
“Commander Hughes will be mighty relieved to see the ‘Monterey’!” he exclaimed joyfully. “With her the forts have no perils—she can run by whenever she wishes.”
“I am sorry for him,” Lieutenant Washburn answered, his voice betraying a note of bitterness, “for I am a great admirer of your captain. He’s the kind of man we need in command of our ships. There’s a rumor afloat that he’s in disgrace and will be put under arrest. I hope it’s not true, but the rumor was persistent in the fleet when we left. If it’s true I suppose our captain has the order.”
Phil pretended to be greatly surprised and unconsciously raised his hand to make sure the telegram was safe in his pocket.