“The ‘Monadnock’ is on her way up the river. She’s slower than we are, and as our captain is senior he pressed ahead.
“Nice surprise they gave us,” he added laughingly, pointing to the now quiet forts. “We thought they were only having target practice and supposed of course they’d stop to let us pass. But when they opened on us, although our captain had sounded to ‘general quarters’ as a precaution, you could have knocked us all down with a feather.”
“I am happy to say their target practice upon us was not good,” Phil returned in high humor; “but if you’ll excuse me, I’ll shed these gay clothes. Mine are pretty seedy after three days in a Chinese prison, but I’d appear to better advantage when we go aboard the ‘Monterey.’”
The war-ship, by signal-lights, informed her lieutenant that she was about to anchor, directing the launch to follow and then come alongside.
Before the rattle of chain announced that the anchor was holding the steel fortress stationary against the swift current, the midshipmen recited to Lieutenant Washburn the story of their adventures. O’Neil listened eagerly, grunting with glee when they told of the triumph over Ta-Ling and Commander Ignacio.
After a short delay the launch was steered alongside the anchored war-ship, and the Americans, now in their own clothes, quickly scrambled over the low side.
Commander Barnes, the monitor’s captain, ranking junior to Commander Hughes, immediately summoned the midshipmen and Langdon to his cabin.
Phil as spokesman gave the surprised captain a detailed account of the happenings since the attempt to blow in the gates of the American mission. Commander Barnes’ eyes opened wider and wider in astonishment as the lad proceeded.
“It’s all very terrible,” he exclaimed after Phil had finished. “The admiral knows nothing of this. Why has not Hughes wired the situation?”
“He has sent telegrams,” Phil declared, “but the viceroy will not forward them.”