“Herzovinia has accepted Kataafa’s allegiance, and will aid him to conquer and then annex the islands,” Alice told the midshipmen that evening, “and also,” she exclaimed, “the women say that Kataafa has been persuaded to make a big attack on the town.”
“I can hardly believe it,” Phil declared, “but apparently the admiral is not willing for us to remain passive in our defense. Have you heard,” he asked, “about the expedition to-morrow?”
Alice shook her head, her eyes big with excitement. “Where?” she asked.
“No one knows,” Phil answered. “We start at daylight.”
The next morning before dawn a force of one hundred sailors, consisting of both English and Americans, had been formed in column of march on the Ukula road. A machine gun, mounted on a light carriage and hauled by hand, formed a part of the expedition. The midshipmen were detailed to go along as aides to the commanding officer, Lieutenant Tupper.
“We’re going to reconnoiter Vaileli plantation, I hear,” Sydney said as he and Phil drank their coffee preparatory to joining the expedition, “and gather food for the natives in the town.”
“Mind, sir, it’s a ticklish business we’re starting out on,” O’Neil said confidentially to the lads as they joined him. The boatswain’s mate commanded one of the new companies of native troops, but had volunteered to go along, after learning that no native troops were to take part in the expedition. “If we do this at all we should take all the force we’ve got and fall upon them good and hard. Half measures, sir, are dangerous.”
The column started just as the first streaks of dawn appeared in the eastern sky. They traveled by the road which followed close to the beach. On one side was the sea and the other the impenetrable bush. Out beyond the reef the “Sitka” steamed slowly along to guard them in case of an attack by a force beyond their strength to oppose.
The expedition reached the Vaileli plantation by eight o’clock and halted on the same ground where only a few nights before the Kataafa warriors had held their celebrations. No warriors so far had been encountered. The only outward evidence of hostilities were the empty villages passed en route.
A number of cleverly built forts and barricades along the road had been encountered and destroyed by the sailors en route.