“Don’t you see, sir,” he added earnestly, “the Herzovinians think we are now ‘quits.’ They lost twenty sailors; we have lost eleven, including three officers.”
“Now,” Sydney said thoughtfully, “is the time for the white men to get together and stop this useless war.”
Phil and O’Neil gazed at him in surprise.
“When we have lost our first battle,” Phil exclaimed scornfully. “Why, Syd, that is contrary to human nature. The Herzovinians might be willing to compromise, but we cannot accept a truce until we have proved that our courage has not been affected. When we have driven Kataafa away from Ukula, then we might be willing to treat for an armistice, but never before.”
“I agree with the humanitarian view of Mr. Monroe,” a voice from behind them said solemnly. The lads turned to find Judge Lindsay beside them, smiling in fatherly fashion upon them. “Now is the moment of moments to bring together the warring factions. To do so,” he added, “we must sacrifice some of our selfish pride. But we would thus spare innocent human lives.
“Have you heard that Klinger has been arrested, and is now held in jail by our naval forces for the crime of instigating the rebels to attack our sailors?” he asked. The judge spoke without sign of feeling.
“I cannot see,” he said after a pause, “what evidence they have against him. He supplied guns to natives to fight natives. That they used their weapons against the white men I am sure was not his wish.”
“Begging your worship’s pardon,” O’Neil said respectfully, “Klinger was here ten years ago, and saw twenty of his countrymen killed through the work of white men of our race. Do you believe, sir, he has forgotten that? Klinger has no fear. When we stood and talked with him at Vaileli before the fight, I thought I saw a look in his face, like one who believes something for which he has long wished was about to happen. He didn’t owe us anything, and the line of talk we gave him didn’t make him feel any the more kindly toward us. I am dead sure now that he knew that Kataafa’s warriors were between us and Ukula, waiting to attack us, but the memory of the monument in Kulinuu for the martyred Herzovinian sailors kept his mouth shut tight. No, sir, he let us go to our defeat almost with joy in his heart, and somehow,” O’Neil added solemnly, almost reverentially, “when I remember that terrible day, just before the hurricane that wrecked us all, I haven’t it in my heart to blame him.”
“So you were here then,” the judge exclaimed in surprise and interest. “Well, I wish I could be the instrument to bring together the two sides, and bring peace to these beautiful islands; but I suppose the blood of our poor fellows cries out for atonement, and we must fight on.”
Lieutenant Gant with his native regiment was almost ready to take the offensive.