When the expedition reached Ukula, the mail steamer from San Francisco was in port. The admiral, the war-ship captains and the three consuls had held a meeting to discuss the instructions received in the mail from their respective governments.
“A commission has been appointed to finally decide the fate of Kapua,” Commander Tazewell told the lads as they joined him after turning over their native company to its native chief. “We are sending word to Kataafa declaring a truce. He has retired with all his warriors to Saluafata. Klinger will carry the message and the mail steamer is to wait until he returns. Klinger has agreed to leave the islands. He and Count Rosen go together.”
The midshipmen were delighted. The war had ceased to be exciting. They felt that the useless killing of natives should stop. It had gone too far already. With Rosen, Klinger and Scott out of the way, a peaceful settlement would be possible.
They told the captain of the death of his unfaithful orderly and of burying him at Vaileli.
Commander Tazewell was thoughtful for several minutes. “Poor fellow,” he said. “I suppose he could not withstand the golden bribe offered him.”
Kataafa sent in word that he agreed to suspend hostilities and would remain in Saluafata, ten miles away from Ukula.
The mail steamer departed, carrying with it the two men who had overreached themselves in their patriotic endeavor to bring Kapua under the control of their own nation.
The American and English sailors and the natives loyal to Panu meanwhile garrisoned and preserved order in Ukula and over the surrounding country.
Stump was rewarded and sent home on a mail steamer, promising to look up his folks and turn over a new leaf.
One day, several weeks after the last fight, another American war-ship came to anchor in the harbor of Ukula. On board were three great commissioners of the treaty powers.