“These natives are great fighters,” Ensign Patterson exclaimed admiringly, “only they don’t know the rules of the game. A few hundred white men could hold their own against as many thousand.”
“Don’t bank too much on that argument if you are lucky enough to command a company of sailors ashore,” Lieutenant Sargeant returned thoughtfully. “The Herzovinian sailors some years ago were defeated and many killed because their leader underrated the soldierly ability of the Kapuan warrior.”
“It’s certainly a travesty on our civilization.” The doctor joined in the general conversation. “Here are three war-ships, each with a couple of hundred good rifle shots. There are probably all told ten thousand warriors in the islands. As far as I can learn, two of these war-ships are pulling for Panu-Mafili and one for Kataafa. If we all three got together and told the natives to go peaceably to their homes, and then if we proceeded to quietly decide to agree upon something—well, useless spilling of blood could be averted, at any rate.”
“The trouble with your argument is, doctor,” Lieutenant Sargeant replied, “that it’s too far up in the clouds. Remember we’re all human and living on the earth together. All three nations covet these islands. Some day one will get them, so the question is simply which?”
“Why should we be interested?” Phil inquired modestly. “We have no trade here, and but a handful of our countrymen live in the islands.”
“And most of them,” Lieutenant Sargeant replied, “are people one cannot be proud to acknowledge. But our real interest is to get a coaling station here. Tua-Tua is a fine land-locked harbor, and is on the steamer route from both San Francisco and Panama to New Zealand and Australia. Herzovinia may have all the rest if we can hold the island of Kulila with the harbor of Tua-Tua. That’s why we have a war-ship here.”
“What does England want out of it?” Ensign Patterson inquired.
“England,” Lieutenant Sargeant answered, “is interested to see that Herzovinia does not grab too much. Through England’s help we may be able to get Tua-Tua; without it, against the Herzovinian diplomacy, we should get nothing.”
“The natives of Kapua stand to lose in any case,” Sydney remarked. “I for one would like to see the natives remain independent, and hope that this will be the time when all hands ‘bust’ in their calculations.”
The captain of the British cruiser had been paying a visit to Commander Tazewell, and Phil, on duty as junior officer of the watch, was called upon an hour later to see that the English captain’s gig was manned for him at the gangway.