Phil began at once to tell of the native council at Jumping Rock and the “tonga-fiti” decided for that night. He also called in O’Neil, who had been waiting outside the cabin, and that worthy told in picturesque language the story of Stump.
“Here are some letters this man Stump gave me, and said I could show them to you, sir,” Phil said after O’Neil had completed his narrative.
Commander Tazewell examined the much soiled and torn correspondence, while the lads and O’Neil waited in silent interest to learn of their purport.
“These corroborate the very thing I have been anxious to prove,” Commander Tazewell exclaimed joyfully. “Scott’s a full fledged American. He cleared from Suva in the Fiji under the American flag. There’s the paper,” handing to Phil an English colonial document. “What’s this?—a clipping from an English paper,” he added wonderingly. “Schooner ‘Ta-Li’ stolen by a Yankee pirate.”
“Stump said Captain Scott had stolen the ‘Talofa’ in Hongkong,” O’Neil said quietly.
Commander Tazewell glanced quickly over the remaining letters.
“Stump has brought us the evidence too late,” he said disappointedly, spreading out a letter on his desk. “The guns are paid for,” he read aloud. “Godfried and Company, our agents, will load them upon demand from you. Remember, you take them to Saluafata at night and send word to me on arrival.” Commander Tazewell stopped reading, and gazed off wistfully. “That was from Klinger to Scott. He’ll be unloading them to-night,” he added, “unless they are already in the Kapuan firm’s store. If I’d had these letters this morning, I’d have sunk the ‘Talofa’ before I would have permitted her to leave the harbor, foreign flag and all, until after I had given the vessel a thorough search.”
CHAPTER X
RUMORS OF WAR
Commander Tazewell and the midshipmen dined that evening with Mr. Lee and his daughters.
“The evidence is all in, commander,” the American consul said as the party sought the cool sea breeze on the “lanai,”[24] facing the harbor. “The chief justice will probably render his decision in the morning.”