Edward Stratemeyer

“ Let us take two of them also.”
“And spurs, Gilbert! And a saber. We are truly in luck—if we can get away undiscovered!”
In feverish haste each threw a military cloak around his shoulders, put on a pair of spurs, and Gilbert buckled on the saber. Then they untied the horses, led them outside, and mounted.
“And now to ride for our very lives!” cried Gilbert, and led the way down a road which the lightning revealed to them. They put spurs to their steeds, and in a short while An-Ping was left far behind.
“We are not yet out of the woods,” said Ben. “If the picket guard catches us, we are lost.” ”

“ Gazing through a slit Gilbert saw Ben, with his hands tied behind him, sitting on a small bench, while before him, with sabers drawn, stood two burly cavalrymen. Their faces were dark and forbidding, and they looked as if they considered that the American had no rights which they were bound to respect. As a matter of fact, it enraged them greatly to learn that an American would dare throw in his fortunes with those fighting under the Mikado’s flag. ”

“ It was now that Gilbert and Ben fully realized what the Japanese soldiers could do when put to it. They fought like very demons and never seemed to grow weary of charging and of using either gun or bayonet. Many were without ammunition, but to this they gave scant attention. Those who were wounded but slightly still kept at the struggle, with blood pouring from their faces and bodies. They were fighting for their beloved Mikado and fair [Pg 213] Nippon, and to die would be glory. Never once, even under the heaviest fire, did they think of retreating. ”

“ The Japanese sharpshooter took the glasses and looked around as his captain had ordered. He shook his head slowly.
“I see nothing of any soldiers——” he began, and then gave a start. “Yes! There are some troops, just coming from yonder forest!”
He handed the glasses back to Gilbert, and the young captain gazed in the direction pointed out. The sharpshooter was right, a body of Cossacks numbering at least three hundred had put in an appearance, all riding rapidly, and in the direction where the command under Major Okopa had been left!
“They mean to fight—if they have discovered our force!” ”

“ Confess!” And now several of the Chunchuses drew their swords and made movements as if to run the prisoners through.
“I have nothing, I tell you,” came from Ben. “What are you going to do—murder us in cold blood?”
“And why not? We care nothing for Americans,” returned one of the bandits with a sneer.
“We have not forgotten the attack on Pekin,” added another.
“But I——” began Gilbert, when a yell came from one of the Chunchuses in the rear of the crowd.
“What is it, Hing Chang?”
“The Japanese sharpshooters! The same we met last night!” ”

“ She must always keep some soldiers at home, or there may break out a revolution which will annihilate her.”
“Yes, I know that,” said Gilbert. “Just the same, I hardly think this war is going to end this summer.”
“I am afraid not,” and the Japanese major sighed. “That is Russia’s one hope—that she may wear Japan out. She has so many more people, and her resources are so much greater. But, should Russia win in the end, it will be at a cost that will stagger her and her financiers.” ”

“ SURPRISED BY THE COSSACKS
“Well, here we are at Ping-yang and no sight of the Russians yet.”
“That is true, Ben; but from all accounts the enemy are not far distant,” said Gilbert, who was polishing up his sword, which had become dimmed by dampness.
“I see you are getting ready for a fight.”
“We didn’t come such a long distance as this to play. If I’m going to fight, I’d like to get at it. I hate to grow rusty in a camp, doing nothing.”
“I believe most of the fighting is being done by the warships,” went on Ben, who was resting on a heap of straw. ”

“ Ben’s command was not far away, and both young Americans were fighting almost side by side. It was growing dark, so the enemy could be seen only with difficulty.
“Wonder how long this is going to last?” Gilbert asked himself. “We shall have to call it off pretty soon.”
These thoughts had just crossed his mind, when without previous warning, three Russian soldiers came at him in a bunch.
“There is the American!” shouted one, in his native tongue. “Down with him! Such as he has no right to fight with the Japanese!” ”

“ It was a fight “to the finish,” as Ben afterward expressed it, and every foot of the ground was contested.
“Phew! but this is fighting,” declared Gilbert, after they had been at it for hours. “Talk about getting into close quarters. If we are beaten, we’ll be caught like rats in a trap.”
“But we are not going to be beaten, Gilbert,” answered his chum. “Just listen to that.”
Close at hand a Japanese regiment was fighting desperately. The flags were to the front, and each soldier was yelling “Banzai!” at the top of his lungs. ”

“ Now that Gilbert was about to leave Port Arthur he was anxious to see what he could of the preparations for war, and when he left the furniture shop at dark he did not move directly for Herr Schaumberg’s hotel, but took a circuitous route which brought him near to some of the forts.
That the Russians were doing all in their power to render the port safe against an attack there could be no doubt. Every fort was being strengthened, and from the talk of some soldiers he learned that some hills behind the town were likewise being fortified. ”

“ The only thoroughly cool men on the O-Taka were the captain and the steersman, the latter a salt of many years’ experience. The former issued orders with rapidity, and the steersman obeyed “on the jump.” Then the sailors were ordered to shift one of the sails, and just as the warship was almost upon them, the sailboat sheered off sharply to one side; and the danger was over.
“Well, that was a close shave!” muttered Gilbert. “A little closer and we would have been cut in two as if by a knife!”
For several minutes the sailboat continued to rock in the swells created by the larger vessel. ”

“ For the moment after he was gone neither Gilbert nor Ben spoke. Each looked questioningly at the other.
“Do you think he’ll do as he says?” asked Gilbert, at length.
“I shouldn’t wonder. He is as mad as a hornet.”
“If they find us guilty as spies, they’ll shoot us on the spot.”
“That is true. But can they find us guilty?”
“They can if Captain Barusky cooks up the evidence. The Russian authorities will be only too glad to get rid of two prisoners. Dead men don’t need rations.” ”

“ The wounded were left to take care of themselves, after having been given a few rations and some water.
“Well, this is a turn of affairs I don’t like,” whispered Gilbert to Ben, who was marching beside him.
“Looks as if we were booked for some Russian prison, doesn’t it?”
“That’s it, Ben,—or else some prisoners’ camp, which may be just as bad.”
“Never mind, let us be thankful those drunken Cossacks didn’t have their way and murder us all.”
“They are the toughest set of soldiers I have seen. They must be next door to these Chinese brigands they call Chunchuses.” ”

“ Every mile of the railroad was being closely guarded, so that the Chinese natives, known to be friendly to the Japanese, might not tear up the tracks.
Gilbert knew that there were four forts located at the entrance to the harbor, and he determined to visit these before going to the other strongholds about the city. He understood very well that he would not be permitted inside any of the forts, but thought there would be no objections to his making inquiries about Captain Barusky.
“Those higher in command will certainly want to know what sort of a man he is,” thought Gilbert. ”

“ When the young American finally emerged from the passageway he found himself covered with dust and cobwebs. He was in a small stone room, almost entirely underground. Overhead was a storehouse, and beyond this the water front.
The room was filled with Japanese and Chinese, and back of it was another room containing a number of women and children, including Jiru Siko’s family. It was a foul-smelling place, damp and unwholesome, but to these conditions Gilbert did not pay attention. ”

“ And should we fall afoul of a Russian warship all of us will have to take what comes.”
“I’ve roughed it many times before,” answered Gilbert, with a quiet smile. “As a soldier I served in Cuba, Luzon, and in China.”
“Good! Then you are no stranger to war. I am glad to meet you,” and Captain Toyano shook hands once more. “Jiru Siko tells me they took you for a spy in Port Arthur.” ”

“ But the Japanese batteries had now located the Russian intrenchments, and shells and shrapnel were poured into them, turning them into veritable slaughter pens. But from these same intrenchments the enemy fired steadily on the advancing sons of Nippon, and many a red banner went down in the dust and smoke.
At last Gilbert and Ben found themselves close together once more. The companies were climbing from rock to rock up the long slope, utilizing every shelter as best they could. All around them the battle continued, up and down and across the river. ”

“ It was the “baptism of fire,” as it is called by old soldiers, but the corps stood the shock well. Without wavering it swept along, among the stumps and rocks until the order came to halt and lie down. From this position volley after volley was discharged at the Russian infantry, which was lodged behind a row of trees at the edge of a thick patch of timber.
“They’ve got an advantage over us,” said Gilbert. “Those trees are a great protection.”
“Wait until Koshama’s battery gets here,” answered Major Okopa. “It will make a hornet’s nest of the woods for them.” ”

“ Making a fire was out of the question, and the soldiers, including the officers, had to eat their rations cold.
“There is no fun in being a soldier in such weather as this,” observed Gilbert, as he and Ben crouched under the shelter of a small overhanging rock. “It knocks the glory sky high.”
“Well, we’ve got to take the fat with the lean, as the saying goes, Gilbert. War was never meant to be a parlor play.”
“I wish our command would advance. I’m tired of lying around this vicinity.”
“So am I. But I reckon General Kuroki won’t advance until he gets support from the other armies in the field. ”

“ The last shot was a telling one, and the leopard rolled over and over, snapping and snarling in a furious fashion. Then it leaped up and dragged itself off through the brushwood growling in a fashion which told that its end could not be far off.
At first Gilbert was inclined to let the beast depart. But then he thought the leopard might come back to renew the attack, and leaping into the brushwood, he quickly fired another shot. This pierced the beast’s vitals, and leaping into the air, it fell to the ground, stretched out, and breathed its last. ”

“ And the Japanese smiled knowingly.
“Are you going to take your wife and children along?”
“Wife and chillen go already—Russians no stop women. They meet Jiru Siko on boat—other women, too—men go, you and me, altogether.”
“I’m glad we won’t have the women and children along. It’s going to be no easy matter to get out of the city.”
“I show Master Pennington trick—you watch. Now go sleep—no sleep next night—go on boat, maybe fight.”
“Well, I’m tired enough to go to sleep,” answered Gilbert, and in less than half an hour he was in the land of dreams, despite the dangers which surrounded him. ”

“ What do you think, major?”
“I think so myself,” answered the Japanese major, whose knowledge of English, thanks to Gilbert and Ben, was improving daily. “You must remember, we now have three armies in the field—one under our own general, one under General Oku, and a third [Pg 218] under General Nodzu. I believe that before long the greater portion of the three armies will unite, and then we shall drive General Kuropatkin clear back to Russia.”
“They tell me the Russian commander has an immense force behind him.”
“That may be true. But we have also large armies,—and you know how our men fight.” ”

“ At times the enemy contested the way bitterly, while at others they fell back without making the least show of resistance. As a matter of fact they were too weak to engage in a regular battle, and their one idea in harassing the Japanese was to delay the forward movement of the Mikado’s men, and thus give General Kuropatkin additional time in which to strengthen his position at Liao-Yang.
“This war is getting to be nothing but a series of skirmishes,” said Gilbert one day, as he and Ben tramped along side by side. ”

“ The attack on Tiger Hill had occurred on Saturday, and that night it is safe to say nearly all of the soldiers on both sides were all but exhausted. Gilbert and Ben could scarcely stand, and the same was true of Major Okopa.
“I wonder if we’ll have to fight to-morrow,” said Ben, as they sat eating a very late supper.
“To be sure,” answered Gilbert. “Now we’ve got the Russians on the run it would be most unwise to let them rest.”
[Pg 204]
“It’s wonderful what our men can endure. Even the students seem to have iron constitutions.” ”

“ Then the leader asked them who they were and where they had come from.
“We are Americans and attached to the Japanese army,” answered Gilbert stiffly. “What do you want of us?”
“All you possess,” was the ready return.
“You can have that and welcome, since we have nothing with us.”
At this the brigands scowled and muttered among themselves.
“Search them,” was the reply. “Do it well too. These Americans are sly cats for hiding things.”
Both Gilbert and Ben were made to dismount and were searched with great thoroughness. ”

“ And what was true of the young man who had once been a lieutenant of the United States regulars, was likewise true of his bosom chum, Ben Russell, and their faithful old comrades-in-arms, Carl Stummer and Dan Casey.
At the present writing it is impossible to predict what the outcome of this great war will be. The resources of Russia are tremendous, but that nation has many troubles at home. On the other hand, the sturdy Japanese are fighting with wonderful bravery thinking nothing of facing death at every turn and with a strategy which is as successful as it is astonishing. ”