At the Fall of Port Arthur: or, A Young American in the Japanese Navy

"Admiral Togo wishes you to come to him."

"Oh, Luke, we are going to be presented to the admiral!" cried Larry.

"Great pewter!" groaned the Yankee tar. "I didn't expect this nohow. But I don't care," he added, bracing up. "He ain't no bigger nor Dewey. Come along."

He followed the staff officer and Larry did the same. They felt that the eyes of many of the sailors and marines were on them, and stepped out as firmly as possible. Coming up to the admiral, they took off their caps and saluted.

Admiral Togo surveyed the two Americans with interest. He had heard how they had come to serve under Dewey at Manila and he smiled pleasantly as he held out his hand, first to Larry and then to Luke.

"Let me give you a welcome, my men," said he. "I have been told your story. I hope this visit to my ship has interested you."

"Very much, sir," answered Luke.

"I liked the drill, sir," answered Larry, with a smile. "It was fine. And everything is so clean! Really, I don't think it could be cleaner!"

At this Admiral Togo smiled again. "That is a compliment, – since it comes from one who has served in the American navy."

He then asked them to remain where they were, while some of the men went through an exercise with their cutlasses. There was also a gun drill, and they were asked to show how they had handled a gun during the battle of Manila Bay.

"You are well drilled, I can see that," said the admiral, on dismissing them. "They tell me you think of entering our navy. If you wish to do so I think likely we can find suitable openings for you."

CHAPTER XXI

LETTERS OF INTEREST

The enlistment of Larry and Luke Striker into the Japanese navy came sooner than anticipated. A new warship was being fitted out at a harbor some forty miles from Nagasaki, and Steve Colton and Bob Stanford were transferred to this. Two new gun crews were badly needed on the new ship, and inside of forty-eight hours our friends had signed the muster roll and were put into training, under Colton. The positions occupied were those of gunner and gunner's mate.

"Hurrah for Nippon!" cried Larry, enthusiastically. "Luke, after this we have got to learn to yell Banzai! in true Japanese style."

"This gun is a beauty," replied the Yankee tar, as he looked the piece over. "I reckon as I can make her do considerable damage if I get the chance."

"And I'll help all I can," said Larry. "Won't Ben and Gilbert be surprised when they hear of this?" he added.

"They might know you'd do something of the sort."

"That's so, too. By the way, I'm going up to the post-office to-day and see if there are any letters."

Much to the satisfaction of our friends they found over a score of men on the warship who could speak English. Some, of course, could speak but little, yet they could make themselves understood. On the other hand, both Larry and Luke began to pick up the Japanese language remarkably fast.

"If we keep at this for six months we'll be regular Japanese," said the youth. "It's not so hard as I thought it would be."

They found the discipline on the warship very strict and were called on to "toe the mark" continually. Yet all the officers were as considerate as they were firm, so there was little of hardship.

When Larry called at the post-office for letters he found two good-sized epistles awaiting him. One was from his brother Walter, and ran, in part, as follows:

"There is nothing particularly new in this part of the globe. I am doing very well in my new business and it looks now as if I should make a big thing of it. I rather think I am more cut out for work on land than for life on shipboard, although I don't regret the time I spent in the navy.

"Uncle Job is feeling very well these days and is building a new wing to the old house – going to put in a library of good books he tells me. He is as dear an old chap now as anybody would want for an uncle.

"I suppose you will hear from Ben and Gilbert. I am expecting a letter every day. It's queer you didn't go with them, but I suppose the old Columbia with her crew suits you better."

"I am glad everything is all right at home," thought Larry, as he finished reading the communication. "A new wing to the house, eh? Uncle Job must be spreading himself. Reckon he has found out there is something more to live for in this world than mere money."

The second letter was from Ben, as he could tell by the handwriting. It had been on the way a long time and had been sent to half a dozen places, including Manila. There was a great deal about life in the Japanese army, and also a full description of the capture of Liao-Yang. Ben then continued:

"We are now on guard a few miles outside of the city. Our camp stretches for many miles, and we are doing all in our power to strengthen our position. What the next move will be there is no telling. One report is, that our particular command will help to chase the Russians to Mukden, while another report has it that we are to march southward, to aid in the attempt to take Port Arthur.

"I have already told you what trouble Gilbert had with that rascally Russian merchant, Ivan Snokoff, and with Snokoff's confederate, Captain Barusky, of the Russian army. Well, at Liao-Yang we found Snokoff disguised as a Chinaman, and Gilbert made the fellow pay over all that was coming to him for the Richmond Importing Company. In the attempt to capture Snokoff, Gilbert shot him in the leg. It was only a slight wound, but the Russian was as mad as a hornet, and he vowed he would get square some time. He is now in the hospital here, but they expect to let him leave in a few days. He really ought to be put under arrest, but as he has paid up the money he owed, there doesn't seem to be any way of holding him. It's out of the question to go to court with the case. I helped Gilbert to put Snokoff under guard, and he is as angry at me as he is at Gilbert. I don't know if he will dare to do anything or not, but both of us are keeping our eyes open."

Larry read this letter twice before he stowed it away. He was always interested in war news and he thought the description of the great battle of Liao-Yang very realistic. He shook his curly head when he thought of Ivan Snokoff.

"He must be an underhanded rascal if ever there was one," he mused. "And to think he disguised himself as a Chinaman! I'll wager Gilbert thought it a fine thing to expose him and make him pay up. But he and Ben had better look out, or Snokoff and that Captain Barusky may cause them a lot of trouble."

Larry had an hour to himself, and he spent the time in answering both letters, telling briefly what had happened to him since the trip to Manila and how he and Luke were now in service on board of the Japanese warship Shohirika. He added that he liked the position of gunner's mate very much, and that he meant to make a record for himself if given the opportunity to do so. He also told about the doings of Shamhaven and Peterson, and said he hoped to bring them to justice, although he realized that looking for them was as bad as "looking for a pearl on the ocean bottom."

The letters finished, he addressed and posted them, and then he and Luke took a short stroll through Nagasaki, past the many curious shops, and the fine residences. Some of the shop windows displayed flaring war pictures, done in glaring colors, – all telling of tremendous Japanese victories on land and sea.

"They certainly believe in tooting their own horn," said Larry, with a laugh over one of the pictures. "Just see this one, Luke – one Japanese officer mowing down three Russians with his sword!"

"They ain't no worse nor we had at home during the Spanish war, lad. I know one picture I see o' a Rough Rider riding down half a dozen Spanish soldiers. An' the truth o' the matter is, them Rough Riders didn't have no horses at all but fought on foot!"

"You're right, Luke. We'll have to put all such pictures down as freaks of the artist's imagination. But I guess I know why some of them are put out – to draw the young fellows into the army and navy."

"Right ye are. Some fellers seeing a picture like that want to march to glory right off, – an' so they go an' enlist. When it comes to hardtack an' black coffee – "

"Hold on, Luke. Remember you are in Japan. Here it is rice and tea."

"So it is, Larry. Say, but I had to laugh yesterday, when I see some of them jackies on board o' our ship gettin' out their teapots with tea."

"It did look funny. But they do the same thing in the army, so I have been told. They can make the Japanese soldier and sailor do everything as we do it but give up his tea."

"Well, I reckon tea is better nor rum."

"Certainly it is, – and if I were an officer I'd let them have all the tea they wanted – if they would fight any better for it."

"Those Russian sailors and soldiers drink an awful lot of vodka. I should think they would try to stop that. A half-drunken sailor or soldier isn't of any account."

"They are so used to having it, I've been told, that to stop it would bring on a regular mutiny. It's hard to break off using a thing when you are used to it."

"Right ye are, lad; a habit if it ain't proper is something awful."

All was bustle throughout Nagasaki, for several regiments of soldiers had come in, bound for some transports which were to take them to Manchuria. Banners were flying everywhere, and from a distance came the music of a band.

"Wonder how soon we will leave," said Larry, when he and his old friend were returning to the warship. "Now that we have enlisted, I'd like to see some fighting."

"Maybe we'll get more fighting than we want, lad. But I'd like to get into it myself," continued the Yankee gunner, with a grin.

Two days more were spent at Nagasaki, and then, on a clear morning, the Shohirika left the harbor and steamed off in company with two sister ships. They were to join a squadron bound for the western coast of Korea, but where they were to go after that there was no telling.