Read Ebook: A United States Midshipman in China by Stirling Yates Boyer Ralph L Ralph Ludwig Illustrator

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Ebook has 1109 lines and 49086 words, and 23 pages

The foreign officer felt the muzzle of Phil's revolver prodding between his shoulder-blades, close to his heart, and read the determination in the American's voice.

"Encourage your men to follow us," the midshipman cried as the officer moved forward uncertainly.

"Forward! Charge!" the officer ordered in a voice becoming bolder with excitement as he saw there was nothing left him but to obey.

The startled sailors recoiled in surprise, muttering incoherently to themselves, and then seeing their officer advance on a trot toward the enemy's trenches, they turned, at first fearfully, then gaining courage, impetuously, and charged straight toward the source of the leaden stream.

A quarter of an hour later, Phil stood beside Commander Hughes in the trenches of the enemy, while the victorious sailors were following doggedly the retreating rebels. Langdon stood close by guarding a prisoner; within the pilot's huge fist was clutched the Chinaman's snake-like cue, while he eagerly questioned the terrified man in Chinese. The others waited impatiently to hear what intelligence could be extracted from the much frightened Oriental.

"I impressed upon him that if he did not tell me the truth that I would kill him," the pilot exclaimed hurriedly; "he sticks to his story that to-night they are going to attack the big mission on the graveyard hills."

"We've but half succeeded," Commander Hughes exclaimed, the lines in his face growing deeper from anxiety. "We've scattered the outlaws here with heavy loss," the dead bodies almost filling the deep trenches speaking eloquently that fact, "but we must push forward at once to relieve our mission. I cannot sleep another night until those innocent non-combatants have been rescued. My men are even secondary," he added forcefully; "it is their duty and privilege to die in the cause of humanity."

"We cannot hope to succeed without opposition," Langdon said; "but before the news of our fight here arouses the viceroy to action against us, we should relieve the mission, bringing everybody here where we can protect them. It is but a two-hour march and is but the natural sequence to the attack we have made."

"Quite so," Commander Hughes agreed hopefully. "Langdon," he added in a sad voice, "you don't know what it is to rule a dozen different nationalities. It is a wonder we can accomplish anything." Then he turned to Phil, who had listened eagerly, his young face full of concern. "Recall the sailors," he ordered.

After the men had been ordered back from their excited pursuit of the fleeing Chinese and had fallen into military order in rear of the captured trenches, the American commander gathered the senior officers of each nationality about him to urge upon them the necessity of prompt action to relieve the threatened mission.

Phil started, the hot blood suffusing his face, as he saw with sinking heart the rank of the foreigner whom he had humiliated before his own men. Three heavy gold stripes on the officer's sleeve told him the rank was that of commander, equal to that of his own captain. This cowardly officer was then in command of one of the foreign gunboats, but why had he not seen him before at the councils of the allies on board the "Phoenix"? Was this Captain Ignacio of the "Albaque," who had each time pleaded sickness and sent a young officer to represent him?

Further speculation upon this perplexing situation was cut short by Commander Hughes' forceful talk to the allies. All listened intently; the well-modulated, clear voice of the American held his listeners spellbound with attention, but many of the foreigners showed in their faces only too plainly that they already feared the displeasure of their governments for having followed the lead of this strenuous American commander. Was it not an American mission, guarded by American sailors? Then why should not the Americans rescue their own people? The officer who had felt the cold chill of Phil's revolver was loudest in his condemnation of further attacks; his arguments were so cleverly worded that he soon won over to his side the timid ones. The British captain alone stood by the American in his endeavors to persuade his brother captains that their one chance of helping the missionaries was to vigorously pursue the advantage already gained.

"We've not forgotten Tatnall's 'Blood is thicker than water,'" the British commander exclaimed as Commander Hughes wrung his hand warmly, in eloquent silence.

"We must abide by the decision of the majority," Commander Hughes said sorrowfully. "I dare not think what will happen to those within the mission if my men cannot withstand the attack." Then he turned flashing eyes upon the group of hesitating foreigners.

"What do you propose?" he questioned, controlling the anger and humiliation in his voice with some difficulty.

Phil saw the officer whom he had recently humbled before his men cast a knowing look at several of his co-conspirators, and then heard him boldly voice his plan.

"My compatriots," he began, "believe that this useless killing of Chinese is harming our country's interests. We have decided that we should send a flag of truce to the viceroy to request him to use his own soldiers to fight these Chinese rebels."

"A flag of truce!" cried Commander Hughes, in eloquent disdain. "How will the viceroy answer us? Probably by throwing the lifeless carcasses of our emissaries on the sand for the dogs to feed upon."

Commander Ignacio flinched before the menacing disgust in the American's face, but he held stolidly to his point, while all of the allies, with the single exception of Commander Buresford, echoed the foreigner's proposal.

Commander Ignacio craftily refused to allow the point to be discussed; he feared the persuasive powers of the earnest and loyal American.

"We have decided that question," he replied quickly, an ugly leer on his face. "Now our business is to select those to go to the viceroy."

Commander Hughes was about to suggest that this foolhardy foreigner should be chosen, and was on the point of refusing to risk the lives of his own officers in such a dangerous undertaking, when to his surprise the name of Ignacio was voiced by the combined council.

Phil glanced closely at the foreigner. The lad had heard his captain's views of the possible fate of the flag of truce. Would Commander Ignacio accept the dangerous post?

It seemed plain from Commander Ignacio's face that the detail was not to his liking, but in his successful attempts to overrule the plans of the American, he had become the avowed leader of those in opposition to the Anglo-Saxon policy of quick action. Phil was eager to accompany the flag of truce, but to serve under Ignacio was indeed disquieting. The midshipman could see that his captain was taken unawares by the acceptance of Ignacio to lead the dangerous mission. Knowing the Chinese as he did, he honestly believed they would go to their death.

The selection of the other members of the embassy was unanimously left to the decision of their leader, Commander Hughes.

"As my country is the most interested," the American declared, "I shall select my own officers." Then turning to the midshipmen standing near, Sydney having left his company of sailors to satisfy his eager curiosity, "Mr. Perry," the American commander said in a low voice, "you have shown yourself worthy of this trust. I shall send you, Mr. Monroe and Langdon. I hope and pray that no harm will come to you."

Phil could scarcely believe his ears. He, a midshipman, selected for such an important duty!

Commander Hughes then again addressed the foreign commanders.

"Gentlemen," he said in a firm voice, "I do not count on the success of this flag of truce. If it fails we shall be forced to attack the forts with our unarmored vessels. However, the decision is final. My orders are that the embassy be sent without a moment's delay. We shall remain here until our friends return."

Then, dismissing the allies, he took Langdon's arm and walked toward the American sailors.

"If I only had five hundred American sailors," he declared hotly, "I would throw over these half-hearted allies and march to the relief of the mission. But with this mere handful, failure would be assured." Then he beckoned the midshipmen to him. "Langdon, you and these young men must uphold the dignity of our country. You, Langdon, must speak directly to the viceroy. Impress upon him that I am in deadly earnest. If he harms the American mission I shall not rest until his city is laid in ashes. I shall destroy his arsenals and foundries. The forts will not be able to resist the attack of the American monitors, which should soon arrive."

"The monitors!" Langdon exclaimed. "Are they coming?"

"I wish I could believe it," Commander Hughes replied sorrowfully. "But we must make the viceroy believe that we are hourly expecting them. He fears an American monitor, and the thought that they are coming may act in our favor."

Preparations went forward rapidly, and inside of half an hour, Commander Ignacio led his small party out of the allied camp.

Carrying a large white flag conspicuously displayed, the four emissaries, with an escort of eight sailors, four from the "Phoenix" and four from the foreigner's own gunboat, gained the road leading toward the city of Ku-Ling. Unencumbered with all save their firearms, which were carried for protection against the marauding bands of outlaws, the seven miles were quickly covered, and in less than two hours the city gate loomed before them.

Approaching the city wall, Phil saw that there was great commotion at the gate; soldiers ran hither and thither, and before the flag of truce had arrived near the stagnant water of the moat, there was a noisy clanking of rusty chain, the drawbridge was suddenly raised, and the ponderous gates tightly shut.

The midshipmen, in spite of the precariousness of their position, could scarcely suppress a smile of gratification: this act alone spoke volumes; what must these Asiatics think of the prowess of the foreigners if they feared an attack from a dozen men?

IGNACIO SHOWS HIS HAND

As the drawbridge clanked upward, and the soldiers disappeared hastily behind the closing gates, Commander Ignacio, glancing nervously at Langdon, brought his party to a stop.

"You know the customs of these people; what shall we do?" he exclaimed anxiously, betraying that with all his vain boasting before his confr?res he depended upon the American pilot to give him courage to act.

"They have raised the drawbridge until the viceroy can be notified," Langdon answered calmly; "I don't consider we are in much danger; of course the Chinese never do what might be expected of them. If they opened fire now we couldn't escape," he added, casting a swift glance of disdain at the nervous officer and giving the midshipmen a covert wink; "so we might as well put on a bold front." Suiting his action to his words, he threw himself down on the ground, as if he intended to be comfortable while the viceroy indulged himself in his Oriental diplomacy of wearing out the patience of those who wished to treat with him.

Over an hour passed anxiously for the foreigners; conversation was fragmentary and pointless. Under the eyes and within close range of a semi-civilized enemy, who might refuse to recognize a flag of truce, their position was not calculated to inspire confidence. Then the drawbridge creaked slowly down, and a gorgeously dressed official advanced through the opened gate, preceded by a white flag and followed by an armed guard of soldiers.

Commander Ignacio and his party rose hastily to meet them.

After the elaborate Chinese ceremony of greeting had been concluded, the mandarin turned to Commander Ignacio, and inquired his mission.

"We have come to see the viceroy," Ignacio replied in English, for the Chinaman was no other than the interpreter, whom Phil had seen so discomfited the day before.

With a nod of approval, the mandarin beckoned that all should follow, and led the way across the drawbridge and into the ill-smelling city.

The emissaries and their guards passed at a rapid pace through the narrow and dirty streets; the curious inmates of the walled city kept at a respectful distance, their faces expressing wonder rather than hatred.

Phil, noticing the change in their demeanor from the day before, called it to Langdon's attention.

"Yes," the pilot assured him, "it's a good sign; the will of the mandarins is always reflected in the faces of the lower classes. They hate us just as much as ever, but the brisk work at Lien-Chow has shown them that we are able to carry out our threats."

Upon their arrival at the yamen, the viceroy received the foreigners at the second door, one door nearer the entrance than where he had received Commander Hughes. This did not fail to impress the visitors. After all, was Chang-Li-Hun prepared to make terms?

The viceroy was accompanied by the same mandarins whom Phil had seen the day before, and in contrast to their master's sphinx-like face their features betrayed the apprehension which they doubtless felt.

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