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CHAPTER IX
CLOSE TO A WATERSPOUT

It was decided to leave the mutineers in the hold undisturbed until morning. This done, those who had been hurt in the scrimmage had their wounds attended to, and then Jeff was set to work to prepare a good meal for all the loyal party. The galley was in a state of disorder, but this counted for nothing, and Jeff soon had matters straightened out.

After so much excitement nobody thought of retiring. Luke was stationed over the fore hatch, to give warning of any attempt on the part of the mutineers to regain their liberty. He was armed and he threatened to "blow the hull head off" of anybody who dared to show himself or make a noise. As a consequence the mutineers did nothing. Two made their way to the nailed-up door, but finding they could not open it, gave up the attempt as a bad job.

As a punishment for his misdeeds Conroy was kept at the wheel during the whole of the night. He was willing enough to do the extra work if only the captain would forgive him for his actions. The master of the ship questioned him closely, and in the end reached the conclusion that only Semmel, Peterson, and Shamhaven were the leaders in the attempt to seize the ship and that the others had followed after them like so many sheep.

"I am glad to hear this," he said to Grandon and Larry. "I think after I read them a strong lecture they'll behave themselves."

"But we shall have to watch 'em closely," said the first mate.

"What will you do with Semmel, Peterson, and Shamhaven?" asked Larry.

"Put them in irons and keep them there until the end of the trip. When we reach Nagasaki they can take their choice of leaving or of being kicked off the ship. If they raise a row I'll hand them over to the authorities."

"You ought to have them locked up."

"True, lad; but with this war on hand the courts won't want to bother with such a case."

It was not until nine o'clock in the morning that Captain Ponsberry had the forward hatch raised once more. Those below were almost dying for fresh air and water.

"I want Wilbur to come up," he said.

"Can't we have some water?" demanded Shamhaven.

"Yes, if you'll behave yourselves," was the short answer.

There was a babble of voices, but the master of the ship paid no attention. Each man who had been thrown below was unarmed, so there was no danger of any shooting. Presently Wilbur came up the rope ladder thrown to him, looking sheepish enough.

"What have you to say for yourself?" demanded the captain, when Wilbur threw himself on his knees.

"Don't count it against me, cap'!" he groaned. "I didn't want to go into it, I tell you! I didn't want to go in!"

"If I forgive you, will you give me your word to behave yourself?"

"Yes, sir!"

"You won't do any more underhanded work?"

"You can shoot me if I do, captain."

"Very well; I'll remember that. Now go forward and help put the ship in good order. Larry, set him to work, and see that he does just what you tell him." And Wilbur went off, with the young second mate following, thanking his stars that he had not been swung to the yardarm, for mutiny on the high seas is a capital offense.

One by one the mutineers were allowed to come on deck, until only Semmel, Peterson, and Shamhaven remained below. Those to come up pleaded to be forgiven and promised to obey orders in the future and let the captain run the ship to suit himself.

During the night, Groot had had a bitter quarrel with Semmel, and the Russian appeared presently with a black eye and two of his front teeth loose. He was promptly put in irons, and the handcuffing of Peterson and Shamhaven followed.

"I have allowed the other men their liberty because you three led them into this affair," said Captain Ponsberry to the trio of rascals. "I intend to keep you in irons until the end of the trip."

At this there was a loud complaint, and the three made all manner of protestations, but the master of the Columbia was obdurate, and at last threatened to throw them into the hold again. This quieted them for the time being, and after being given a square meal and a drink of water, they were marched off to the brig, which was cleaned of everything else for their accommodation.

Fortunately for the Columbia the weather remained fair, so that the loss of the prisoners was not felt when it came to handling the schooner. Those who had mutinied were only too glad to get back into Captain Ponsberry's good graces and they did whatever was required with an alacrity which was as astonishing as it was gratifying. They ate whatever was set before them, and soon reached the conclusion that the food was really better than they deserved.

"We were fools to follow Semmel," said Wilbur; and Conroy and some others fully agreed with him.

But though it now looked as if the men could be trusted, Captain Ponsberry determined to keep his eyes on them. Vincent was placed at the head of one watch and Luke at the head of the other, so that, with one or the other of the mates, the deck was always guarded by at least two persons that could be depended upon.

The captain had hoped for favorable breezes following the heavy storm, but these did not come, and day after day passed with the old Columbia making slow progress toward Nagasaki. Formosa was passed during a bit of thick weather, so that nothing was seen of that island. Then the sun came out again, hotter than ever, so that Larry was glad to keep in the shade as much as possible.

"It's not so exciting as it was a few days ago," remarked Luke to Larry one day, when both were seated in the shade of the forecastle.

"I am glad that mutiny is at an end," answered Larry. "It's a great wonder that somebody wasn't killed or seriously wounded."

"The men didn't have their hearts in the rumpus, thet's why, Larry. If they had really meant business – well, I reckon some of us wouldn't be here now to tell the tale."

"I think Semmel meant business."

"Yes, he's a heap sight worse nor any o' the others."

"It was a mistake to take him on board. I tell you, a captain can't be too careful who he puts in his forecastle."

"Well, you know the reason – those other hands gettin' sick at Manila. But I can tell you, I'd rather have a crew of Americans any day."

"They are hard to get."

"True fer you." The old Yankee tar heaved a sigh. "The old days are gone, sure enough. My! my! what times we used to have, when we'd go out, every man a-knowin' every other man on the ship, an' all about him, too! Then it was like a big family settin' sail. Now, if you go on a new ship ye don't know nobody an' nobody knows nobody else."

"I guess you expect to live and die a sailor, don't you, Luke?"

"Don't know but what I do, unless somebody leaves me money enough to live like a millionaire," and the old tar grinned.

Day after day passed and the Columbia kept on her course, making as straight a passage for Nagasaki as possible. One day there would be a fair breeze and the next a dead calm.

"This is unusual weather for this quarter of the globe," said Captain Ponsberry to Larry. "Like as not it will end in another hurricane."

"In that case what will you do, release Semmel and the others?"

"I may release Peterson and Shamhaven, but not Semmel, for he was the real ringleader."

There were strong signs of a storm in the air that night, but they brought forth nothing, and on the following morning the sun came up as full and bright as before. The breeze came by fits and starts, from first one direction and then another, and the man at the wheel had all he could do to keep the schooner to her course. Sails were shifted half a dozen times, but without making any improvement.

"The weather is certainly queer," said Grandon. "Puts me in mind of the time I was caught in a tidal wave in the South Seas. Before the wave struck us we had just such cuttings-up."

"I trust we don't strike a tidal wave," answered Larry. "If it was high enough it might swamp us."

"True; but when you're on the deep blue sea, lad, you've got to take whatever comes," replied the first mate, solemnly.

Dinner was a quiet affair for all on board, and shortly after the repast Larry went to the forward deck, to have another chat with Luke. While the two were talking they were joined by Captain Ponsberry; and soon the three were conversing about old times once more.

"Do you remember the swim we once took in the Pacific?" said Larry to Luke. "The time the sawfish smashed the boat and came after us?"

"Reckon I do," was the Yankee tar's response. "We had a lively swim fer it, didn't we?"

"And the time we visited the island and you turned the turtles?" went on Larry. "And do you remember that snake that chased us into the water?"

"I do, Larry. Tell you what, we've had our share of adventures. When Admiral Dewey – What is it, captain?"

Luke broke off short and looked at Captain Ponsberry inquiringly. The master of the Columbia was gazing over the port bow in an earnest, puzzled fashion.

"Do you see that little black cloud, Striker?"

"I do, sir!" And now Luke became all attention and so did Larry. "Kind o' funny lookin', ain't it?"

"It is odd," answered the captain. "Do you see how it seems to be dancing around in the sky?"

"Is it a cloud?" questioned Larry. "If so, I never saw its like before."

"I'll take a look at it through my glass," went on the captain, and sent a sailor for the article.

The cloud came swiftly closer and they heard a most unusual roaring and hissing. Then of a sudden the cloud seemed to dip down into the sea. When it came up, the waters of the ocean followed, and there loomed up before those on the ship a waterspout ten or fifteen feet thick.

"A waterspout!" cried half a dozen in concert.

"And a mighty powerful one, too," said the captain. "I trust it don't come this way."

"It is coming this way!" yelled Larry. "Look! look!"

The young second mate was right, the waterspout appeared to be headed directly for the schooner. But then it shot off to the westward, churning the water into a foam behind it.

"It's going away," murmured Luke, when once more the waterspout made a curve and then shot directly toward them. It was off the port bow and less than a hundred feet away. It looked as if the old Columbia was surely doomed!

CHAPTER X
SOMETHING ABOUT WAR AND FIGHTING SHIPS

"It's going to strike the ship!"

"It will cut us to pieces!"

"Throw the schooner over on the other tack!"

These and several other cries rang out on the deck of the Columbia. All felt their hearts come up into their throats as the roaring, swirling mass of water came closer and closer, until the spray drenched them completely. The ocean was churned into a white foam and the wind seemed to suck and blow in all directions at once.

But, just as it looked as if the schooner would be buried beneath a veritable mountain of water, the waterspout took another curve and slid away, along the side of the ship and off the stern. The man at the wheel came close to being carried overboard by the deluge he received and the Columbia bobbed up and down like a cork. But in another moment the waterspout was an eighth of a mile distant.

"What a – a narrow escape," faltered Larry, when he felt able to speak. "I thought we were bound for the bottom sure!"

"Thet's the closest I ever was to any waterspout," came from Luke, as he wiped his wet brow. "Reckon we can thank Providence we ain't in Davy Jones' locker this minit!"

Captain Ponsberry did not say much, but kept his eyes fixed on the waterspout, which was making fantastic curves across the bosom of the Pacific. At times it was close by and then it would go half a mile or more away. It was a fascinating scene, full of dread, and gave more than one onlooker a chill down his backbone.

"I wish it would go away completely," went on Larry.

But this was not to be. The waterspout kept within sight for a good half-hour, although it did not come near them again. At last it grew less and less, off to the southwestward, and finally vanished altogether. The glass was used in that direction, but nothing save a clear horizon could be located.

"We are clear of it at last," said Captain Ponsberry, and breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Waterspouts are mighty dangerous things," said Grandon, after the scare was over. "When I was on board of the brig Ben Franklin we ran into a spout off the coast of Brazil, and it knocked off the bow and the forward rail and nearly sank us."

"I met one once, off the coast of Cuba," said the captain. "That went ashore and tore up the trees like so many weeds for a hundred feet around. A waterspout is nothing to be fooled with, I can tell you."

On the day following the appearance of the waterspout the weather changed. There was a slight storm and then a stiff breeze sprang up which was cheering to all on board. Every stitch of canvas on the Columbia was spread and the schooner bowled along right merrily.

"I'd like to know how this war is going on, and how Ben and Gilbert are faring," said Larry to Captain Ponsberry. "A whole lot may have happened since we left Manila."

"Well, you'll probably get word from your brother when you reach Nagasaki, lad; and we'll get word from Captain Pennington, too."

"I hope neither of them has been wounded."

"So do I; but when one goes to the front he has got to put up with the fortunes of war. Being a soldier of fortune, as it is called, is no baby business."

"Do you suppose the Japs are continuing to bombard Port Arthur?"

"More than likely – if the place hasn't fallen into their hands. They want to make sure of their footing in lower Manchuria, and they can never do that so long as the Russians hold a single seaport down there."

"I suppose Russia has a pretty good-sized navy as well as an army?"

"Yes, Larry, one of the largest navies in the world. But their fighting ships are no better than the ships of Japan. You see, the Japanese navy is not near as old as the navy of Russia. Almost all of the ships are of the up-to-date types. Most of them have been built since the war between Japan and China in 1894 and 1895."

"That would make them only about ten years old."

"Exactly, and I've been told that some of the ships in the Russian navy are twenty and thirty years old. More than this, all of the Japanese guns are of the latest pattern – just as they are on our new warships."

"I'd like to go aboard of a Japanese warship," cried the young second mate, enthusiastically.

"Want to see if it's as good as it was aboard of the Olympia, eh?"

"Yes, sir. Of course the Olympia was old, especially alongside of the Brooklyn, on which my brother Walter served in Cuban waters, but even so she was a bang-up fighting machine. If she hadn't been she wouldn't have done her share in sinking that Spanish fleet in Manila Bay."

"Well, you may have a chance to go aboard of a Japanese ship while we stop at Nagasaki. There must be a number of them at that port, coaling up and taking war supplies aboard."

"How long do you think it will be before we reach that port?"

"That will depend entirely upon the wind, as you know. If we get just what we need we may reach there inside of four or five days," answered Captain Ponsberry.

As Peterson and Shamhaven were now behaving themselves they were allowed to come out of the brig and do some work on the deck every morning and afternoon. Both begged the captain to forgive them, but the master of the Columbia would promise nothing.

"You went into this with your eyes wide open," he said. "Now you can line up and take your medicine."

Semmel was exceedingly bitter at not being allowed his liberty for at least a few hours a day and said he would denounce the captain at the first opportunity. But Captain Ponsberry soon cut him short.

"You keep a civil tongue in your head," he said, sternly. "Unless you do, I'll put you down on hard-tack and water." And thereupon Semmel became sullenly silent.

Towards evening of the day upon which Larry had the conversation about warships with Captain Ponsberry a Chinese junk, heavily laden with grass-covered boxes, was passed. Nobody on board could speak English, so the hail that was sent over the water brought no results.

"We are getting closer to the coast shipping," said the master of the Columbia. "I suppose we'll meet quite a few vessels from now on."

During the night an unexpected gale came up and the schooner was blown far out of her course. The gale came from the westward, so the vessel was blown to the east.

"This will make the trip a day or two longer," grumbled Grandon, after the gale had spent itself.

"Yes, but as we didn't lose a spar or a rag of canvas we can be thankful that it is no worse," responded Larry, who was always ready to look on the bright side.

The gale subsided after a blow of twenty-four hours and then the bow of the Columbia was once more set towards her destination. Only a few knots had been covered when the lookout reported a vessel in sight.

"It's a steamer!" cried Larry, for the smoke from the craft's funnels was plainly to be seen.

"Maybe she's a warship," returned Tom Grandon, who was beside him. "If so, I hope she's a Japanese."

The steamer was coming along at a good rate of speed and soon they made her out to be a British vessel. She was a "tramp," that is, a vessel going from port to port, picking up whatever cargo can be found.

"Ahoy, there!" cried Captain Ponsberry, as the tramp slowed up. "What ship is that?"

"The Lord Duffield," was the answer. "What ship is that?"

"The Columbia."

"Where are you bound?"

"For Nagasaki. And you?"

"For Hong-Kong."

A little more talk followed, and the captain of the Lord Duffield vouchsafed the information that he had sighted a Russian warship the day before.

"A warship!" murmured Larry.

"Which way was she bound?" asked Captain Ponsberry, anxiously.

"I can't tell you. She stopped us and asked a few questions and then slipped away in the darkness."

"What warship was she?"

"The Pocastra, from Vladivostok. I think she used to be in the merchant service and was built over for the navy."

The captain of the British steamer could give no further information, and so resumed his course, and the master of the Columbia did likewise.

"Ain't very nice news, is it?" said Tom Grandon.

"It's very unpleasant news," returned Captain Ponsberry, with a shrug of his shoulders.

"What are you going to do about it?"

"What can we do, Tom? Trust to luck that we get into Nagasaki harbor, or some other port, in safety."

"We'll have to keep a sharp lookout for anything that looks like a warship, unless, of course, she flies a Japanese flag."

Word was passed around to those who could be trusted, and all day long one of the mates and a foremast hand were kept on the lookout, taking turns at looking through the best glass the schooner possessed.

"This is almost as exciting as being in a war," said Larry, when he was on duty with Luke. "Don't you know how we looked for the Spanish ships?"

"Yes, lad; but if we sight a Russian warship it will be small fighting we'll do, to my way of thinking."

"Oh, we won't be able to fight at all. We'll simply have to rely on our wits to keep us out of being gobbled up as a prize of war," responded the young second mate.

CHAPTER XI
AN ORDER TO LAY-TO

When taking on his cargo at Manila, Captain Ponsberry had considered the possibility of being captured by a Russian warship, and had talked the matter over with the agents of the Richmond Importing Company and with a Japanese official who was doing business on the sly in the Philippines.

The Japanese Government was willing to pay for the cargo, whether it was delivered or not – presuming it was "gobbled up" by the Russians, but was not willing to pay for the ship if the vessel was taken as a prize of war.

"That is a risk you must take yourself," said the Japanese official. "We are willing to pay a high price for the cargo – we cannot do more." And so the risk – so far as the schooner went – was divided equally between the Richmond Importing Company and Captain Ponsberry and the other owners of the Columbia.

As nearly the captain's whole wealth was tied up in his share of the schooner, he was naturally anxious to make a safe trip, and he often came on deck to aid the lookouts in watching for the possible appearance of an enemy.

"If you see the least thing that looks suspicious, tell me at once," was his order, and it was strictly obeyed. As a consequence they ran away from two steamers that afternoon and another steamer the next morning – all too far off to show exactly what they were.

"This isn't bringing us much nearer to port," said Larry to Cal Vincent, who was using the glass at the time. "I don't believe we have made a dozen knots since yesterday."

"Well, the old man is a bit nervous," responded the boatswain, in a low voice. "And I don't blame him. It's no small matter to lose your craft and be thrown into prison in the bargain."

"Would they dare to throw us into prison?"

"To be sure, – if they could prove that we were aiding the Japs."

"Well, they'll have hard work proving that."

An hour went by and it began to grow misty. Then came a call from the bow.

"Sail in sight!"

"What is it?" demanded the captain instantly.

"A big steamer o' some sort."

Captain Ponsberry ran forward and took the glass. For fully two minutes he did not speak and then he drew a long breath and put down the glass.

"I'm afraid she's a warship," he exclaimed, and his voice sounded unnatural.

"A warship!" echoed Larry. "Will you let me look?"

He did so, and it was not long before he could make out the approaching craft quite clearly.

"Well?" demanded Grandon, who knew that Larry's eyes were unusually strong.

"I reckon the captain is right."

"A warship?"

"Yes, not a very large affair, but still a warship. I shouldn't be surprised if she was the converted vessel the Lord Duffield sighted."

"Just what I think," put in Captain Ponsberry. "We've got to do our best to show her a clean pair of heels."

"The mist may help us to run away," suggested Grandon.

"Let us hope so."

Necessary orders were given, and soon the Columbia swung around on another tack, so that she had the large vessel on her starboard quarter. But this movement was evidently noted by the stranger, and the latter headed directly for the schooner once more.

"She is after us, that is positive," said Captain Ponsberry.

"There is a bank of mist over to the northward," returned Larry. "Why not run into that?"

"Well spoken, lad; we'll do it, and as soon as the mist hides us we can go over on the other tack and throw her off the scent."

The mist the young second mate had mentioned was nearly a quarter of a mile away and it was a question whether they could reach it before the stranger came up. But fortune favored those on the schooner. The mist rolled toward them, and in less than two minutes they were hidden as completely as could be desired.

"Now to get entirely out of the way," exclaimed Captain Ponsberry, and lost not a moment in having the sails shifted and a new course set. Through the mist they heard the other vessel steaming around noisily and did their best to keep as far away as possible from the sound.

All during that evening and the night to follow the Columbia kept to her new course. This was taking her away from Nagasaki, but this could not be helped. The captain said if it became absolutely necessary he would run into some other Japanese port.

When daybreak came the mist was as thick as ever. But there were signs that it would not last much longer, and by nine o'clock the sun was struggling to come through the clouds. Nearly everybody was on deck, for they realized that a fatal moment might be at hand.

"There she is!"

The cry came from half a dozen throats simultaneously. There, on the port bow, loomed up the stranger, not an eighth of a mile away. That she was a warship there was no longer any doubt, for her forward guns were plainly to be seen.

"We're caught now!" muttered Tom Grandon.

"Not yet!" cried the captain, and gave orders to throw the Columbia over on a new course. But scarcely had this movement been made when there was a puff of smoke from the warship, a report, and a shot flew in front of the schooner's bow.

"There's our order to lay-to!" ejaculated Larry. "Whoever she is, she means business."

As the Columbia did not stop, another shot was fired, this time just grazing the bow. Seeing there was no help for it, Captain Ponsberry gave the necessary orders, and down came one sail after another.

As this was done the warship swung around and then those on the schooner saw that she flew the flag of Russia.

"A Russian warship!" ejaculated half a dozen.

"This looks to me as if the jig was up," murmured Tom Grandon.

As quickly as it could be done, Captain Ponsberry assembled his men on deck.

"Men," he said, briefly, "the officers on board of that warship wish to find out what they can about us. If you are asked questions say nothing more than that you shipped for the voyage to Nagasaki and San Francisco, and that you know nothing about the cargo. Do you understand?"

"Aye, aye, sir," came from those who were listening.

"I must depend upon you to help save the ship. If the Columbia is suspected of being in the employ of the Japanese Government, or of carrying a cargo for that nation, she will be taken as a prize of war and we'll go to a Russian prison most likely."

"I don't want to go to no Russian prison!" cried out Wilbur, his face turning pale. "I ain't done nothing wrong!"

"Then keep your tongue from wagging too much, Wilbur," answered the master of the schooner, grimly.

"There ain't no use o' fighting, is there?" asked Groot.

"Fighting?" came from Tom Grandon. "What could the old Columbia do against a man-o'-war? Why, they'd blow us sky high in no time!"

"No, there is absolutely no use of attempting to fight," answered Captain Ponsberry. "Our only hope lays in convincing them that they have no right to stop us."

The hands were dismissed and sent forward, and Captain Ponsberry hurried below, to burn certain papers and secrete others. This was in accordance with the orders received from the agents of the Richmond Importing Company at Manila.

In the meantime the Russian warship had come to a stop in mid-ocean and now a small boat was lowered, containing a small crew, a coxswain, and a Russian naval officer. At the same time a signal was hoisted which meant that the officer was coming on board of the schooner.

"Unless I miss my guess, this looks rather black for us," said Larry, to Tom Grandon.

"I agree with you, Larry," responded the first mate. "But we've got to take our medicine, no matter how bitter it is."

"If only that mist had held on to-day! We might have slipped by that warship nicely."

"I only hope the old man fixes up his papers so that he can show a clean bill of health," went on Grandon. "You see, if they can't actually prove something against us, they won't dare to touch us. They know what Old Glory means, and Russia has no desire just now to get into trouble with Uncle Sam."

"The worst of it is, our cargo may look too suspicious to them. Under ordinary circumstances they know that the Columbia wouldn't be carrying such a line of goods in these waters."

"That's true, too."

"Besides that, they may have had an agent at Nagasaki and at Manila spying on us. They may know just what is being done. The Czar's followers are mighty slick, I can tell you."

Captain Ponsberry now came on deck and gave quick orders that the sailors should be lined up, to receive the visitor in a befitting manner.

"A little goose grease may help," he drawled, with a knowing glance at Grandon and Larry.

The foremast hands did not know much about lining up, but took the places assigned to them, on the forward deck. Over the side a rope ladder was thrown, and then Captain Ponsberry, Tom Grandon, and Larry awaited the arrival of the Russian naval officer with keen interest.