CHAPTER XI
AN ORDER TO LAY-TO
When taking on his cargo at Manila, Captain Ponsberry had considered thepossibility of being captured by a Russian warship, and had talked thematter over with the agents of the Richmond Importing Company and with aJapanese official who was doing business on the sly in the Philippines.
The Japanese Government was willing to pay for the cargo, whether it wasdelivered or not--presuming it was "gobbled up" by the Russians, but wasnot willing to pay for the ship if the vessel was taken as a prize ofwar.
"That is a risk you must take yourself," said the Japanese official. "Weare willing to pay a high price for the cargo--we cannot do more." Andso the risk--so far as the schooner went--was divided equally betweenthe Richmond Importing Company and Captain Ponsberry and the otherowners of the _Columbia_.
As nearly the captain's whole wealth was tied up in his share of theschooner, he was naturally anxious to make a safe trip, and he oftencame on deck to aid the lookouts in watching for the possible appearanceof an enemy.
"If you see the least thing that looks suspicious, tell me at once," washis order, and it was strictly obeyed. As a consequence they ran awayfrom two steamers that afternoon and another steamer the nextmorning--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 adozen knots since yesterday."
"Well, the old man is a bit nervous," responded the boatswain, in a lowvoice. "And I don't blame him. It's no small matter to lose your craftand 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 thebow.
"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 minuteshe 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 soundedunnatural.
"A warship!" echoed Larry. "Will you let me look?"
He did so, and it was not long before he could make out the approachingcraft quite clearly.
"Well?" demanded Grandon, who knew that Larry's eyes were unusuallystrong.
"I reckon the captain is right."
"A warship?"
"Yes, not a very large affair, but still a warship. I shouldn't besurprised if she was the converted vessel the _Lord Duffield_ sighted."
"Just what I think," put in Captain Ponsberry. "We've got to do our bestto 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 onanother tack, so that she had the large vessel on her starboard quarter.But this movement was evidently noted by the stranger, and the latterheaded 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. "Whynot run into that?"
"Well spoken, lad; we'll do it, and as soon as the mist hides us we cango over on the other tack and throw her off the scent."
The mist the young second mate had mentioned was nearly a quarter of amile away and it was a question whether they could reach it before thestranger came up. But fortune favored those on the schooner. The mistrolled toward them, and in less than two minutes they were hidden ascompletely as could be desired.
"Now to get entirely out of the way," exclaimed Captain Ponsberry, andlost not a moment in having the sails shifted and a new course set.Through the mist they heard the other vessel steaming around noisily anddid their best to keep as far away as possible from the sound.
All during that evening and the night to follow the _Columbia_ kept toher new course. This was taking her away from Nagasaki, but this couldnot be helped. The captain said if it became absolutely necessary hewould run into some other Japanese port.
When daybreak came the mist was as thick as ever. But there were signsthat it would not last much longer, and by nine o'clock the sun wasstruggling to come through the clouds. Nearly everybody was on deck, forthey realized that a fatal moment might be at hand.
"There she is!"
The cry came from half a dozen throats simultaneously. There, on theport bow, loomed up the stranger, not an eighth of a mile away. That shewas a warship there was no longer any doubt, for her forward guns wereplainly 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 whenthere was a puff of smoke from the warship, a report, and a shot flew infront of the schooner's bow.
"There's our order to lay-to!" ejaculated Larry. "Whoever she is, shemeans business."
As the _Columbia_ did not stop, another shot was fired, this time justgrazing the bow. Seeing there was no help for it, Captain Ponsberry gavethe necessary orders, and down came one sail after another.
As this was done the warship swung around and then those on the schoonersaw 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 ondeck.
"Men," he said, briefly, "the officers on board of that warship wish tofind out what they can about us. If you are asked questions say nothingmore 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_ issuspected of being in the employ of the Japanese Government, or ofcarrying a cargo for that nation, she will be taken as a prize of warand we'll go to a Russian prison most likely."
"I don't want to go to no Russian prison!" cried out Wilbur, his faceturning pale. "I ain't done nothing wrong!"
"Then keep your tongue from wagging too much, Wilbur," answered themaster 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_ doagainst a man-o'-war? Why, they'd blow us sky high in no time!"
"No, there is absolutely no use of attempting to fight," answeredCaptain Ponsberry. "Our only hope lays in convincing them that they haveno right to stop us."
The hands were dismissed and sent forward, and Captain Ponsberry hurriedbelow, to burn certain papers and secrete others. This was in accordancewith the orders received from the agents of the Richmond ImportingCompany at Manila.
In the meantime the Russian warship had come to a stop in mid-ocean andnow a small boat was lowered, containing a small crew, a coxswain, and aRussian naval officer. At the same time a signal was hoisted which meantthat the officer was coming on board of the schooner.
"Unless I miss my guess, this looks rather black for us," said Larry, toTom Grandon.
"I agree with you, Larry," responded the first mate. "But we've got totake our medicine, no matter how bitter it is."
"If only that mist had held on to-day! We might have slipped by thatwarship nicely."
"I only hope the old man fixes up his papers so that he can show a cleanbill of health," went on Grandon. "You see, if they can't actually provesomething against us, they won't dare to touch us. They know what OldGlory means, and Russia has no desire just now to get into trouble withUncle Sam."
"The worst of it is, our cargo may look too suspicious to them. Underordinary circumstances they know that the _Colu
mbia_ wouldn't becarrying such a line of goods in these waters."
"That's true, too."
"Besides that, they may have had an agent at Nagasaki and at Manilaspying on us. They may know just what is being done. The Czar'sfollowers are mighty slick, I can tell you."
Captain Ponsberry now came on deck and gave quick orders that thesailors should be lined up, to receive the visitor in a befittingmanner.
"A little goose grease may help," he drawled, with a knowing glance atGrandon and Larry.
The foremast hands did not know much about lining up, but took theplaces assigned to them, on the forward deck. Over the side a ropeladder was thrown, and then Captain Ponsberry, Tom Grandon, and Larryawaited the arrival of the Russian naval officer with keen interest.