CHAPTER IV--THE LANDING PARTY AT NU-PING
"That ought to hold the pirates for a little while," declared DannyGrin, his good-natured face looking unusually grim.
"I think it will," replied Dave, halting before his cabin door. "DanDalzell, if my face is as dirty as yours I shouldn't care to walk upMain Street in my native town."
"Go in and look at _yourself_," scoffed Dalzell.
"It's fully as dirty," called Dave, from the interior of his cabin,surveying himself in the glass.
But it was as honorable dirt as any man may have on his face--the grimeof powder-smoke as it blew back when the gunboat's five-inch guns hadbeen swung open at the breech.
For the "Castoga," intercepted by wireless on the way to theNung-kiang, had been sent to Hong Kong by an official order fromWashington. The threatened troubles along the Nung-kiang had quieteddown to such an extent that cautious officials in Washington dreadedlest Chinese sensibilities should be wounded by the sending of agunboat up the river.
So, day after day, the "Castoga" had lain in the mountain-borderedharbor at Hong Kong.
Then came the word one day that the Chinese rebels in the districtaround the city of Nu-ping, on the Nung-kiang River, had again becometroublesome, and that the American mission buildings at Nu-ping werethreatened. The "Castoga" had been ordered to proceed at full speed,she being the nearest craft of a draft light enough to ascend theriver.
During the last hours of darkness the gunboat had steamed up the river,all eyes on board turned toward the sinister red glow that lighted thesky above the Chinese city, capital of a province.
Just before daylight the gunboat dropped anchor with every man andofficer at quarters.
From shore came the sound of rifle shots, a wild pandemonium of yells,as thousands of raging Chinese surged upon the mission buildings, towhich fire had already been set, and from which the Americanmissionaries and their families, aided by the white residents ofNu-ping, were making the only resistance that lay within their power.
The first note of cheer that came to the missionaries and their friendswas the whistle of the gunboat, sounding clearly when still two milesdistant. Then the lights of the fighting craft came into sight.
For a few minutes after coming to anchor, the commander of the"Castoga" was forced to wait for sufficient daylight to enable him todistinguish accurately between friend and foe.
At the side of the gunboat a launch and four cutters waited, to carry alanding party, if the sending ashore of men should prove to benecessary. Anxiously, using his night glasses every minute, theAmerican commander paced the deck and listened.
Then, when there was barely enough light, word was telephoned to thedivision officers to begin action.
Boom! spoke the first gun from the gunboat. Other shots followedrapidly.
In the compound before the burning mission buildings was a mass ofyellow fiends, crowding, yelling and shooting. From the windows of suchportions of the burning buildings as were still tenable American riflefire was poured into the mob.
That first shell, landing among the yellow fiends, killed more thantwenty Mongols, wounded others, and drove the attackers out of thecompound.
Boom! Bang! Other shells flew through the air, clearing away the rabblefurther back.
From the mission buildings, a quarter of a mile away, went up a wildcheer of hope.
But the attacking rabble, despite the first shell fire, came back,inviting further punishment.
Again the gunboat's five-inch guns roared out. There was now sufficientlight to enable the American gunners to make out the locations of themob.
At least thirty shells were fired ere the rebels beat a retreat beyondthe confines of Nu-ping.
It was time to stop firing, for some of the American shells had setfire to Chinese dwellings and business buildings.
On a low hill, a quarter of a mile away from the burning missionbuildings, flew the Chinese flag, flanked by the flag of the governorof the province.
Watching this yamen, or palace, the American officers saw a body of notmore than a hundred soldiers issue suddenly from behind the walls.Straight to the mission hurried these tardy fighting men. Though latein acting, the Chinese governor was sending an invitation to theendangered missionaries and their friends to share the hospitality andprotection of his yamen.
"He might have done that before," muttered Dan Dalzell.
"If he has so few Chinese soldiers," Dave explained, "he never couldhave driven back the thousands of rebels. Our friend, the governor, iscautious, surely, but plainly he is no fool."
Once the bombardment had stopped, the various officers, except onedivision officer, had been ordered to their quarters to clean up andput on fresh uniforms, for the work of the day was by no meansfinished.
So back to their quarters hurried the released division officers.
Dave Darrin quickly divested himself of his dungaree working clothes,then stripped entirely, going under a shower bath. From this he emergedand rubbed down, drew on fresh underclothing, a clean shirt, andhastily completed his toilet.
At that instant there came a summons at the door, with an order forEnsign Darrin to attire himself in khaki uniform. The same order wasdelivered to Dan.
"Landing party work," was the thought that leaped instantly into theminds of both.
Nor were they disappointed. Into the launch, with several other boatsalongside, tumbled forty sailors and twelve marines, armed, and withrapid-fire guns and ammunition. In one of the other boats wereadditional cases of ammunition; in others were commissary supplies.
Dave received his orders from Executive Officer Warden.
"You will go ashore, Ensign Darrin, and at all hazards reach our fellowAmericans. What you shall do on reaching them will depend uponcircumstances and upon instructions signaled to you from this ship.Ensign Dalzell will accompany you as next in command. On board we shallkeep vigilant watch, and you may rely upon such backing as our guns cangive you in any emergency that may come up."
Dave saluted, with a hearty "Very good, sir," but asked no questions.None were necessary.
In another moment the landing party had been reinforced by a pettyofficer and three men who were to bring the boats back to the"Castoga."
Casting off, the launch headed shoreward, towing the boats astern.
Within three minutes, landing had been made at one of the smallerdocks.
"I don't see any reception committee here to welcome us," mutteredEnsign Dalzell.
"Probably all of the natives, who are curious by nature, are watchingthe burning of the buildings that our shells set on fire," returnedEnsign Darrin. "But I'm glad there's no reception party here, forundoubtedly it would be an armed committee."
As soon as landing had been effected, however, a petty officer, who wassent forward with three men, succeeded in routing out a number ofsturdy, sullen coolies, who had been hiding in a near-by warehouse.These yellow men the petty officer marched back briskly, the cooliesbeing forced to pick up and carry the ammunition and food supplies.
"See to it that these Chinese don't try to run away with the stuff,"Dave ordered tersely. "Keep them under close guard."
"Aye, aye, sir."
At the word from Darrin, Dalzell ordered the sailors to fall in andlead the way in double file, the marines marching at the rear of thelittle baggage train.
"Straight to the yamen!" commanded Darrin, as he gave Dan the forwardorder, then fell back to keep an eye over the conduct of the porters.
For the first block of the march through the narrow, foul-smellingstreets, the natives contented themselves with glancing sullenly out atthe handful of daring invaders. But a turn in the street brought theAmerican naval men in sight of an angry-looking crowd of nearly athousand Chinese--all men.
"Are they going to block our way?" whispered Dan, marching quietly onwhen Dave hastened to his side.
"They are not," Darrin answered bluntly, "though they may try to. Noone is going to block us to-day until we have used al
l our ammunition."
"That has the good old Yankee sound," grinned Dalzell.
Seeing that the sullen crowd was massing, Ensign Darrin went forward,hastening in advance of his little column.
"Is there any one here who speaks English?" Dave called pleasantly,above the dead hush of that stolid Chinese crowd.
There was no answer.
"All right then," smiled Ensign Darrin, "I shall have to talk to you bysign language. Make way, please!"
Drawing his sword, he signed to the Chinese to make way for his commandto pass. Still no response.
Ensign Dan, marching his men on, came up to Dave's side.
"Column halt!" Ensign Darrin called promptly. "Order arms. Drawbayonets. Fix bayonets!"
With a rattling of steel, accompanied by many grins, sailors andmarines alike obeyed.
"Once more, I call upon you to make way!" called Dave, striding forwardand endeavoring to wave the crowd aside by gestures with his sword.Still nobody moved.
"Ensign Dalzell," rapped out the sharp order, "form two platoonsextending across the street in close order. Give promptly the order tocharge."
As he gave this command Darrin stepped back, placing himself at theextreme right of the first short platoon.
"Charge bayonets!" ordered Dan.
Dave led the men forward, Dalzell remaining behind with the remainderof the little command.
Finding the points of the bayonets at their breasts, the Chinese gaveutterance to cries of fright. There was a backward surge.
"Halt!" cried Dave, just in time to prevent some of the Chinese fromfeeling cold American steel. "Steady! Forward march! Hep, hep, hep!"
Emphasizing the speed of the step with his "hep, hep," Dave nowcontinued his squad at a brisk walk, giving the yellow natives time tomake their retreat without trampling one another.
At the next corner the Chinese surged off at right angles in twodirections.
"I guess we'll find the rest of the way clear enough," smiled EnsignDave, again forming his men in double file and falling back to Dan'sside. "The Mongols had me scared. I was afraid I'd have to order themen to load and fire."
"Would you have done that?" asked Dalzell.
"Why not?" asked Dave, with a shrug of his shoulders. "There areAmerican women up at the yamen, and they are still in peril. My ordersare to reach the yamen, and I propose to do it if it be possible. Ifany yellow men try to block our way they will do so at their own risk.I'll charge or fire into any crowd or force that blocks our way."
"Good!" chuckled Ensign Dan. "I like the sound of that talk!"
Down by the river front, save for the warehouses, the buildings were ofthe meanest--flimsy affairs of bamboo, with cheaply lacquered facings,windows of oiled paper and floors of earth. Now, however, the littlenaval column began to pass through a better part of the city. Here thehouses were of wood, substantially built, and of pagoda or tentpatterns. Not a few of these dwellings were surrounded by compounds, oryards, enclosed by high stone walls.
And then, at last, in the heart of the city, the column came out uponthe low hillside on which was the great square surrounding thegovernor's yamen.
None in front opposed Darrin's command, but a crowd that must havenumbered two thousand followed close at the heels of the detachment.
"Going to halt in the center of the square?" Dan inquired in a lowtone.
"No," rejoined Ensign Dave. "I shall march up to the main gate in thecompound wall."
"And then--?" inquired Dalzell.
"I shall demand to be admitted to the American refugees."
"And if you are refused?" pressed Dan.
"That will be the governor's worry," replied Dave quietly.