Dave Darrin on the Asiatic Station Part 12

"Why sorry to see me here?" inquired Miss Chapin. "Aren't we now under the protection of the American Navy?"

"Every sailorman on the 'Castoga' will die willingly in defense of this party," Darrin told her, "but the trouble may easily a.s.sume such proportions that our little force will prove wholly inadequate."

Then, glancing swiftly over the missionary party, the young naval officer added:

"Will some one kindly introduce me to Bishop Whitlock?"

As Dave had expected, it was one of the three white-haired men of the party who now pressed forward. Mrs. Darrin introduced her husband to the bishop.

"You reached us not a bit too early," the bishop a.s.sured Dave.

"You were practically prisoners in the yamen, sir?" Dave asked.

"Almost, I fear, though we refused to give up our arms. Even now seven of our men are inside keeping guard over our weapons."

"How many rifles do you have?" Dave asked.

"Thirty-two," answered the bishop promptly. "The American residents of the city flocked to our defense."

"From what I saw from the s.h.i.+p's deck," rejoined Darrin, "all I can say is that you presented a magnificent front with only thirty-two rifles.

As I have but fifty-two naval rifles with me, that makes up a total force of only eighty-four rifles."

"Can't we get through to the water-front?" inquired Belle. "For you are going to take us to the 'Castoga,' are you not?"

"If we can safely get there," Dave replied. "And now I must drop everything else until I have communicated with the gunboat. Bishop, did you lose any of your party?"

"None of the white members," replied the missionary. "Our sixteen Chinese converts at the mission insisted on taking care of themselves.

Whether any of them has been killed, I do not know."

"I must get a signalman up on the walls," Dave continued. "Bishop, will you kindly see, sir, that your party follows my men? I am going to the other side of the compound."

As soon as Belle Darrin caught sight of her old school friend, Danny Grin, she hurried forward to greet him.

Out of the main building of the yamen came Sin Foo, with sullen, offended face and stately tread.

"Sir," called Dave, "I must put a signalman up on the ramparts."

"Since you take everything into your own hands," replied the secretary coldly, "you do not need his excellency's permission. Yet I am charged to say that all you do here is against the protest of his excellency, and complaint will be made to your government."

"I am sorry, sir, to seem to show discourtesy," Ensign Dave replied, "but all that I do here is under general instructions from the highest representative of my government in these waters."

With that Dave called a signalman to him, gave him a message, and directed six other sailors to climb, with the signalman, the inside steps that led to the rampart.

No sooner had the signalman, in the lead, gained the rampart, than a five-inch gun on the "Castoga" boomed out.

"Ensign Darrin, sir," bawled down the signalman l.u.s.tily, "I think you will be glad to be up here, to see what is going on."

Dropping Belle's hand, which he had just taken, Ensign Dave darted up the steps, uttering, on reaching the top of the stone wall, an exclamation of dismay.

"Ensign Dalzell!" he shouted, beckoning the summons to his brother officer.

CHAPTER VI-HECKLING HIS EXCELLENCY

"Jupiter!" gasped Dan, as he reached Dave's side.

Boom! bang! Two shots were fired almost together from the "Castoga's"

forward guns.

"The rebels are returning from the suburbs," Dave exclaimed, "and even the near-by houses are emptying themselves of hundreds of other armed men."

"There must be a million of them, in all," said Danny Grin briefly, "but I reckon we can thrash 'em all."

"We'll have to, or go under," was Dave's brief retort. "There cannot be a doubt that the armed mult.i.tude intends to attack the yamen."

In the meantime Signalman Ross was sending the message that Dave had given him. Now a signalman on the gunboat wig-wagged back:

"Do not attempt to leave yamen with your party until you receive orders so to do."

"I'm glad of that command," Dave muttered to his subordinate. "I wouldn't care to risk any of our American women by trying to take them through such a rabble as I see advancing."

Again some of the "Castoga's" guns spoke. The sh.e.l.l fire was doing some execution in the ranks of the oncoming rebels, though not enough to halt their march.

"I am going down into the compound to send up men and rapid-fire guns,"

Dave announced to his chum. "Post the men, and station one rapid-fire gun on each of the four sides of the compound."

"What are you going to do with the Chinese soldiers?" Dan asked.

Dave frowned.

"I don't know," he said. "This is the governor's yamen, and these are his troops. I don't believe we can trust them, but, on the other hand, have we any right to drive the soldiers out? And would they go peaceably, or would they open fire and put the women in danger?"

"Ask the Captain, by signal," Dan advised.

"Ask him yourself, signing my name, Dan. Whatever we do, the rapid-fire guns can't be placed on these walls a moment too soon."

Hustling below, Dave ordered up the sailors and all but four of the marines. Each man, as he went, carried up a case of one thousand cartridges, either for the rapid-fire guns or for the infantry rifles.

"You men in charge of the stores," Dave ordered, "keep the Chinese away from our property. Don't let any of the yellow men touch the stores.

Shoot before you permit that, and shoot promptly and to kill!"

Then Darrin turned his attention to the missionary party. Of the thirty-two men who carried rifles, he sent twenty to the ramparts, while he directed the other twelve to stand guard over the women.

Having made these dispositions of his command, Ensign Darrin again raced up to the top of the wall.