From the window Gilbert could see a distant body of Russian soldiers marching through the streets, on their way from the railroad station to their barracks.

“They must be expecting the Japanese to attack them,” he thought. “Certainly they can’t be thinking of sending an army to Japan.” His surmise proved correct; and the attack came not long after, as history has proved.

Towards the middle of the afternoon Jiru Siko appeared, along with one of the Chinamen who owned an interest in the furniture shop. They brought with them something hot to eat and to drink, for which Gilbert was thankful, for, as we know, he had had nothing whatever since early morning.

“Whole town fill up with Russian soldiers,” announced Jiru Siko. “Soldiers in streets, soldiers in houses, soldiers all over. No Japanese show him face—make much trouble.”

“I reckon you’ll have to get out, Siko,” answered[Pg 68] the young American. “But how you are going to do it, I don’t know.”

[Pg 68]

“What Master Pennington going to do?”

“I’m going to get out, too—if I can. But I don’t want to show myself to the Russians.”

“Want to sail on ship?”

“I don’t know of any other way to get out. The Russians hold the railroad from end to end.”

“No ship sail from Port Arthur—mean no Japanese ship—big guns from fort smash bang!”

“I know that as well as you do.”

“Master Pennington want to go with Jiru Siko?”

“Where to?”

“Nagasaki.”

“How are you going to get to Nagasaki?”

“Got big sailboat—sail in two, three days—when weather is fine.”

 Prev. P 43/178 next