CHAPTER XVIII
A CLEVER RUSE
As soon as Captain Ponsberry was in charge of the _Columbia_ once morehe set about without delay to put the schooner in proper condition forthe run to Nagasaki. The broken-off foremast was allowed to remain as itwas, but a temporary bowsprit was set into place, and the damage to theforecastle and to the stern repaired. A temporary rail was also nailedup, so that there might be no danger of anybody slipping overboard.
In all this work the sailors and the ship's carpenter did their best,and the captain and his mates helped. Sails were also sewed up, orreplaced, and inside of forty-eight hours the old _Columbia_ was oncemore on her way. The water taken aboard was pumped out, and the pumpswere kept going two hours each morning and two hours each afternoon.
"She will do now," said the captain, after the heaviest of the work wasover. "But when we reach Nagasaki I'll have to put her in the dock forregular repairs. I shouldn't dare to take her to Manila or to SanFrancisco in such a condition."
"It will take a long time to have the repairs made in Japan," saidLarry. "All the shipyards are busy on government work."
"True, lad, but that cannot be helped. The law would not allow me tosign a crew with a ship that was not seaworthy."
"Then we'll have a long lay-off when we reach Nagasaki."
"Exactly, Larry. But I shan't keep you. If you want to go elsewhere----"
"Not on another sailing vessel, Captain Ponsberry. But you know how itis with Luke Striker and myself. Ever since we were in our own navy wehave had a hankering after warships, and----"
"And you think of joining the Japanese navy?" put in the master of theschooner, quickly.
"That's it. You know how I spoke of joining the army with Ben andGilbert."
"To be sure--and I told you I couldn't spare you."
"But now, if you haven't any use for me any longer----"
"Why, Larry, if you want to fight for Japan, go ahead and fight!"ejaculated Captain Ponsberry. "I don't blame you. I'd fight myself if Iwas a younger man and hadn't any obligations on my shoulders. I supposeBen is doing great things in the army and you'd like to match him in thenavy, eh?"
"If I join the navy I'll do my best."
"Will Striker go with you?"
"Oh, yes, Luke and I always go together, if we can. He was my chum whenwe fought under Dewey and he has been my chum ever since."
"And a good fellow, too, Larry--a man with a heart of gold. If it wasn'tthat you and Tom Grandon were with me, I should have made him a matelong ago."
"I don't doubt that, sir--and he is worthy of it." Larry paused for amoment. "Of course, I don't know if they want any of us in the navy."
"Didn't you tell me before that they had several men you had met whileunder Dewey and some your brother Walter had met while fighting in Cubanwaters?"
"Yes, but that was some time ago."
"If they took those chaps then it's likely they will take younow--unless, of course, they have all the men they want--which I doubt."
"We shall not go as ordinary jackies. Ben got a commission as a captain,and Luke thinks he might go as a gunner and I might go as an assistantgunner. We occupied those positions before we left our navy."
"Then I should certainly strike for the positions. They may need gunnerseven if they don't need common seamen," responded Captain Ponsberry.
As fortune would have it, the run to Nagasaki was made without incidentworthy of special mention. Once there was a scare on board, as the waterin the well hole increased with alarming rapidity. But the new leak wasdiscovered in time, and the ship's carpenter had little difficulty inrepairing it. They also sighted a vessel they thought might be a Russianwarship, but she proved instead to be a Japanese coastwise freighter,carrying lumber from one port to another on the northern coast of Japan.
As the _Columbia_ drew closer to Nagasaki both Peterson and Shamhavengrew more anxious over what was to become of them. Neither desired aterm in a Japanese prison, and both wondered what sort of a chargeCaptain Ponsberry and the captain of the Japanese warship would preferagainst them.
So far Captain Ponsberry had allowed them their liberty, but through thetalk of a couple of sailors they presently learned that they were to becast into the ship's brig and placed under guard as soon as the schoonerdropped anchor.
"This looks black for us," said Shamhaven, moodily. "I wish we were outof it."
"I haf a plan got, yes," answered Peterson.
"To get away?"
The other nodded.
"Then let me hear the plan by all means, Peterson."
"It vos--vot you call him--risky, yes. Maype ve get shot--you no likehim, no?"
"Of course I don't want to get shot. But what is your plan?"
"So soon like de ship come up by der harbor we vatch our chances an'trop oferpoard, yes."
"And swim ashore?"
"Maype ve schwim by some udder poat, yes. Of ve got money we go toleetle poat--gif Jap mans money to take us avay, you see now?"
"You mean to watch for some small Japanese boat--a bumboat, eh? Andbribe the boatman to take us to some place of safety?"
"You got him now, yes."
"That's good enough if we can find the bumboat and get the money withwhich to do the bribing."
"Captain Ponsberry got money--an' Russell he got money pelt, like I toldyou."
"Oh, I haven't forgotten about that money belt," returned Shamhaven."And I wouldn't mind taking it if I could get my hands on it. ButRussell must wear it most of the time."
"I t'ink he not put him on by der night dime, no."
"What do you know about Captain Ponsberry's money?"
"He got money in a leetle pag--I see him vonce."
"How much do you think?"
At this Peterson shrugged his shoulders.
"No can tell dat--maype a thousand dollars."
There was a pause, and Shamhaven drew a long breath.
"One thing is certain," he resumed. "I don't intend to go to a Japaneseprison, or an American prison either, if I can help it, and if we cutloose here in a strange country we are bound to need more or less moneywith which to get along. Without money a fellow can't do a thing in astrange country."
"We git money--chust you vait," said Peterson.
At last the _Columbia_ came into sight of the shipping of Nagasaki. Butit was now dark, and a heavy fog was hanging over the harbor, so it wasimpossible to make the proper landing before the next day. They came toanchor and the necessary lights were hung out.
"This is our chance," said Shamhaven. "It is now or never!"
He had heard that Peterson and himself were to be made close prisonersdirectly after supper. He watched his chance and when nobody was lookingmotioned his confederate to leave the forecastle and steal silentlytoward the stern of the ship. Each carried a block of wood, to which wasattached a bit of iron, to make it sink from sight.
"Now then!" whispered Shamhaven, and threw the block he carriedoverboard. It struck the water with a loud splash, and the block carriedby Peterson immediately followed.
"Hullo, what's that?" came in the voice of Tom Grandon. "Who threwsomething overboard?"
"Sounded like somebody jumping into the water," replied CaptainPonsberry, who was on deck with the first mate.
An examination was made, but in the fog and darkness nothing could bediscovered.
"It was mighty queer," was Grandon's comment. "Somebody must have doneit."
"Where are Shamhaven and Peterson?"
"In the forecastle, I suppose. Do you think----"
"I don't know what to think. See if they are there."
At once Tom Grandon ran off, and made a tour not only of the forecastlebut also of the forward deck. He called the men's names several times,and others quickly joined in the hunt.
"They are gone!" he ejaculated, running back to where Captain Ponsberrystood.
"Gone? Then it must have been them jumping overboard that we heard!"
"Like as not--and they are a good
bit away from the schooner by thistime."
"Bring a lantern and we'll take a look around."
A lantern was brought, and a few minutes later a small boat was lowered,manned by Luke and three other sailors. Captain Ponsberry went withthem, and the searchers remained out the best part of an hour.
"They've given us the slip clean and clear," declared the master of the_Columbia_, on returning. "It was a risky thing to undertake in suchweather as this."
"Yes, and for all we know they may be at the bottom of the harbor,"answered Tom Grandon.
"Which place might be jest what they deserve," grumbled Luke Striker, ashe helped to stow away the small boat once more.