CHAPTER XV
A SHARP NAVAL BATTLE
So far the weather had been good, but following the conversationrecorded in the last chapter there came up a dense fog, and fortwenty-four hours the Russian warship did nothing but creep along in thegloom.
During that time, for some unknown reason, Larry and the others wereallowed greater freedom than before. Each had his hands chained behindhim, but all were separate, which allowed each to roam around as hepleased.
"This is better than being linked to somebody else," said the youth tohis old sailor friend. "Not but that we got along well enough together,"he added, hastily.
"You're right--there wasn't no sense in joinin' us together," answeredLuke. "We can't git away if we want to."
"We might, if we didn't have our hands chained, Luke."
"How?"
"If we all got together some night--providing we could keep out of thepen--and stole one of the small boats."
"Easier said nor done. The guard would ketch ye an' shoot ye down like adog."
"Oh, I know there would be a great risk. But I hate to think of going toa Siberian prison, or aboard a Russian prison ship."
"So do I, Larry. But even if we stole the boat and got away, where wouldwe go to,--especially if we didn't have much provisions an' water?"
Larry could not answer that question, since he did not know the locationof the _Pocastra_. It might be that they were hundreds of miles fromland. If so, to take to a small boat with a scarcity of water andprovisions would certainly be foolhardy.
The fog continued during the night, but swept away as if by magic aboutnine o'clock in the morning. At that time the prisoners had had theirbreakfast and Larry and Luke were between decks, looking at somegunners' assistants cleaning out one of the large guns.
Suddenly came a call from the lookout, followed by half a dozencommands. As everything said was in Russian, our friends did notunderstand a word, but they soon realized that something unusual was inthe air. A shrill whistle sounded out and drums began to beat toquarters.
"I'll wager a new hat they have sighted a Japanese ship!" cried Larry,and scarcely had he spoken when there came a dull booming over thewater.
"Let us go to the deck an' see what's doing," returned Luke, and bothstarted for the stairs. But scarcely had they appeared on the deck whenthey were ordered below again.
Larry was right; a Japanese warship had been sighted, and this vesselhad lost no time in discharging a signal gun to a sister ship only a fewmiles away.
Hardly had the youth and his friend reached the lower deck once morethan the Japanese cruiser opened fire on the Russian vessel. The latterretaliated, and the booming of cannon shook the _Pocastra_ from stem tostern.
"This is a fight for fair!" ejaculated Luke, with a broad smile on hisface.
"I hope the Japs win, Luke!"
"So do I, lad. But where do we come in, that's what I want to know?"
"If we could only drop overboard and swim to that other ship!"
"No use of trying--some of the fellows in the tops would pick us off inno time. No, we've got to stay right where we are an' take what comes."
"Where are the others?"
They looked around, but could see nothing of Captain Ponsberry or TomGrandon. They saw Cal Vincent run past, but he was out of sight beforethey could stop him.
Suddenly a crash above them told that a solid shot had struck the upperworks of the Russian cruiser. Then came another crash at the bow.
"Those Japs know how to fire," came from the Yankee sailor. "Reckon ashow they're going to do their best to blow this ship sky-high. I'd give'most a dollar to be somewhere else just about now!" And he shook hishead anxiously.
The Russian gunners were working with a will, and so were their numerousassistants. The _Pocastra_ was swung around, and now both ships werebroadside to each other. The thunder of the guns was terrific and thesmoke rolled around in all directions.
"Puts me in mind o' the battle o' Manila Bay, eh?" remarked Luke, as heand Larry stood at a distance, watching the Russians work one of theguns.
"You are right, Luke, only----"
Larry got no further, for at that moment came another crash on deck. The_Pocastra_ shivered and heaved, and to those below it was as if shewould surely sink.
"They're pumping it into us, sure as you're born!" sang out the oldYankee tar. "Hullo, what's this?"
There was a rush of several gunners across the deck. "Beware of thatgun!" yelled one in Russian, and then a stampede followed.
In the midst of the confusion came a fearful explosion from below. Aportion of the flooring was ripped apart and one of the gunners wasinstantly killed and several wounded. A great volume of smoke rolled up,and splinters and bits of iron and steel flew in all directions.
Both Larry and Luke were almost stunned by the explosion and for themoment could do nothing but clutch each other in terror. Both werestruck by the flying splinters, but neither was seriously wounded. Theystaggered back and began to cough, for the dense smoke was strangling.
"Must have been a torpedo----" gasped Luke.
"Or else a magazine!" spluttered Larry. "Let--let us get--get out ofhere. I'm--choking--to--to--death!"
It was really a magazine which had exploded. This tore a good-sized holein the _Pocastra's_ side, in a spot impossible to get at in theconfusion. In the meantime a solid eight-inch shell struck the Russianship squarely in the stern, doing additional damage and killing andwounding two officers and nine men.
Almost choked to death, Larry and Luke crawled to where the ladder ranto the deck. The Russian jackies and gunners were swarming up, alongwith all the prisoners.
"Larry, are you safe?" came in the voice of Captain Ponsberry, and heloomed up, with Tom Grandon, Cal Vincent, and the Chinese petty officerbeside him.
"So far I am," answered Larry. "But I--I--must have air!" and he beganto cough.
The jam on the ladder was terrific, and in the midst of the _melee_ aRussian gunner and the Chinese petty officer got into a quarrel. Thegunner threw the Celestial down, but he bounced up like a ball, and in atwinkling the Russian received a blow in the stomach which sent himstaggering back into the crowd and the deadly smoke.
"No knock me up the spout!" sang out the Celestial. "Ship go down I gouppee!" And soon he was out on the upper deck.
Fighting, surging, pushing, and yelling the Russians and our friends gotto the deck at last. Captain Ponsberry had his coat literally rippedfrom his back, and Cal Vincent had an arm almost torn from its socket.For this he gave a Russian gunner a rap in the mouth which knocked looseseveral teeth. It was a case of each man for himself, and many foughtlike wild beasts.
At last Larry found himself free of the crowd, with Luke still besidehim. Captain Ponsberry and Cal Vincent were not far away, but betweensurged a great number of Russians. The _Pocastra_ was listing heavily toport and had evidently taken a large quantity of water into her hull.
Two Japanese warships were now at hand and both were firing upon thedoomed Russian cruiser with deadly accuracy. From the fighting tops ofthe Mikado's ships came a perfect hail of small bullets which sent theRussians to the deck by the score. By this fire one of the _Columbia's_sailors was killed and Cal Vincent was seriously wounded. A bulletlikewise grazed Luke Striker's thigh, drawing some blood, but the Yankeetar did not know of this until the conflict was at an end and he saw thecrimson stain on his shoe top.
At last the Russian captain saw that to fight further would be useless.The _Pocastra_ was in danger of going down at any moment. The guns couldno longer be used, and he ordered the colors lowered and put up a signalof surrender.
A wild cheer came from the two Japanese warships when it was realizedthat the battle was won. "_Banzai! Banzai!_" rent the air over and overagain. "Hurrah for the Mikado! Down with the Russians!"
A little while after the fighting came to an end, several small boatsput off from the two Japanese warships and half a dozen of the Mikado'snaval officers presented themsel
ves at the _Pocastra's_ side. TheRussian ship still listed heavily, but after the smoke below had clearedaway it was ascertained that the damage done was not as great as hadbeen imagined. One of the magazines which had been in danger of blowingup had been flooded, and the rush of sea water had likewise put out afire that had started in the stern.
As soon as order could be restored on board of the _Pocastra_ a completesurrender was made to the Japanese, the Russian captain giving up hissword. Then a general conference was had lasting over an hour. At theend of that time, much to their surprise, the Americans were asked to goover to one of the Japanese warships.
"We'll go, and glad of the chance," said Captain Ponsberry; and soon thetransfer was made.
At the Fall of Port Arthur; Or, A Young American in the Japanese Navy Page 16