CHAPTER XXIII
THE ATTACK IN THE DARK
Two days later Gilbert and Ben were seated in their tent talking aboutthe meeting with Larry when one of the guards came in and saluted.
"A messenger to see Captain Russell and Captain Pennington," said theguard.
"Show him in," returned Ben, briefly, thinking it was a simple messageabout camp duties. He was rather surprised when a Chinaman entered,bowing low as he did so.
"Dis Clabtain Lussell?" asked the newcomer.
"That is my name."
"Dis Clabtain Plennington?"
"Yes," answered Gilbert.
"Sailor man send Chung Wow," went on the Chinaman. "Sailor man want seebloth." He pointed to the two young captains. "Sailor man say he blotheryou." And now he pointed at Ben alone.
"Said he was my brother?" cried the young captain.
The messenger nodded. "Name allee same Larry Lussell."
"Gracious me!" ejaculated Ben. "Gilbert, what can this mean? I thoughtLarry sailed away on that warship."
"So did I. But she may be back in port."
"Sailor man hurt." The Chinaman pointed to his side. "Sick--he shot--sayyou clome to-night."
"Sick? shot?" repeated Ben, and a cold chill went down his backbone."That is the worst yet. Where is he?"
"Big walk down by the sea. Chung Wow show. But must pay--Chung Wow poorpeople."
"Oh, I'll pay you," answered Ben, hurriedly. "Gilbert, do you think Ican get away?"
"Sailor man say bloth clome," put in the messenger.
"Something is wrong, that is certain," came from Gilbert. He eyed theChinaman closely. "There is no mistake about this?"
At this Chung Wow shrugged his lean shoulders and looked blank.
"No see mistakee. See sailor mans."
"I guess he is all right," put in Ben. "Something has happened to poorLarry. I wonder if I can get away at once?"
"Let us see the major about this."
Ben hurried off and caught Major Okopa in his own tent. As the commandwas not to move until noon of the next day both readily obtainedpermission to absent themselves until that time.
"But be careful," said the major. "This may be some Chinese trick."
"We'll be on our guard," answered Ben.
The Chinese messenger had come in on foot. He said he was hungry and wasgiven something to eat. Then the three set off, the messenger carrying aknapsack filled with rations, and each of the young captains carryinghis sword and his pistol. They tried to learn from Chung Wow how farthey would have to travel, but the Chinaman either could not or wouldnot inform them.
"Perhaps it might have been as well to have taken a detachment of onecompany along," suggested Gilbert. "I must say, I don't like the looksof this." They were now a good mile away from camp, and in a locationthat appeared lonely enough.
"Well, we are moving down to the seacoast," returned Ben. He was takingcareful note of the direction they were pursuing.
After that they journeyed along for a good two hours without sayingmuch. They stepped along briskly, for Ben wanted to learn just what hadhappened to his brother. For all he knew to the contrary, Larry might bemortally wounded.
Presently they came to a spot in the road where there were a number ofdense trees. Chung Wow began to cough loudly.
"What's the matter?" demanded Gilbert. For some reason he did not trustthe Chinaman.
"Slomthing fly in float," was the answer, and Chung Wow coughed again.Then he walked on, and they came behind him. But Gilbert drew his pistoland motioned for Ben to do the same.
"I may be mistaken, but we may be walking into a trap," he whispered.
"Why, Gilbert, I don't----" began Ben, when without warning a heavyobject dropped upon his head from the limb of one of the trees and borehim to the ground. Another object dropped on Gilbert, but he squirmedfrom under,--to find himself confronted by several Chunchuses. A crywent up, and a crashing was heard in the bushes back of the trees.
"A trick, Ben, just as I suspected!" ejaculated the young Southerner,and he discharged his pistol point-blank at the Chinese bandit in frontof him. This done he made a leap to one side, hurling over Chung Wow ashe did so, and darted forward into some bushes. A shot was aimed at him,but did no injury, and he kept on, running as hard as he could.
In the meantime Ben did his best to get up. But one man was on hisshoulders and another had him by the legs, so to move was next toimpossible. Then, as he continued to struggle, he received a heavy kickfrom a wooden shoe which stretched him out like a log.
"He is out of the fight now," said one of the Chunchuses, as he bentover Ben. "Go after the other. Do not let him escape if you can help it.Americans are worth a good deal to us in these days!"
Three of the brigands remained to guard Ben and the others made afterGilbert. But they could not catch the young Southerner, and after a longchase they came back.
"He has gone back to his camp," said one of the Chunchuses to his chief."He will have his friends about our ears very shortly."
As soon as this news was received, Ben's hands and feet were bound, andfour of the Chinamen caught him up as if he were a dead animal andhoisted him on their shoulders. Off they set at a dog-trot, with theremaining brigands around them.
It was the jogging over the rough mountainous road which finally broughtthe young captain to his senses. At first he did not realize that he wason the move.
"Gilbert!" he called faintly. "Gilbert!"
Nobody answered him, and now he essayed to sit up. He could not budgeand consequently began to struggle.
"Be still!" cried one of the Chunchuses, in Chinese.
"Where am I? What are you doing to me?" queried Ben.
For answer he received a good shaking and was then dumped on the ground.His feet were liberated, and the chief of the Chinese brigands orderedhim to move along, pointing the end of his sword at the prisoner as hedid so.
"Where is my friend?" asked Ben.
"He is dead," said the chief, laconically.
"Dead!" burst out the young captain. His heart seemed to become like alump of lead. Gilbert, his own true chum, dead! It was too horrible tobelieve.
"Yes, and you will be unless you walk on," added the chief of theChunchuses.
There was no help for it, and, bruised and bleeding, the young captaintook up the march, with his enemies on all sides of him. The gait was arapid one, and before they came to a halt once more he was all butexhausted.
"Where are you taking me?" he asked.
"Wait and see." The chief of the Chunchuses grinned wickedly. "I shallhave to trouble you for your valuables," he went on, in his nativetongue, and without further ado stripped Ben of his possessions,including his watch, money, ring, and sword.
There was no use protesting, and therefore the young captain did notattempt it. He was marched along a marshy path, and presently came insight of the ocean and a small bay, where two sailing ships and a smallsteamer lay at anchor.
A shrill whistle sounded out, and this was answered by somebody on thesteamer. Then a small boat put in to shore, carrying four sailors and anofficer. As soon as the officer landed, he was called aside by the chiefof the Chunchuses, and a conference lasting several minutes followed.
"It shall be as you say, Ching Fee," said the officer, in Russian. "Itis too bad you did not get the other, too. I know Ivan Snokoff, andCaptain Barusky too, and there will be money in this. Yes, I'll take himon board at once. You had better watch out that the soldiers do not getafter you."
"Trust Ching Fee to take care of himself," said the chief of theChunchuses.
With scant ceremony Ben was conducted to the small boat and told to getin. He asked where they were going to take him, but could get nosatisfaction. As soon as the steamer was reached, he was conducted to anempty stateroom and locked in.
"This is the worst yet!" he muttered, as he sat down. "I suppose theyintend to carry me miles and miles away. Poor Gilbert! I never thoughthe would be killed in such a fashion as
this! What cutthroats theseChinese brigands are! It's a wonder they didn't kill me too! Can thatstory about Larry be true?"
There was a little water in the stateroom, and as his hands had beenreleased, Ben bathed his wounds and bound them up as best he could. Heheard the steamer move away from the shore, and soon the steady poundingof the engines proved that she was forging ahead at her best rate ofspeed.
He was a prisoner of the enemy, and what they were going to do with himwas a question still to be answered.
At the Fall of Port Arthur; Or, A Young American in the Japanese Navy Page 24