Kobo: A Story of the Russo-Japanese War

by Herbert Strang

  *CHAPTER XX*

  *Herr Schwab Gomblains*

  Heavy Odds--War and Commerce--Dead Sea Fruit--A Handicap--Kuroki--Mrs.Pottle is Indiscreet--A Parting

  The moment the last of the Manchus disappeared round the bend, Bob gavethe order to mount. He knew that though for the moment scared out oftheir wits by the mysterious voice, they would soon recover when theyfound it was after all a voice and nothing more. Further, he wasdisturbed by the absence of Chang-Wo. That redoubtable warrior had notbeen among the discomfited throng; he had not come within hearing of theanathema; it was scarcely likely that he would relinquish his purposefor an unknown cause. Bob therefore got his little party into order.Mrs. Pottle with her niece and Ah-Sam led the way down the hill,accompanied by half a dozen of the best of the Chunchuses, all mountedon the fastest horses. They went down on the opposite side from thattaken by the Manchus, and Bob gave orders to Ah-Sam to conduct them withall possible speed in the direction of Ping-yang. Mrs. Pottle pleaded tobe allowed to ride with the main body, but Bob explained that thepresence of ladies would prove a source of weakness to him, and thatthey might do good service by pushing on and sending, if possible, aJapanese force to the relief of the others. Bob had wished also toentrust Kobo's despatch to Ah-Sam for delivery to the Japanese general,but Kobo replied that though the Chinaman had proved a loyal and devotedservant, he preferred that Bob himself should retain the message.

  "It is to your courage, presence of mind, and resource that the safetyof the party is due," he said, "and I know that if anyone can carry themessage through, it will be you. One word only: if you should bewounded, pass the despatch to someone else. If that is not possible,destroy it, for though I wrote in Japanese characters the Russians wouldno doubt get someone to read them, and it is of vital importance thatthey should know nothing of what I have written. I still hope to seethe general myself and give him my news; but I am very weak, and I fearthat I may not be able to keep up with you."

  Scarcely three minutes after the ladies and their escort had disappeareddown the hill the main body followed. A dozen unwounded men rode inadvance; then came the wounded with Kobo; then a few men bringing up therear to give warning of pursuit. Nothing was seen of the enemy as theband moved downwards and struck off to the south in the track of theladies. The necessity of sparing the wounded caused the pace to be veryslow, scarcely more than four miles an hour; but as hour after hourpassed, and still no enemy appeared, Bob began to think that the scarehad been so effectual that the Manchus had utterly lost heart.

  Suddenly there reached his ears a shout of alarm, followed by severalrapid shots, and he saw his advanced guard galloping back upon the mainbody. A quarter of a mile behind them, round the brow of the hill, cameChang-Wo dashing along at the head of a hundred yelling Manchus. Theymust have made a circuit with the intention of heading off thefugitives. To evade them was impossible; only one course was open, andthe odds were all in favour of the enemy. Bob had scarcely forty menleft, but spurring his horse towards the Manchus, he waved the spear hehad caught up at the moment of departure, and called on the chief andall the unwounded men to follow him. So great was the confidence withwhich he had inspired them that they obeyed instantly. Uttering strangeguttural cries little resembling a British cheer, they set their horsesto the gallop. There was no attempt to secure a regular formation, butin this respect the enemy had no advantage; they came, each man forhimself, a scattered group. The ground was rough and strewn withstones, but the riders on either side gave no heed to the horses'footsteps; they had eyes only for each other. In a few seconds the twoparties met in the shock of battle. Bob, slightly in advance of hismen, rode straight for Chang-Wo, whose head, he noticed, was bandaged;he had been wounded in the fight at the monastery. The Manchu carried along Chinese sword, with which he parried the thrust of Bob's spear; butbefore he in his turn could make an offensive stroke, Bob was past him,and, shortening his weapon, had driven it through the Manchu immediatelybehind. At the same moment he heard a great shouting in front of him,and even as he wondered whether this portended a reinforcement of theenemy, he felt a stinging blow upon the head, staggered, lost grip ofthe reins, and, falling upon his horse's neck, was thrown violently tothe ground.

  "It is an outrage! I, Hildebrand Schwab, say it. It vill be a casusbelli, sure as a gun, between Gairmany and Japan. Vizout doubt I villsend a telegram to our kaiser, who is in Berlin. I let you know I am abeaceable Gairman sobjeck; notvithstanding vich I am arrested, myliberty is in constraint, my dignity--the dignity of a Gairmansobjeck--is alltopieces. It is, I say it, monstrous; it is onbearable;it is a zink zat I nefer, nefer oferlook!"

  Bob was gradually aroused to full consciousness by Herr Schwab's loudvoice in bitter complaint. A soft, polite, bored Japanese voicereplied:

  "The hon'ble correspondent must know that hon'ble correspondents are notallowed beyond Ping-yang. It is plainly written in the instructionsissued by his excellency the general for the guidance of hon'blecorrespondents, and I regret to say that the hon'ble correspondent hasonly himself to blame."

  "Instructions! You say instructions! Donnerwetter noch einmal! Vatare ze instructions? Ze instructions are to do nozink, see nozink, saynozink. Vat is zat for a kind of var gorresbondence? I rebresent ze_Duesseldoerfer Tageblatt_. I am instructed to agombany ze Japanesefield-army. Zey are my instructions--nozink else!"

  "I regret I cannot allow the hon'ble correspondent to proceed."

  "Vell zen, I brotest; I emphatically brotest. All ze same, I ask you toagombany me backwards to ze next village. Business are business. ZereI make vun deal viz a nice Korean gentleman vat give me order forgomblete set _Brockhaus Encyglobaedia_. But zere vas ozer zinks: I askyou agombany me back till I gomblete my business."

  "I regret it is impossible. I must return as rapidly as possible toChong-ju. The hon'ble correspondent will kindly excuse me."

  The Japanese officer turned away, leaving Schwab to retrace his steps insullen and indignant rage. Bob was amused. A moment later the Japanesecame into the hut where he was lying, and finding him awake andconscious, asked how he felt.

  "Pretty shaky. I am glad to find myself in Japanese hands. Tell me,did Miss Charteris--did the ladies get in safely?"

  "Yes. Two ladies rode into my camp this morning with a Chineseattendant, and told me that an English gentleman was hard pressed by agang of Manchus. I sent the ladies on to Chong-ju, and rode out toassist you. Fortunately I came up at the critical moment. You hadapparently just been knocked off your horse. The Manchus did not waitto receive us. You have had a very nasty knock, hon'ble sir."

  "And Kobo--"

  "Kobo San! What do you mean?"

  "Did you not find him?" Bob started up anxiously. "He was with us. Hewas wounded. Surely you helped him to escape?"

  "I am very sorry, sir. I heard that a wounded Chinaman belonging toyour party was missing--presumably captured by the Manchus. I had noidea that he was a Japanese disguised, still less that he was Kobo San."

  "The ladies said nothing of him?"

  "Nothing. They were exhausted with hard riding, and much agitated.They mentioned no name but your own."

  Bob lay back in mute hopelessness. Kobo had fallen into the hands ofhis enemy! Something must be done to save him. Bob dared not think ofthe nameless tortures he might suffer at the cruel hands of Chang-Wo.

  "How long ago did this happen?" he asked.

  "Six hours ago. It is now five o'clock."

  "Can't you do something to help him? You know him--how valuable he isto your country. Surely something can be done."

  "I regret more than I can say. I would do anything possible for KoboSan, but I must obey orders. I should have pursued the fleeing Manchushad I not been instructed not to advance beyond a certain line. KoboSan will know how to die for Japan."

  Bob could say no more. At that moment he almost wished that he couldexchange places with Kobo
. He knew that Kobo himself would meet hisfate with the serenity that characterized his every thought and action;but the knowledge that so brave and heroic a man, when safety was insight, should have fallen at the eleventh hour into the clutches of hisvindictive and merciless enemy, was a bitter disappointment.

  The two companies of Japanese infantry who had rescued Bob and his partyoccupied a small adjacent village that night. Herr Schwab had to submitto the further indignity of being kept under guard. In the morning Bob,who had recovered somewhat from his blow and subsequent fall, asked tobe taken to see the implacable correspondent. He found Herr Schwabbusily writing.

  "No, it is not var gorresbondence," said the German, without looking up,"it is business; so you, Mr. Japanese, vill besokind as leave me inbeace."

  "And how _is_ business, Mr. Schwab?" asked Bob.

  "Vat!" said Schwab, turning with a start; "do I see Mr. Fawcett? It isvonderful, it is incredible! I am glad indeed to meet vat I may vizbermission call a friend. My heart is fery heafy. It is years since Imake a so disastrous journey. Vat hafe I done? Nozink. Myegsbenses--vere are zey? I do not bay vun shilling in ze bound. Myembloyers--zey regard me as colossal humbug. I write letters--yes, dreegolumns ze day: 'Imbressions of Japan', 'Views in Korea', 'A Gairman atze Front'; and zey vire me, four shillings ze vord, 'Gife us var news'.Var news!"

  Herr Schwab laughed bitterly.

  "Vat can ve know of var news? Zat is vat I ask. Zere vas myself, Mr.Morton, and Monsieur Desjardang, viz ozer gorresbondents--vargorresbondents!"--(Herr Schwab again laughed bitterly)--"at Ping-yang,sixty miles away from ze var. Ze Japanese declare it is greatconcession ve are allowed so glose--so glose! And zeregulations--potztausend! scarcely dare ve look towards ze nort. It vasheartbreaking--veek after veek pass by; our egsbenses run on."

  Bob looked as sympathetic as possible.

  "It must have been very rough. Still, you managed to get awayapparently."

  "Yes, sir. I egsblain to my friends it is onbearable. For myself, if Ido not gife ze Japanese ze slip I get ze sack. I offer my friends toagombany me; ve share egsbenses. But Mr. Morton he say somezink about'blay ze game'; Monsieur Desjardang he talk about ze vord of aFrenchman; but I, Hildebrand Schwab, I retort 'business are business'.So I take off ze vite band vat Japanese red-tape seal on my left arm,and ze same night I am on my vay to ze Yalu. I suffer much hardship,but do I murmur? No; I book seferal orders for Schlagintwert Gombany.But, sir, as you see, I am again in bondage. Vile I am making deal vizKorean excellency, whom I meet on tour of insbection, lo! ve aresurbrise by Japanese. Ze order for ze _Conversationslexicon_, I hafe it;but ze order for ze bianola, zat is gombletely gone lost."

  Herr Schwab's gloom was depicted in his features, when suddenly an ideaseemed to strike him. Laying his hand confidentially on Bob's arm, hesaid:

  "Stay, all is not lost. If you, Mr. Fawcett, can conclude zetransaction, I shall hafe great bleasure to bay you fipercentcommission. Ze gentleman is San-Po of ze Imperial Korean Var-office:you vill find him vizout difficulty. Fipercent, Mr. Fawcett!"

  Bob had started in surprise at hearing the name of his friend Mr.Helping-to-decide. At the same moment, looking out of the hut, he saw acavalcade passing the door. At the head rode a high Korean official--awell-remembered figure, with the regulation hat, topknot, and whitebaggy garments. Mounted on a diminutive pony, his feet almost touchedthe ground, and his equilibrium was maintained in the customary Koreanmanner by two sturdy attendants, who supported him on either side. Nosooner had Schwab's eyes lighted on this rider than he started forwardwith an exclamation, saying to Bob:

  "Vizout offence you vill permit me to vizdraw my brobosition: egsguseme."

  He rushed out in unwieldy haste, wresting from his pocket a capaciousnote-book as he ran. After him darted a nimble Japanese sentry in fullcry. Bob chuckled as he watched the scene. Mr. Helping-to-decide,hearing a guttural hail behind him, half turned upon his saddle (onwhich Bob recognized the skin of the tiger he had killed), and seeingthat he was pursued did not stay to decide why or by whom, but whippedup his pony in haste to escape. Swaying from side to side, he was heldup with difficulty by his two supporters, and unsteadily turned acorner, followed within a couple of yards by the lolloping form of HerrSchwab, who in his turn was, but a yard or two ahead of the Japanese.

  An hour or two later the whole detachment moved out towards Chong-ju.Bob was provided with a pony, from whose back he saw Schwab trudgingdisconsolately along in charge of two little Japanese infantrymen. Thewhite band, with his name and the name of his paper in red Japanesecharacters, was again bound to his left sleeve, labelling him "warcorrespondent".

  On arriving at Chong-ju, which was crowded with Japanese troops, Bobenquired first for Mrs. Pottle and her niece, and learnt that they hadalready departed under escort for Anju. His next question was for theheadquarters of General Kuroki. Learning that these were at Anju, heexplained to the officer in command that he had important informationfor the general, which he had been instructed to deliver personally, andasked to be allowed to proceed at once. The colonel in charge suggestedthat Bob might give him the information, which he would then forward.He thought Bob looked hardly fit to travel farther on horseback, andthere were no carts to spare. But Bob was determined that he wouldconfide Kobo's paper to none but General Kuroki himself, hoping to beable to induce the general to organize a rescue-party on Kobo's behalf.He accordingly rode on with a small escort, and arrived at Anju on theSeoul road late at night, and dead beat.

  Fatigued as he was, he at once sent a message to the general asking thefavour of an interview. Within half an hour he was in the presence ofthe commander-in-chief. He felt a little nervous as he looked at thegreat soldier. General Kuroki was somewhat taller than the averageJapanese. His face was deeply bronzed, his hair and moustache gray andbristly. The sternness of his features was relieved by a humoroustwinkle in his dark eyes as he glanced at Bob, who felt that thegeneral's undoubted strength of character was combined with tendernessand humanity. He handed him Kobo's small folded paper, and waited whilehe read it.

  "I thank you, Mr. Fawcett," he said at length, refolding the paper andhanding it to an aide-de-camp. "Kobo San's intelligence is of thehighest importance, and I am greatly in your debt for having brought itto me at such risk. Kobo San does not say why he has not returned. Doyou know where he is?"

  "I am very sorry to say, sir, that he is a prisoner. He was wounded incrossing the hills, and I very much fear that he is now in the hands ofChang-Wo, the Manchu brigand."

  "Indeed! That is deplorable. Tell me, please, all you know. You were,I think, with Lieutenant Yamaguchi in Seoul; I shall be glad to know ofthe circumstances which have brought you here. Sit down, you look verytired. Perhaps, indeed, you would rather wait till the morning?"

  "No, sir, I would rather tell you now."

  He proceeded to relate as briefly as possible his experiences from thetime he last saw Yamaguchi to the final escape from the Koreanmonastery. General Kuroki listened without remark, a faint smilecrossing his face when he heard of the novel use made of the gramophone.

  "You have had a desperately hard time," he said at the conclusion of thestory. "I had already heard part of the circumstances from the Americanladies who came in some time ago. I can quite understand their warmpraise of you. And, let me say, you are to be congratulated on yourescape from the Manchu Chang-Wo; he is a desperate villain--an old enemyof Kobo San, as perhaps you know. But now tell me; you came through themountains north of the Yalu; is the road practicable for guns?"

  "It might, I think, with some labour be made practicable for guns forsome miles up to the spot where we first struck the Yalu; but I don'tthink the path we subsequently followed could be so used."

  "That path is marked, I think, tentatively on our maps. Look at this;that is the path, is it not?"

  "Yes," said Bob, after a glance at the map unrolled before him.

  "It would be of the greatest importance
to us if it were practicable.Did any of the Chunchuses with whom you have been acting come in withyou?"

  "Unfortunately no, sir. I learnt that they slipped away immediatelyafter we were relieved by your cavalry."

  "They are free lances, and probably thought if they came in they wouldhave to act under our orders, or more probably be disbanded. No doubtthey are making their way back by devious paths to their old haunts inManchuria. It is a pity they have gone. I should have liked to employsome of them as guides."

  "May I offer my services, sir?" said Bob instantly. "I couldn't find myway back from here to the hills, but once there I think I could act asguide over the path in question."

  "Thank you. I accept your offer at once. I must, of course, wire toTokio for permission to employ you, as otherwise your duty would be torejoin the fleet. I will do that at once, and the answer will no doubtcome early in the morning. Now, Mr. Fawcett, I will not keep youlonger. You need a thorough rest after your trying experiences: thatknock on the head will trouble you for some days, I fear; but I hope agood rest will set you up again. My aide-de-camp will provide you withquarters--rough, but the best at my disposal. I shall send for you inthe morning."

  Only now that the strain was relaxed did Bob realize how desperatelytired and worn he was. When he reached the lodging allotted to him, hedropped on to the bed just as he was, and fell fast asleep. It wasnearly noon when he awoke. Ah-Sam came to his side, carrying over hisarm a suit of clothes.

  "My hab catchee tings for massa," he said. "Aflaid massa no can getiniside."

  "Well, I can only try," said Bob with a smile. "Get me something toeat, Ah-Sam. Stay, where are the ladies?"

  "He in house topside-pidgin man--velly nice. He go Seoul bimeby."

  "Oh! Just run and tell them I'm here--"

  "Allo savvy. My tellum allo 'bout massa long tim' ago."

  "Ask them not to go until I have seen them, then get my breakfast."

  "Allo lightee, massa. Littee missy wantchee look-see what--"

  "Don't stand talking. Run at once, or they may gone."

  "No fear! My savvy littee missy no can wailo 'cept--"

  "Go at once!" shouted Bob, and the Chinaman fled.

  About an hour later Bob, clad in a Japanese uniform, which left a gooddeal to be desired about the sleeves and the trousers, was conducted byAh-Sam to the missionary's house in which the ladies had been hospitablylodged.

  "My dear boy, how glad I am to see you!" exclaimed Mrs. Pottle, comingforward with outstretched hands. "We were afraid that you had notescaped from that dreadful brigand. If I had not had Ethel to take careof, I should certainly have ridden back myself--even with nothing but myumbrella that you make fun of."

  Bob, from his knowledge of Mrs. Pottle, felt that the fair American wasquite equal to that or any other hazardous adventure.

  "I am glad indeed there was no occasion," he said. "I wouldn't have youcome within fifty miles of that desperate gang."

  "That would have been no worse, not a bit, for I haven't slept a winkworrying about you, neither has Ethel; indeed, the dear child has lostall her colour, as you see."

  Bob looked at the younger lady, but found that her cheeks were warm witha charming little blush, which deepened as she avoided his glance.

  "Oh, Aunt Jane," she said, "you really shouldn't exaggerate--I--"

  "There now! I've done it again. I am always putting my foot in it.But all's well that ends well. You're here safe--but dear me, poor boy,you've lost your colour. We shall have to take care of you, I can seethat."

  "Oh, it's nothing," said Bob; "a rap over the head, that's all. I shallbe right in a day or two."

  "But you will let us do what we can," said Ethel. "We owe you so much,Mr. Fawcett, and there is so little that we can do."

  Bob looked, as he felt, rather uncomfortable. Mrs. Pottle noted thefact.

  "Don't go, Mr. Fawcett," she said with a smile. "There, I promise, yousha'n't hear another word of thanks. I knew it: you look quite relievedalready."

  Bob laughed, and the ladies joined him, while Ah-Sam looked on gravely,in evident wonder at what had caused the merriment.

  "Can I do anything to help you on your way?" asked Bob. "I'm afraid Ishall soon have to say good-bye."

  The ladies looked at him in surprise.

  "But are you not going to Seoul?" asked Mrs. Pottle.

  "Not yet, I'm sorry to say. I have something yet to do."

  "We are not in a hurry. We could quite well wait a day or two."

  "It is not a matter of days, unfortunately. It may be weeks or evenmonths."

  "You are not going back?" said Ethel, vainly endeavouring to conceal heranxiety. Bob afterwards remembered that there was a tremor in hervoice.

  "Yes," he said, "I am going north again. General Kuroki thinks I can beof some use to him, and afterwards--well, I have to find my friendKobo."

  "But, Mr. Fawcett, surely that is quixotic," said Mrs. Pottle. "Youcould not hope to find him. Indeed, poor man! if that villain Chang-Wohas captured him, his life will not be worth a moment's purchase. Thinkof the risk you would run: it is terrible."

  "Yes, indeed," added Ethel earnestly. "Please do not go. Think of--ofyour friends."

  "Believe me, I will run no needless risks, but I must do what I can tofind my friend or learn his fate. Remember what I owe to him."

  "Yes, we ought not to forget that," said Ethel; "you owe him--what weowe to you."

  She turned away. Mrs. Pottle put her arm about her niece's waist.

  "Is it to be good-bye, then?" she asked.

  Before Bob could reply, Ah-Sam, who had left the room for a few minutes,returned hurriedly.

  "One piecee Japanee come fetchee ladies Seoulee side. Hab got horses;wantchee lide wailo chop-chop: topside fightee pidgin."

  A few questions asked of Ah-Sam, and Bob explained to Mrs. Pottle thatan officer was about to start on military business for Seoul, and theoccasion had been seized to provide the American ladies with an escort.He would arrive within a few minutes. Bob despatched Ah-Sam with ananswer, then turned to Mrs. Pottle.

  "Yes," he said, "it is good-bye."

  "But not for long," she replied with forced cheerfulness. "We shallstay, anyhow, two months at Yokohama, and you must come right along assoon as you can."

  "Good-bye, Mr. Fawcett," said Ethel, giving him her hand. "We shallpray for your success. Good-bye!"