Under the Mikado's flag

The battle of the Yalu was followed by several days of rest for Gilbert and his friends, for which they were not sorry. In the fighting Ben had sustained a severe wrench of his left ankle, and he was content to take it easy in one of the houses of Kiu-lien-cheng, around which the University Corps were quartered.

Both Gilbert and Ben were anxious to learn how Dan Casey had fared, and the former lost no time in hunting up Carl Stummer and questioning him.

“Da vos took poor Tan to der temborary hosbital,” answered the German sharpshooter. “Der doctor said he couldn’t fight yet a-vile.”

“But he’ll get over it?”

“Yah, he said Tan vould git ofer it—put he must haf rest.”

“How did you make out Carl?”

“Oh I dink me I knock out more as six Roossians, Gilpert. Ven Tan got shot I got mine tander up, und I sailed in like neffer vos alretty. Say, put it vos a great fight, hey?”

“You are right.”

“Vot you dinks ve vos going to do next?”

“Oh, we’ll follow them up,—as soon as we get into shape to do it. Our baggage trains have got to get across the river first—and we want re-enforcements, too, I imagine,” concluded the young captain.

It was not until a week after crossing the river that the Japanese army moved forward to Feng-wang-cheng, which the Russians abandoned without showing fight. In the meantime fair-sized Japanese forces landed at Pitsewo and Kin-chow, on the Liao-tung Peninsula, just north of Port Arthur, and cut off all telegraphic communications which the city had heretofore enjoyed with the outside world. This was a serious blow to the Russians at the port, but other blows far more serious were soon to follow.

The Russians at Dalny, the station just north of Port Arthur, were now growing anxious, and before long a large part of the seaport, which had cost many millions to build up, was blown up by them, and they prepared to evacuate the place.

The tide of war seemed to have set in strongly for the Japanese, but now came a setback which they scarcely looked for. In another naval engagement off Port Arthur the armored cruiser Yoshino was rammed in the fog, and the battleship Hatsuse was sunk by a mine. It is said that by the sinking of these two ships the Japanese also lost upward of four hundred officers and sailors. In addition to this the Japanese lost several transports and merchant ships, destroyed or captured by the Russian fleet sailing from Vladivostok.

It could now be seen by the outside world what the general campaign of the Japanese army was to be. By landing forces above Port Arthur they virtually cut that place off from the rest of the world, and thus placed it in a state of siege. With the navy hammering from the water side, the army advanced closer and closer to hem in the place so that it would have to surrender or be destroyed. In order to keep back re-enforcements for the Russians, the army of the Yalu now began to advance toward Liao-Yang, on the railroad which connects Port Arthur with Mukden and other Russian strongholds further north.

It must not be supposed that the Russians gave the army under General Kuroki as much rest as many would have wished. There were constant skirmishes and small battles, and not a few were killed or wounded on both sides.

Spies were sent out constantly by both commanders to learn just what the enemy was doing. So far many Japanese spies had lost their lives, or been taken prisoners, yet the call for men for such duty was always answered eagerly.

One hot day early in July Gilbert and Ben found themselves on a trail leading over one of the hills far to the westward of Feng-wang-cheng. It had been reported that numerous Russian spies were in that vicinity, doing their best to get in and out of the Japanese lines. How the work was being carried on nobody seemed to know, and a detachment was sent out, under Major Okopa. The major had taken with him the two young Americans and six of his best sharpshooters.

“Well, the war seems to have come to an end in this vicinity,” remarked Ben, as they moved along, past a forest on one side and a tall cornfield on the other. “What do you think of it, Gilbert?”

“I think the general is preparing for another such ten-strike as we made when we crossed the Yalu. What do you think, major?”

“I think so myself,” answered the Japanese major, whose knowledge of English, thanks to Gilbert and Ben, was improving daily. “You must remember, we now have three armies in the field—one under our own general, one under General Oku, and a third under General Nodzu. I believe that before long the greater portion of the three armies will unite, and then we shall drive General Kuropatkin clear back to Russia.”

“They tell me the Russian commander has an immense force behind him.”

“That may be true. But we have also large armies,—and you know how our men fight.”

“Yes, they could not have done better,” put in Ben.

“There is another thing to consider,” went on the Japanese major. “We have no troubles at home to worry us, while Russia has troubles without number. She must always keep some soldiers at home, or there may break out a revolution which will annihilate her.”

“Yes, I know that,” said Gilbert. “Just the same, I hardly think this war is going to end this summer.”

“I am afraid not,” and the Japanese major sighed. “That is Russia’s one hope—that she may wear Japan out. She has so many more people, and her resources are so much greater. But, should Russia win in the end, it will be at a cost that will stagger her and her financiers.”

A little later the talk came to an end, because it was felt that a Russian detachment might be close at hand. They had now passed into the cornfield and were moving toward a slight rise of ground. To the east and the west were heavy woods, and behind them a fair-sized brook, where all had stopped to get a drink, for the march had proved a tiresome one.

So far the only persons they had met on the way were Chinese farmers, all of whom bewailed the fact that an army was in the vicinity, and who wanted to know who was to pay for the crops stolen or destroyed.

They were just passing a farmhouse when, on glancing back, Gilbert caught sight of two bearded faces peeping at them from behind a haystack. The faces disappeared as soon as the young captain caught sight of them.

He did not report the matter at once, but called a halt as soon as the haystack was out of range and told Major Okopa of what he had seen.

“Let us go back instantly and investigate,” said the Japanese officer.

“Hadn’t we better be careful?” suggested Gilbert. “If they were Russians there may be more of them in the vicinity.”

“Be prepared for anything that may happen.”

The major took the lead in retracing the way to the farmhouse. As soon as the detachment came in sight, one of the Chinese farmers emitted a long, low whistle.

It was evidently a signal, and several men were seen to pass out of the back of the farmhouse in the direction of a small barn close by. The men were in Chinese dress, but that they were Russians there could be no doubt.

“Halt!” cried Major Okopa, in Japanese, and repeated the command in Russian.

For reply, a shot was heard, and a bullet struck the brave officer in the shoulder. Then came other shots, aimed at the rest of the detachment. But no one else was hit, and they returned the fire as quickly as they could. Whether or not any of the enemy were reached they could not tell, for Russians and Chinese had now disappeared.

As Major Okopa fell Gilbert ran into the farmhouse, with Ben upon his heels. They saw a man disappearing into an inner apartment, and rushing forward Gilbert tripped him up. Then came a shot through a window, and Ben fired at the Russian who had aimed it, and the enemy fell in the grass outside. In the meantime the rest of the detachment went after some Russians and Chinese in the barn, and a fierce hand-to-hand struggle ensued.

With the major seriously, if not mortally wounded, the command of the detachment fell upon Gilbert, and as quickly as he could he called his men together, and placed them behind a corn-crib which commanded a view both of the house and the barn. One man had been killed, and, among the Russians and Chinese, three were badly wounded.

“I think there are about three Chinese and about nine or ten Russians,” said Ben, after the first excitement was over, and they had done what they could for the major. “The Chinese do not amount to much as fighters, but those Russians appear to know their business.”

“I reckon we can show them that we know ours,” replied Gilbert dryly.

“What you propose to do?”

“Shoot them down as soon as they show themselves.”

“Perhaps they won’t show themselves.”

“Yes they will. Just look there!”

As the young captain spoke he pointed to a spot between the barn and the house. Here were piled some dry cornstalks. In some unaccountable manner the cornstalks had caught fire, and a stiff breeze that was blowing was sending the sparks flying in all directions.

“Good. I hope the sparks set fire to the barn,” cried Ben, and hardly had he uttered the words when the roof and one side of the structure, which was very dry, burst into flames. The smoke rolled into the barn, and those inside had to either come out or be burned like rats in a trap.