Under the Mikado's flag

“Here they come!”

It was Ben who uttered the cry, a few minutes after the smoke rolled into the barn, and he was right. Four of the Russians had found the spot too hot for comfort, and they rushed out with their guns in hand.

A volley from those hidden behind the haystack greeted the enemy, and two were killed outright and another wounded. The fourth ran behind the house, and a moment later he was followed by two Chinamen.

By this time the barn was in flames from top to bottom, and it was not long before the house also caught. Then came a fierce yelling from both the Russians and the Chinese, and all that were able to do so rushed through the smoke to the shelter of the nearest cornfield.

“After them, men,” cried Gilbert, in Japanese, and he led the way, followed closely by Ben. Before the cornfield could be gained one of the Russians was hit in the leg and laid low. The others, with the Chinese, managed to make their escape.

“Well, that was a hot skirmish while it lasted,” was Gilbert’s comment, on returning to the vicinity of the house and the barn.

“Yes, and the worst of it is, that Major Okopa has been seriously wounded.”

Leaving the buildings to burn down the Japanese detachment counted up its loss. One man had been killed and two, including the major, wounded seriously. All were cared for as tenderly as possible, and then it was decided to return to camp without delay and report what had occurred.

“We didn’t catch many Russian spies this trip,” was Ben’s comment, as they stalked along, the soldiers carrying the wounded ones between them.

“It was a surprise, no doubt of it,” returned Gilbert, but he did not dream of the still greater surprise in store for them.

Less than a mile was covered when they heard a noise to their left. At first they imagined it was a band of Russians, and thought to seek shelter, but then they came upon a small body of Japanese soldiers, two companies in all, also bound for the camp.

“We’ve been on special outpost duty,” said the officer in command, to Gilbert. “We have seen nothing of the enemy.”

He was much surprised to learn of what had occurred, and readily consented to go after those who had caused the trouble. The two companies were separated, one to return to the camp with those who had been wounded, and the other to go on the hunt for the fleeing enemy.

Gilbert and Ben went with the latter command, taking two of their own soldiers with them.

“I don’t know if this is a good move or not,” said Gilbert. “But I should like to round up the fellows who knocked over poor Major Okopa.”

“That’s exactly the way I look at it,” answered Ben. “And, for all we know, those rascals may be the very spies we want. You can depend upon it, they weren’t so close to our lines for nothing.”

The march was in the direction of the cornfield. Here the trail was soon struck. It led to the northwest, over a slight rise of ground and then along a small brook, into which it disappeared.

“I hope we have not lost it,” was Gilbert’s comment, as all came to a halt in perplexity.

But the trail was not so easily missed. Getting down close to the water, several of the Japanese soldiers made an examination which would have done credit to an Indian. Soon they announced that the trail led down the stream. It was followed up despite the fact that it was from a foot to two feet under water, and a few rods away was found to lead directly into a patch of short timber.

The men were now ordered to move forward with caution, and each weapon was held in readiness for immediate use. It was growing dark rapidly, and there was every indication that the hot summer day was going to end in a violent thunderstorm.

“If it comes I imagine it will be a corker,” was the way Ben expressed himself. “Don’t you notice how close it is getting?”

“Yes, I’ve noticed that for the last hour. See, it is beginning to rain already.”

The young captain was right. At first the drops came down scatteringly, then followed a steady downpour which increased rapidly.

Suddenly in the midst of this rain, one of the Japanese soldiers in advance gave the alarm. He had sighted two Russians, who instantly opened fire. At once the whole company of Japanese pressed forward.

The Russians who had fled earlier in the day had gotten to a spot where about a dozen others of their command were on guard—a lonely outpost such as were then scattered for many miles between Feng-wang-cheng and Liao-Yang and the railroad. Thinking the Japanese had come upon them in force, they fought desperately, and the skirmish was brisk for fully quarter of an hour.

In this fight neither Gilbert nor Ben suffered any injury, although more than once they came to close quarters. Ben was driven against a tree by two Russian soldiers and almost bayoneted, but the Russians were attacked from behind and driven off. Gilbert was also attacked by a Russian officer, and the sword play lasted for fully a minute, when the Russian dropped back between some of his men, convinced, no doubt, that he had met his match.

In the meantime the storm increased in violence. The air was almost black, when a vivid flash of lightning blinded many of the fighters. Then came a deluge of rain, through which little or nothing could be seen. Taking advantage of this sudden burst of the tempest, the Russians began to retreat, and were soon lost to sight.

The Japanese were of a temper to follow, but in such a deluge this was simply impossible. The rain now came down in sheets, driven by a wind which was constantly increasing in violence.

“This is a storm and no mistake,” cried Ben, as he slung the water from his cap. “Puts me in mind of some of the Philippine downpours.”

“Yes, and those we had in Cuba, when everything went sailing out of our camp,” added Gilbert. “Gracious, but that lightning is sharp!”

He was right, the flashes were unusually brilliant and dazzled them. The whole atmosphere appeared to be charged with electricity, and the wind was now blowing little short of a hurricane.

“We had better withdraw from this forest,” said the officer in command of the company. “It is dangerous to stay here in such lightning as this.”

Everybody was willing, and one of the number suggested they move to where a slight rise of rocks would afford at least partial shelter. In making this move they had to cross the brook which has already figured in our story, and then turn an angle formed by a sharp rock backed up by several unusually large trees.

Gilbert and Ben were just at this angle, with some soldiers in front of them and some behind, when there came a flash of lightning more brilliant than any seen before. With this flash came an ear-splitting crash from the heavens, followed by another crash among the clump of trees.

Ben was dazed and so was Gilbert, and for the moment both stood transfixed, not realizing what had happened. Then Ben gave a glance at the trees and saw that one was swaying unsteadily in the wind.

“It’s coming down!” he yelled. “It’s coming down!” And he started to run to a place of safety, followed by the Japanese soldiers and their officers.

Gilbert heard his chum’s cry, but did not realize at first what it meant. The lightning flash had produced a shock through his whole system, and he felt as if a thousand needles were being thrust into him at once.

“Run, Gilbert, run!” screamed Ben, when he saw that his chum did not move. “Run, or the tree’ll come down on you.”

“Wha—what?”

“Run, I say! Don’t you see the tree is coming down?”

Gilbert now understood the words, and glanced toward the clump of trees. The largest was already over at an angle of forty-five degrees. In a moment more it was sure to hit the earth and crush everything beneath it.

Gilbert started to leap to a point of safety. But his legs were weak from the shock received and he stumbled on the rocks and fell headlong.

As he went down the tree gave another crash and dropped ten or fifteen degrees more, so that some of the branch ends touched the prostrate captain’s body.

Ben saw the danger fully, and gave a scream of horror. Was it possible that he was going to see his chum mangled before his very eyes? He shivered, and an icy chill ran down his spine.

Then like a flash his mind was made up. He must save Gilbert at any cost. He turned back and crawled under the tree branches.

“Have a care!” shouted the Japanese captain. “Have a care! The tree is settling! You will be caught!”

“Oh, Ben!” gasped Gilbert. He could say no more, for a thick limb was pressing him to the earth and cutting off his wind.

“Give me your hand, Gilbert! There, that’s it! Now try to pull yourself loose!”

“I—I can’t do it! I—my clothing is caught, and I—I—”

“Here, turn around on your side—this way. Now see if you can’t crawl out backwards.”

Another crack of the tree drowned out the last of Ben’s suggestion. But Gilbert understood and turned over. Then Ben pulled upon his chum’s arm with all his strength.

“My—shirt—it’s caught in that branch!” gasped Gilbert. “See—if—you can—haul—it—back!” He could scarcely speak.

Ben had hold of the branch before Gilbert had finished. He twisted it back by main strength. Then he held it with one hand, and pulled upon Gilbert with the other.

At last the young captain was free. But the tree was coming down now, and a great mass of branches settled slowly over both of the young Americans, hiding them completely from view in the rain and darkness.