Dave Darrin on the Asiatic Station. Or, Winning Lieutenants' Commissions on the Admiral's Flagship
On one of the cushions Miss Chapin was laid, while all gathered about her anxiously.
“Make the ‘Castoga’ with all speed,” ordered Ensign Hale. “The young lady must have prompt attention.”
On the way to the “Castoga” Captain Chapin did everything he could think of to revive his sister. The others stood about, ready to help.
Then it was that Dave happened, for the first time, to face the rescuer.
“Pembroke!” he called in astonishment.
“Howdy do?” asked the Englishman, with a smile holding out his hand.
Though Dave felt himself chilling with suspicion of the pleasant stranger, he could not withhold his hand.
“I was on my way out to visit your ship,” smiled Pembroke, as he released Dave’s hand after a warm grip. “Captain Chapin was good enough to say that he would present me on board.”
“And glad indeed I am that I undertook to do so,” exclaimed Chapin. “If it hadn’t been for you, Pembroke, I am afraid my sister would have been lost.”
Pembroke was now engaged in shaking hands with Dalzell, who felt obliged to present him to Ensign Hale.
“A splendid rescue, that,” said Hale warmly.
The gunboat’s launch was now speedily alongside the “Castoga,” the motor boat, a small craft that carried passengers on the bay for hire, following at slower speed.
“We’ve a half-drowned young lady on board, who needs the surgeon’s attention,” called Hale, between his hands, just before the launch ran alongside.
Miss Chapin was immediately taken on board, and carried to the quarters of the executive officer, where she was laid in a bunk. Only her brother and the surgeon remained with her.
Dave felt obliged to introduce Pembroke to his brother officers. The Englishman proceeded to make their acquaintance with evident delight.
Five minutes later the executive officer recovered his presence of mind sufficiently to send ashore to Cavite for dry garments of a size suitable for Miss Chapin’s use. In an hour or two that young lady, revived and attired in dry clothing, was brought on deck on her brother’s arm. She was weak, but out of danger.
“We came out in order to make a call aboard,” Captain Chapin explained to the officers under the quarter-deck awning, “but we had no idea we were going to make such a sensational visit.”
“I fancy that women are always nuisances aboard naval craft,” smiled Miss Chapin, whereupon the assembled officers promptly assured her that women were nothing of the sort.
In the meantime the three officers who had leaped over into the bay had had time to change their clothing. It became a merry party on deck.
Up to Mr. Warden stepped a messenger, saluting.
“The Lieutenant Commander’s compliments, sir, and will the executive officer report to the Lieutenant Commander at once?”
“Immediately,” replied Lieutenant Warden, returning the salute, taking his brief adieu by merely raising his uniform cap before he left the party.
Ten minutes later Lieutenant Warden stepped briskly on deck. He paused long enough to say something in an undertone to the officer of the deck, who smartly passed the word for a messenger.
“I am sorry to announce,” said the executive officer, approaching the group of officers who surrounded Miss Chapin, “that our pleasant days in Manila are ended for the present.”
“I should say so,” cried Captain Chapin. “There goes your recall flag to the mast-head.”
“Right!” replied Mr. Warden crisply. “Our sailing orders have just been wirelessed from shore. We sail at seven this evening, if our few men on shore leave can be recalled in that time. Mr. Hale, you are to take the launch and go ashore after the leave men.”
“Very good, sir,” replied that ensign, saluting, next raising his cap to Miss Chapin and hastening away.
“Leaving, are you?” asked Pembroke, in a tone of regret. “And what is your destination?”
“China,” rejoined Lieutenant Warden tersely.
The Englishman’s face changed expression.
“Not – ” he stammered. “Not the – ”
“For the Nung-kiang River,” replied the executive officer.
Dave Darrin and Dan Dalzell were the only ones present who caught the strange, fleeting look that passed over the face of Pembroke.
“Why can this Englishman object to our going to the Nung-kiang River?” Ensign Darrin wondered. “What interest can he take in any mission of ours there?”
CHAPTER IV – THE LANDING PARTY AT NU-PING
“That ought to hold the pirates for a little while,” declared Danny Grin, his good-natured face looking unusually grim.
“I think it will,” replied Dave, halting before his cabin door. “Dan Dalzell, if my face is as dirty as yours I shouldn’t care to walk up Main Street in my native town.”
“Go in and look at yourself,” scoffed Dalzell.
“It’s fully as dirty,” called Dave, from the interior of his cabin, surveying himself in the glass.
But it was as honorable dirt as any man may have on his face – the grime of powder-smoke as it blew back when the gunboat’s five-inch guns had been swung open at the breech.
For the “Castoga,” intercepted by wireless on the way to the Nung-kiang, had been sent to Hong Kong by an official order from Washington. The threatened troubles along the Nung-kiang had quieted down to such an extent that cautious officials in Washington dreaded lest Chinese sensibilities should be wounded by the sending of a gunboat up the river.
So, day after day, the “Castoga” had lain in the mountain-bordered harbor at Hong Kong.
Then came the word one day that the Chinese rebels in the district around the city of Nu-ping, on the Nung-kiang River, had again become troublesome, and that the American mission buildings at Nu-ping were threatened. The “Castoga” had been ordered to proceed at full speed, she being the nearest craft of a draft light enough to ascend the river.
During the last hours of darkness the gunboat had steamed up the river, all eyes on board turned toward the sinister red glow that lighted the sky above the Chinese city, capital of a province.
Just before daylight the gunboat dropped anchor with every man and officer at quarters.
From shore came the sound of rifle shots, a wild pandemonium of yells, as thousands of raging Chinese surged upon the mission buildings, to which fire had already been set, and from which the American missionaries and their families, aided by the white residents of Nu-ping, were making the only resistance that lay within their power.
The first note of cheer that came to the missionaries and their friends was the whistle of the gunboat, sounding clearly when still two miles distant. Then the lights of the fighting craft came into sight.
For a few minutes after coming to anchor, the commander of the “Castoga” was forced to wait for sufficient daylight to enable him to distinguish accurately between friend and foe.
At the side of the gunboat a launch and four cutters waited, to carry a landing party, if the sending ashore of men should prove to be necessary. Anxiously, using his night glasses every minute, the American commander paced the deck and listened.
Then, when there was barely enough light, word was telephoned to the division officers to begin action.
Boom! spoke the first gun from the gunboat. Other shots followed rapidly.
In the compound before the burning mission buildings was a mass of yellow fiends, crowding, yelling and shooting. From the windows of such portions of the burning buildings as were still tenable American rifle fire was poured into the mob.
That first shell, landing among the yellow fiends, killed more than twenty Mongols, wounded others, and drove the attackers out of the compound.
Boom! Bang! Other shells flew through the air, clearing away the rabble further back.
From the mission buildings, a quarter of a mile away, went up a wild cheer of hope.
But the attacking rabble, despite the first shell fire, came back, inviting further punishment.
Again the gunboat’s five-inch guns roared out. There was now sufficient light to enable the American gunners to make out the locations of the mob.
At least thirty shells were fired ere the rebels beat a retreat beyond the confines of Nu-ping.
It was time to stop firing, for some of the American shells had set fire to Chinese dwellings and business buildings.
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