ed was then built
solidly up in place of the wrecked wheel, and the fresh gunners began to
serve the weapon as coolly as though its original crew had not been
blown into eternity a few minutes previously. There could be no doubt
that these Korean rebels were showing themselves to be a remarkably
brave and efficient body of men.

While the wrecked gun was once more being made serviceable, the
Englishman observed that two of the other guns were being slewed round
until their muzzles pointed seaward, and he at once surmised that this
must be the direction from which that devastating shell had come. But
crane his neck as he might, although he could see a portion of the sheet
of water forming Prince Jerome Bay, he could not see the whole of it.
The entrance was clear, however, and it was therefore obvious that the
vessel from which the shot had been fired--for vessel it must be--had
contrived to enter the bay unobserved, and must now be cruising about
somewhere near the south shore.

Frobisher was very anxious to obtain a sight of her, for he greatly
desired to get some idea of what her nationality might be. She might
belong to any of the fleets of the various Powers that maintained
squadrons in Chinese waters at that time; or she might be either a
Chinese or a Japanese war-vessel. Any man-of-war would consider herself
at liberty to interfere, in the event of a battle taking place on Korean
soil, if only for the protection of the foreign inhabitants, whose lives
might be imperilled in consequence of the hostilities; but Frobisher
could not help thinking that the captain of the man-of-war was taking
matters with rather a high hand in deliberately firing on one of the
parties concerned, without first offering that party the opportunity to
come to a peaceful arrangement. Such high-handed action did not appear
like that of a European naval officer, and therefore the most obvious
conclusion was that the vessel must be either Chinese or Japanese.

Even as Frobisher looked, however, the question answered itself, for
moving slowly into his field of vision there appeared the bow of a
cruiser, quite close inshore; and as she gradually revealed her whole
length, her guns flashing continuously meanwhile, the Englishman saw
that the Dragon ensign was flying from her peak, and that she was
therefore a Chinese man-of-war. China, then, had at length decided to
take a hand in the game, and her efforts were to be directed against the