un and that to get to Port Arthur--a Russian stronghold
in Manchuria--was out of the question. While he was awaiting orders
Gilbert Pennington appeared on the scene. Gilbert had had great
difficulties in getting away from Port Arthur, having been suspected by
the Russian officials of being a spy. He wished to know at once if the
ship's cargo was safe.

"As safe as when we left home," had been Captain Ponsberry's reply.

"Good!" answered the young agent, and then he wished to know if anything
had been done about selling the goods. Captain Ponsberry replied that he
had been ordered to do nothing until he received word from Gilbert. This
suited the young representative; and the upshot of the matter was that
the cargo, instead of going to a Russian port, was sold to the Japanese
Government at a price considerably above the ordinary market value.

Gilbert Pennington was enthusiastic about joining the Japanese army for
a campaign in Manchuria and he imparted a large share of this enthusiasm
to Ben Russell. As a result both enlisted and became captains in a
special command, under a Major Okopa, who could speak very good English.
The part of the army to which they were assigned landed at Chinampo, in
Korea, and in the second volume of this series, called "Under the
Mikado's Flag," I related the particulars of the crossing of the Yalu
River and of the many skirmishes and battles leading up to the terrific
ten-days' contest before Liao Yang. During these fights Ben and Gilbert
did their full duty as officers, and when the Russians retreated to the
North both were well content to take a much-needed rest. But additional
struggles were still in store for them, as will be learned in the pages
which follow.

At first Larry Russell had been inclined to follow his brother and his
friend Gilbert into the Japanese army. But Captain Ponsberry did not
wish to lose his services as a second mate, and when it was decided that
the _Columbia_ should make a quick run to Manila and back, for another
cargo for the Japanese Government, he made up his mind to stick to the
ship.

The run to Manila from Nagasaki was made without special incident, and,
once at the main seaport of the Philippines, Captain Ponsberry lost no
time in getting on board the cargo the Richmond Importing Company had
ready for him. The cargo was a valuable one and it was calculated that
if rightly sold it would yield the company a profit of five or six
thousand dollars.

"