"This war won't be finished this winter," said more than one. "We are in
for another year of it, sure."

The _Shohirika_ had been summoned to join the fleet patrolling before
Port Arthur. Two days before that station was reached they fell in with
a sister ship which brought the news of an encounter with a Russian
battleship carrying some troops from Siberia. Both warships had suffered
and become separated in the darkness.

"This war is certainly warming up," said Larry. "I hope we see some
fighting before it is over."

"Maybe we'll see more of it than you wish," said Luke, grimly.

"Don't you worry--we'll see a whole lot," put in Steve Colton, who was
sitting on a ditty chest, playing checkers with Bob Stanford. "Just wait
till we get under Admiral Togo's eye--he'll make us be up and doing."

The chance to see some of the war came the next day, when they were
ordered to bombard one of the forts to the north of Port Arthur proper.
As soon as they came within four miles of the fort they received a
reception which was as warm as it was exciting.

"Now, here is where we show what we can do!" cried Luke, as the orders
came to begin firing, and the whole gun company jumped in to assist him.
The magazines were opened up, the windlasses set to work, and soon the
first real shell--not a mere blank for practicing--came up and was run
into the gun. Then the breech-block was swung to and locked, the
electric connection set, and Luke sighted the piece with care, after
having first received the proper distance from the range-finders in the
tops. As soon as the "sight" was "covered" the button was pressed, and
_bang!_ went the gun with a concussion that shook the whole ship. Other
guns followed in rapid succession, until Larry had to stuff cotton in
his ears to keep himself from becoming deaf. As soon as the gun was
discharged, it was opened to let the gases out and then cleaned with wet
swabs and flushed with running water to cool the barrel.

The bombardment lasted for an hour, and during that time the fort was
hit in a dozen places. Sand, dirt, and rocks flew in all directions, and
once there came a flash which told of an explosion of a quantity of
powder.

"If we could only hit the magazine it would be good-by to that fort,"
said Larry, but this was not to be.

After the first few shots the fort had remained silent, but now, when
the _Shohirika_ was about to retire, the gunners opened up once more,
and a rain of shot an