"Gilbert!" he called faintly. "Gilbert!"

n.o.body answered him, and now he essayed to sit up. He could not budge and consequently began to struggle.

"Be still!" cried one of the Chunchuses, in Chinese.

"Where am I? What are you doing to me?" queried Ben.

For answer he received a good shaking and was then dumped on the ground.

His feet were liberated, and the chief of the Chinese brigands ordered him to move along, pointing the end of his sword at the prisoner as he did so.

"Where is my friend?" asked Ben.

"He is dead," said the chief, laconically.

"Dead!" burst out the young captain. His heart seemed to become like a lump of lead. Gilbert, his own true chum, dead! It was too horrible to believe.

"Yes, and you will be unless you walk on," added the chief of the Chunchuses.

There was no help for it, and, bruised and bleeding, the young captain took up the march, with his enemies on all sides of him. The gait was a rapid one, and before they came to a halt once more he was all but exhausted.

"Where are you taking me?" he asked.

"Wait and see." The chief of the Chunchuses grinned wickedly. "I shall have to trouble you for your valuables," he went on, in his native tongue, and without further ado stripped Ben of his possessions, including his watch, money, ring, and sword.

There was no use protesting, and therefore the young captain did not attempt it. He was marched along a marshy path, and presently came in sight of the ocean and a small bay, where two sailing ships and a small steamer lay at anchor.

A shrill whistle sounded out, and this was answered by somebody on the steamer. Then a small boat put in to sh.o.r.e, carrying four sailors and an officer. As soon as the officer landed, he was called aside by the chief of the Chunchuses, and a conference lasting several minutes followed.

"It shall be as you say, Ching Fee," said the officer, in Russian. "It is too bad you did not get the other, too. I know Ivan Snokoff, and Captain Barusky too, and there will be money in this. Yes, I'll take him on board at once. You had better watch out that the soldiers do not get after you."

"Trust Ching Fee to take care of himself," said the chief of the Chunchuses.

With scant ceremony Ben was conducted to the small boat and told to get in. He asked where they were going to take him, but could get no satisfaction. As soon as the steamer was reached, he was conducted to an empty stateroom and locked in.

"This is the worst yet!" he muttered, as he sat down. "I suppose they intend to carry me miles and miles away. Poor Gilbert! I never thought he would be killed in such a fashion as this! What cutthroats these Chinese brigands are! It's a wonder they didn't kill me too! Can that story about Larry be true?"

There was a little water in the stateroom, and as his hands had been released, Ben bathed his wounds and bound them up as best he could. He heard the steamer move away from the sh.o.r.e, and soon the steady pounding of the engines proved that she was forging ahead at her best rate of speed.

He was a prisoner of the enemy, and what they were going to do with him was a question still to be answered.

CHAPTER XXIV

THE DEFENSE OF THE POWDER TRAIN

After firing on the Chinese brigands as already described, Gilbert plunged into the brushwood which was not over half a dozen yards distant. He heard the shots discharged at him in return, but fortunately every one went wide of its mark.

Once in the brushwood he did not stop, but continued on his way for several rods. Then he paused, wondering if Ben was anywhere in the vicinity.

"I hope they didn't kill him," he murmured. "What a trap that was, and how easily we walked into it!"

He waited and listened, but n.o.body came near him. Then, with caution, he pushed ahead, until he gained once more the road leading back to the temporary camp occupied by the powder train and the detachment guarding it. Following this, he ran on at full speed until the welcome camp-fires greeted him.

"Major Okopa, we have been attacked by Chunchuses!" he exclaimed, as he rushed up to the officer's quarters. And in a brief manner he explained the situation so far as he knew it.

The j.a.panese major had taken a strong liking to Gilbert and Ben, and he lost no time in ordering out a company to round up the Chinese brigands if they could be located. It was Gilbert's own command and he was given permission to remain out the whole night and the next day if necessary.

The young Southerner went at the task with vigor, for he realized that every moment was precious. He explained the situation to his men, and they set off at double-quick to where the attack had been made.

As was to be expected, the spot was deserted. By torchlight they saw the evidences of the struggle which had taken place. In one spot was a pool of blood, left by the brigand whom Gilbert had shot in the shoulder.

"They went off in this direction," said one of the soldiers, who was good at tracing footsteps. He pointed to a side road, and along this they ran, keeping eyes and ears on the alert, so as to avoid anything in the nature of a surprise.

Two hours later the company found itself on the seash.o.r.e. But Chunchuses and vessels were gone and to where it was impossible to find out. But on the beach Gilbert picked up an empty pocketbook which he knew was Ben's property.

"They brought him here most likely," he said. "See, here are the marks of a rowboat, and of many feet. They have gone off on the water."

"Then the hunt is at a standstill," returned his second in command.

The young captain was unwilling to believe this, and the remainder of the night, and the next forenoon, were spent in an eager search after the enemy. But it was useless; and at last Gilbert, sick at heart, ordered his men to return to the camp.

On the following day the powder train moved onward once more. The first lieutenant of Ben's company took command of the body, and Ben was marked "missing" on the roll.

"It is certainly too bad, and I sympathize with you, Captain Pennington," said Major Okopa. "Captain Russell is a fine fellow."

"It takes all the vigor out of me," replied Gilbert. "Ben and I were like two brothers."

But Gilbert was given no time in which to grieve over Ben's disappearance. Two days later, the powder train was attacked by a detachment of the Russians, who seemed to spring out of the very ground.

One of the wagons loaded with powder was blown to atoms, killing two horses and three soldiers.

"_Banzai!_" cried the j.a.panese, and when the order was given they attacked the enemy with vigor. It was a hot fight, lasting half an hour, and the Russians were driven among some high hills, backed up by several mountains.

As the powder train had to go through one of the mountain pa.s.ses so close at hand, the soldiers were sent ahead, to clear the way of all Russians that might appear. This was dangerous work, for the enemy had the advantage of the higher position. But the j.a.panese were undaunted, and rushed up one slope after another with a vigor and animation that was surprising.

"Can't hold them back, when once they get started," said Gilbert, to the major. "They are like our Southern bloodhounds, when once they strike the scent."

"And that is the way to win victory," answered Major Okopa.

Not long after this Gilbert found himself at the foot of a steep hill with his company. At the top of the hill were a number of great bowlders and behind these some of the Russians were in hiding, sending down a spiteful fire whenever the opportunity presented itself.

"We must dislodge those fellows," said Major Okopa. "It is very dangerous work. Do you think you can accomplish it, Captain Pennington?"

"I can try," answered Gilbert, modestly, and ordered his company forward. He turned them slightly to the left, for here a fringe of thin brushwood offered a shelter that was not great, but much better than none.

"Major Okopa expects us to take this hill," he said, in the best j.a.panese he could muster. "Let us do our best!"