Page:At the Fall of Port Arthur.djvu/210

192 felt so happy. "I'm as sound as a fiddle. The Columbia is at Nagasaki and likely to stay there for some time. Allow me to introduce myself, Lawrence Russell, gunner's mate aboard of the Mikado's cruiser Shohirika. My head gunner is Luke Striker, Esquire."

"Never!" burst from Ben. "Well, this certainly is news. So you and Luke enlisted? Have you had any righting?"

"Not exactly. But we have seen some rough times," answered Larry, and then, as soon as Ben could get away for a quiet half-hour, he related his story in detail, just as I have set it down in these pages.

"You are assuredly a lucky chap, Larry, not to be in a Russian prison this minute," said his brother, after the young sailor had finished.

"Perhaps I am lucky, Ben. But it wasn't much of luck to have that Shamhaven and Peterson walk off with my money belt."

"That is so, but as the amount taken wasn't a fortune I shouldn't worry about it. I can let you have any money you need."

"I don't need any, and, besides, Luke is acting as my banker. But now tell me about yourself."

"There isn't very much to tell, outside of what I put down in that letter you received. As you