"A Russian warship!" ejaculated half a dozen.
"This looks to me as if the jig was up," murmured Tom Grandon.
As quickly as it could be done, Captain Ponsberry assembled his men on deck.
"Men," he said, briefly, "the officers on board of that warship wish to find out what they can about us. If you are asked questions say nothing- more than that you shipped for the voyage to Nagasaki and San Francisco, and that you know nothing about the cargo. Do you understand?"
"Aye, aye, sir," came from those who were listening.
"I must depend upon you to help save the ship. If the Columbia is suspected of being in the employ of the Japanese Government, or of carrying a cargo for that nation, she will be taken as a prize of war and we'll go to a Russian prison most likely."
"I don't want to go to no Russian prison!" cried out Wilbur, his face turning pale. "I ain't done nothing wrong!"
"Then keep your tongue from wagging too much, Wilbur," answered the master of the schooner, grimly.
"There ain't no use o' fighting, is there?" asked Groot.
"Fighting?" came from Tom Grandon. "What
