CHAPTER XIV
PROGRESS OF THE WAR
An hour after the capture of the Chinese junk one of the officers of the ill-fated craft was thrust into the prison pen with our friends.
He was a small sallow-eyed Celestial rejoicing in the name of Won Lung, and it was soon learned that he could speak a little English, he having once paid a visit to San Francisco.
"All go up spout!" said he, referring to his own ship. "T'ink we safe when Russian gunboat come, den all up spout!"
"Did they sink your ship?" asked Captain Ponsberry.
"No sink—shoot holes, back, front, side—all up spout. No fightee no more den—all up spout!" The latter was his pet phrase and he used it over and over again.
"You were in the Japanese trade?"
"Yes—carry rice. Now Russians got rice, got junk—all Won Lung's money gone up spout!" And the Celestial made an odd little grimace.
122
