CHAPTER XXVIII
ON TO HONG KONG—CONCLUSION
"I feel like a fellow who has been rolling in a coal hole," remarked Larry, when the excitement had somewhat subsided. "And my ears are in a regular buzz."
"That buzzing will go away by morning," said Striker. "Ah, lad, but it was a great victory, wasn't it now?" and he slapped Larry heartily on the back. When the news of the surrender came in. Striker had insisted upon dancing an impromptu jig, and several had joined in. There was likely to be a "high time" on the Olympia for some days to come, now that the terrible strain under which the men had been laboring had been removed.
For it is no easy thing to face death, even at something of a distance. Everybody knew that only the wretched aiming of the Spanish gunners had saved them from shots of a more or less seri-
271
