A United States Midshipman in China

The United States gunboat “Phœnix” lay at anchor in the swift current of the Yangtse River opposite the Chinese city of Ku-Ling. The surface of the water seemed tranquil, but a...

Phil had ceased to struggle; his doom was too close upon him to hope to escape it. His one chance was the launch. A low cry of joy burst from him as he saw her turn safely under...

Upon their return on board the “Phœnix,” the midshipmen found all was activity. A message had been received from Emmons which had decided Commander Hughes to wait no longer befo...

If the man with whom Phil had fought was a soldier of the viceroy, it was indeed convincing evidence that the outlaws were receiving aid of the official class. Lieutenant Wilson...

The gaping crowd pressed ever closer. Phil could feel the fetid breath of those nearest him; he saw a big Chinaman emerge from the dense throng and push his way to Langdon’s cha...

“I guessed as much!” the pilot cried out, striding forward; the guards timidly giving way before his menacing revolver. “These men are Christian converts; it’s but a trick to ma...

Commander Hughes’ plans were agreed upon, though not until after much opposition by the other members of the council, and word was at once despatched to the foreign merchants an...

“You know the customs of these people; what shall we do?” he exclaimed anxiously, betraying that with all his vain boasting before his confrères he depended upon the American pi...

The Americans were speechless with amazement. Phil was confident that he read triumph in the spiteful face of the foreign commander. Langdon gazed with unfeigned disgust at the...

The arrival of the Americans in the jail was heralded with delight by their scantily-clad fellows; they one and all crowded about the lads examining their uniforms and putting v...

The midshipmen saw that something had occurred to bring about this change in the behavior of the mandarins, but for their lives they could not guess its import or the effect it...

Ta-Ling threw down the coat impatiently and glanced disdainfully at the other articles of apparel. He then took up Phil’s muddy trousers gingerly as if fearful of soiling his es...

Ta-Ling had ceased to struggle; his eyes protruded in ghastly fashion, while through his open mouth his tongue showed blue and swollen. Phil was terrified at the sight, believin...

Again the Americans were in motion toward the lighted gateway. With hearts beating high, in a terrible suspense, their feet mechanically carried them slowly toward the spot wher...

Langdon and Sydney had so forcibly driven their enemy to the ground that one of the revolvers, which was cocked, had gone off, the noise of the discharge reverberating through t...

All eyes were now intent on the American war-ship. The guns in the forts had become silent, as if startled at the sudden appearance of an enemy worthy of their metal. The monito...

“Captain!” he exclaimed, intensely in earnest. “We must go to Commander Hughes immediately. The mission must be relieved to-night. It is probably now surrounded by the outlaws....

The midshipmen, after leaving the captain’s cabin, hastened to their rooms to bathe and don fresh clothes. Phil eyed his bunk longingly; he had not had a comfortable sleep for m...

After the Americans had departed, leaving Ta-Ling tightly bound and gagged on the cell floor, the Chinaman remained quietly bemoaning his cruel destiny. He knew from the silence...

The midshipmen gazed fearfully toward the island. What could it mean? Had the grass on the island been fired, and if so, would the fire reach dangerous proportions before the fl...

The ominous sound of strife sent shivers up and down Phil’s spine; the mission was surrounded by a force far in excess of the handful guarding the helpless ones inside its wall;...

With the order to charge trembling on his lips, Phil hesitated. What did the silence of the mission tell him? Had Commander Hughes succeeded in gaining an entrance, and had the...

While Phil had been gazing spellbound at the half ton shell, fired by O’Neil with such startling effect, Sydney was watching excitedly a small squad of Chinese soldiers toiling...

O’Neil, with his characteristic energy, wasted no time upon the cell, which he had made up his mind long since would be found empty, but with three or four sailors at his back h...