FIGHTING IN A STORM
“Here they come!”
It was Ben who uttered the cry, a few minutes after the smoke rolled
into the barn, and he was right. Four of the Russians had found the
spot too hot for comfort, and they rushed out with their guns in hand.
A volley from those hidden behind the haystack greeted the enemy, and
two were killed outright and another wounded. The fourth ran behind the
house, and a moment later he was followed by two Chinamen.
By this time the barn was in flames from top to bottom, and it was not
long before the house also caught. Then came a fierce yelling from both
the Russians and the Chinese, and all that were able to do so rushed
through the smoke to the shelter of the nearest cornfield.
“After them, men,” cried Gilbert, in Japanese, and he led the way,
followed closely by Ben. Before the cornfield could be gained one of
the Russians was hit in the leg and laid low. The others, with the
Chinese, managed to make their escape.
“Well, that was a hot skirmish while it lasted,” was Gilbert’s comment,
on returning to the vicinity of the house and the barn.
“Yes, and the worst of it is, that Major Okopa has been seriously
wounded.”
Leaving the buildings to burn down the Japanese detachment counted up
its loss. One man had been killed and two, including the major, wounded
seriously. All were cared for as tenderly as possible, and then it was
decided to return to camp without delay and report what had occurred.
“We didn’t catch many Russian spies this trip,” was Ben’s comment, as
they stalked along, the soldiers carrying the wounded ones between them.
“It was a surprise, no doubt of it,” returned Gilbert, but he did not
dream of the still greater surprise in store for them.
Less than a mile was covered when they heard a noise to their left.
At first they imagined it was a band of Russians, and thought to seek
shelter, but then they came upon a small body of Japanese soldiers, two
companies in all, also bound for the camp.
“We’ve been on special outpost duty,” said the officer in command, to
Gilbert. “We have seen nothing of the enemy.”
He was much surprised to learn of what had occurred, and readily
consented to go after those who had caused the trouble. The two
companies were separated, one to return to the camp with those who had
been wounded, and the other to go on the hunt for the fleeing enemy.
Gilbert and Ben went with the latter command, taking two of their own
soldiers with them.
“I don’t know if this is a good move or not,” said Gilbert. “But I
should like to round up the fellows who knocked over poor Major Okopa.”
“That’s exactly the way I look at it,” answered Ben. “And, for all we
know, those rascals may be the very spies we want. You can depend upon
it, they weren’t so close to our lines for nothing.”
The march was in the direction of the cornfield. Here the trail was
soon struck. It led to the northwest, over a slight rise of ground and
then along a small brook, into which it disappeared.
“I hope we have not lost it,” was Gilbert’s comment, as all came to a
halt in perplexity.
But the trail was not so easily missed. Getting down close to the
water, several of the Japanese soldiers made an examination which would
have done credit to an Indian. Soon they announced that the trail led
down the stream. It was followed up despite the fact that it was from
a foot to two feet under water, and a few rods away was found to lead
directly into a patch of short timber.
The men were now ordered to move forward with caution, and each weapon
was held in readiness for immediate use. It was growing dark rapidly,
and there was every indication that the hot summer day was going to end
in a violent thunderstorm.
“If it comes I imagine it will be a corker,” was the way Ben expressed
himself. “Don’t you notice how close it is getting?”
“Yes, I’ve noticed that for the last hour. See, it is beginning to rain
already.”
The young captain was right. At first the drops came down scatteringly,
then followed a steady downpour which increased rapidly.
Suddenly in the midst of this rain, one of the Japanese soldiers in
advance gave the alarm. He had sighted two Russians, who instantly
opened fire. At once the whole company of Japanese pressed forward.
The Russians who had fled earlier in the day had gotten to a spot where
about a dozen others of their command were on guard—a lonely outpost
such as were then scattered for many miles between Feng-wang-cheng and
Liao-Yang and the railroad. Thinking the Japanese had come upon them in
force, they fought desperately, and the skirmish was brisk for fully
quarter of an hour.
In this fight neither Gilbert nor Ben suffered any injury, although
more than once they came to close quarters. Ben was driven against a
tree by two Russian soldiers and almost bayoneted, but the Russians
were attacked from behind and driven off. Gilbert was also attacked by
a Russian officer, and the sword play lasted for fully a minute, when
the Russian dropped back between some of his men, convinced, no doubt,
that he had met his match.
In the meantime the storm increased in violence. The air was almost
black, when a vivid flash of lightning blinded many of the fighters.
Then came a deluge of rain, through which little or nothing could
be seen. Taking advantage of this sudden burst of the tempest, the
Russians began to retreat, and were soon lost to sight.
The Japanese were of a temper to follow, but in such a deluge this was
simply impossible. The rain now came down in sheets, driven by a wind
which was constantly increasing in violence.
“This is a storm and no mistake,” cried Ben, as he slung the water from
his cap. “Puts me in mind of some of the Philippine downpours.”
“Yes, and those we had in Cuba, when everything went sailing out of
our camp,” added Gilbert. “Gracious, but that lightning is sharp!”
He was right, the flashes were unusually brilliant and dazzled them.
The whole atmosphere appeared to be charged with electricity, and the
wind was now blowing little short of a hurricane.
“We had better withdraw from this forest,” said the officer in command
of the company. “It is dangerous to stay here in such lightning as
this.”
Everybody was willing, and one of the number suggested they move to
where a slight rise of rocks would afford at least partial shelter. In
making this move they had to cross the brook which has already figured
in our story, and then turn an angle formed by a sharp rock backed up
by several unusually large trees.
Gilbert and Ben were just at this angle, with some soldiers in front
of them and some behind, when there came a flash of lightning more
brilliant than any seen before. With this flash came an ear-splitting
crash from the heavens, followed by another crash among the clump of
trees.
Ben was dazed and so was Gilbert, and for the moment both stood
transfixed, not realizing what had happened. Then Ben gave a glance at
the trees and saw that one was swaying unsteadily in the wind.
“It’s coming down!” he yelled. “It’s coming down!” And he started to
run to a place of safety, followed by the Japanese soldiers and their
officers.
Gilbert heard his chum’s cry, but did not realize at first what it
meant. The lightning flash had produced a shock through his whole
system, and he felt as if a thousand needles were being thrust into him
at once.
“Run, Gilbert, run!” screamed Ben, when he saw that his chum did not
move. “Run, or the tree’ll come down on you.”
“Wha—what?”
“Run, I say! Don’t you see the tree is coming down?”
Gilbert now understood the words, and glanced toward the clump of
trees. The largest was already over at an angle of forty-five degrees.
In a moment more it was sure to hit the earth and crush everything
beneath it.
Gilbert started to leap to a point of safety. But his legs were weak
from the shock received and he stumbled on the rocks and fell headlong.
As he went down the tree gave another crash and dropped ten or fifteen
degrees more, so that some of the branch ends touched the prostrate
captain’s body.
Ben saw the danger fully, and gave a scream of horror. Was it possible
that he was going to see his chum mangled before his very eyes? He
shivered, and an icy chill ran down his spine.
Then like a flash his mind was made up. He must save Gilbert at any
cost. He turned back and crawled under the tree branches.
“Have a care!” shouted the Japanese captain. “Have a care! The tree is
settling! You will be caught!”
“Oh, Ben!” gasped Gilbert. He could say no more, for a thick limb was
pressing him to the earth and cutting off his wind.
“Give me your hand, Gilbert! There, that’s it! Now try to pull yourself
loose!”
“I—I can’t do it! I—my clothing is caught, and I—I—”
“Here, turn around on your side—this way. Now see if you can’t crawl
out backwards.”
Another crack of the tree drowned out the last of Ben’s suggestion. But
Gilbert understood and turned over. Then Ben pulled upon his chum’s arm
with all his strength.
“My—shirt—it’s caught in that branch!” gasped Gilbert. “See—if—you
can—haul—it—back!” He could scarcely speak.
Ben had hold of the branch before Gilbert had finished. He twisted it
back by main strength. Then he held it with one hand, and pulled upon
Gilbert with the other.
At last the young captain was free. But the tree was coming down now,
and a great mass of branches settled slowly over both of the young
Americans, hiding them completely from view in the rain and darkness.