ORDERED HOME.
"Ow-yow!" yawned Midshipman Robert Starr in the wardroom of the
_Osprey_. "I'm tired of this dodging back and forth between two fires,
with no chance for a slap at either of them. We might have got up a good
scrap over Junk, here," he added, patting the Newfoundland's broad head,
and looking reproachfully at Liddon.
The dog yawned, as if in sympathy with the young officer, and stretched
himself at full length on the deck, his paws under the mess-table.
"You're teaching our coloured friend bad manners, Bob," laughed the
ensign, giving Junk a playful push with his foot. "Get up, there, you
old peripatetic door-mat, and muster on the forecastle. There's no room
for yawners down here."
"I consider that remark personal," retorted Bob, as he rose. "I'm going
to--" Here he was interrupted by the entrance of a marine, who announced
that the captain wished to see his officers in the after cabin.
"What's up now, I wonder?" said Staples, leading the way to the
commander's quarters.
"Oh, another wildly exciting cruise to Woosung or Chemulpo, or Chefoo,
or some other old Che," sighed Starr. "I never was very fond of cheese,
anyway!"
When they entered the cabin their undignified deportment was laid aside.
Rexdale's eyes were sparkling. He evidently had important and
pleasurable news to communicate.
"Gentlemen," said he, "I have just received orders from the Department.
The _Osprey_ is to change her station once more." Bob groaned softly,
under his breath. "This time," continued Dave, "our port of destination
is not Cavite or Shanghai. We are to sail due east. We are ordered
home!"
Every officer sprang to his feet. "Hurrah!" shouted Bob, forgetful alike
of dignity and discipline. "I beg your pardon, sir," he stammered, the
blood rushing to his cheeks; "but that's grand news! If the Secretary
were here I'd hug him!"
The commander now explained that the _Osprey_ was ordered to proceed to
Mare Island, where she would be thoroughly overhauled, renovated, and
practically remodelled. She was old-fashioned, but the Department
believed they could make of her a valuable defence ship, in accordance
with modern ideas of ship-building. As soon as she should go out of
commission her officers and crew were to report, some on various
war-ships in the eastern Pacific, some for shore duty, and still others,
including the three officers of highest rank, at Washington, where they
would be assigned to new duties. Bob's face fell a little at this
announcement, but he was happy in the thought of a change, and a sojourn
in home waters. Little Dobson was one of those who were to go on shore,
and he had visions of a leave of absence which would give him time to
race across the continent to his own home and that of a certain
commandant whose daughter was named Mary. By the next mail letters went
to Wynnie and Edith Black, from Bob Starr and Liddon respectively. It is
needless to say that Dave wrote to Hallie within two hours after the
receipt of the orders. The news quickly spread through the ship, and
great was the rejoicing.
While the Russian fleet was irresolutely moving to and fro in Eastern
waters, and Linevitch, having succeeded Kouropatkin, was reorganising
his shattered army and preparing for a new encounter with the victorious
Oyama south of Harbin, the women of Japan worked unceasingly for home
and country.
The great military hospital at Hiroshima comprised eight divisions, with
a total capacity of seventeen thousand beds. In the largest of the
divisions a visitor merely passing the foot of each bed would walk six
miles. Nearly all of these beds were now occupied, and Red Cross nurses
from the United States passed to and fro among the sufferers, side by
side with their dark sisters of the Orient, in gentlest ministration.
Fred Larkin had soon recovered sufficiently to be removed to private
quarters, from which, pale and emaciated, but with indomitable pluck and
returning energy, he emerged a few weeks later. Letters from the
_Bulletin_ recalled him to Massachusetts, and he unwillingly obeyed,
realising that the great naval battle was close at hand. He read the
news of the destruction of the Russian fleet the day after his arrival
in San Francisco.
In a small room--one of those set apart for officers--a Japanese soldier
lay on a cot bed, gazing languidly out of the open window toward the
east. Walls, counterpane, and the single garment--a kimono--which the
patient wore, were of spotless white. Beside the bed sat a little nurse,
fanning the sick man, who now and then spoke to her in his own language,
though so quietly that his attendant could scarcely hear him.
"O-Hana-San----"
"Yes, Oshima, I am here!"
"The time?"
"It is morning--five o'clock."
The sick man was silent for a few moments. Then his eye fell upon a
streak of gold which fell upon the wall.
"Ah!" he said softly, "the rising sun!"
Again he was silent. When he spoke once more he turned his head toward
the girl and looked into her eyes.
"And--you must go--you must leave me, Hana?"
"Yes," she answered sorrowfully. "I am ordered. The naval hospital at
Sasebo is crowded with new patients from the great sea battle. There are
not nurses enough. I am ordered to go to-day."
"If you find Oto--tell him--Oshima sends his love by O-Hana-San. Tell
him Oshima--is--ordered home! _Banzai dai Nippon!_"
His eyes closed. O-Hana-San bent over him, then hurried for the surgeon
on duty.
"He will not waken," said that official. "He was a brave man."
Two days later a grey-haired man passed slowly out of the door of the
villa that had been the home of Oshima's boyhood, in the little town by
the sea. He paused beside a red slab which was posted before the house,
and on which was written, in Japanese characters, "_Gone to the Front_."
Then he stooped painfully and placed beside the first post another,
like many in that village, and before other homes, all over Japan. It
was black, and bore the simple inscription, "_Bravery Forever_."
"Oto, Oto Owari! It is I! See, it is O-Hana-San! I have come to help
you--to make you well!"
Oto opened his eyes and turned his bandaged head on the pillow. His
little playmate of years gone by was kneeling beside his cot, her great
brown eyes moist and pleading--pleading with him not to die, not to join
Oshima in the strange unknown shadows to which he had gone. She was
quite satisfied that her hero should be deprived of the inscription
"Bravery Forever"--for the present at least!
It was a hard fight for life, but the good surgeon of the ward, and the
girl's unceasing care, and Oto's own fine constitution and determination
to live for her, won the victory. While many died on every side, and the
mournful stretchers came and went, and the black posts increased in
number throughout the empire, the young commander steadily grew better,
until he was discharged "well"; to take his place once more, with higher
rank, on the quarter-deck of a fine new cruiser. On the day when he left
the hospital he married O-Hana-San. On that same day, the fifth of
September, 1905, the Treaty of Peace between Russia and Japan was signed
by the envoys of the two countries at Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Two weeks after the great battle of the Sea of Japan a war-ship, with
hull white as snow, was ploughing the waters of the Pacific with her
prow pointed due east. Land was still in sight astern, and over her
taffrail floated the beautiful Stars and Stripes. The _Osprey_ was
homeward bound.
THE END.
BOOKS BY JAMES OTIS
THE LIFE SAVERS. A Story of the United States Life-Saving Service. Large
12mo, 328 pages, illustrated, $1.50.
The story is an exceedingly good one, and has interested me very much,
but my especial admiration has been for the extremely intelligent and
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... Puts in the form of a story the obscure daring of the noble American
coast-guard service full of heroic daring and of the victories of
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This is one of the best books of this season, or any season. The book is
well made, and the subject is one of intense interest. The Life-Saving
Service to which it relates, is a great and noble work, the extent and
value of which, perhaps, few understand.--_Living Church._
"The Life Savers" is a fascinating and instructive story of the United
States Life-Saving Service.--_Boston Beacon._
THE LOBSTER CATCHERS. A Story of the Coast of Maine. 12mo, cloth, gilt
top, illustrated $1.50
It is a description of the way the lobster fishery is carried on, told
in the form of a story, which is full of stirring incidents other than
those connected with the subject proper. The author knows how to tell a
good story, and this is really one of his best.--_Boston Transcript._
The boy who prefers rather to look around him than backward, if he
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A lively yarn for the boys about coast and fishing life. Will give
landsmen a good idea of some phases of existence at the shore.
Handsomely issued. Will sustain the writer's
popularity.--_Congregationalist._
This story of the coast of Maine describes the lobster industry, and
shows how it was made to serve the purposes of a lad who was sadly in
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tales of marvellous good luck.--_Christian Register._
AN AMATEUR FIREMAN.--Illustrated by WM. M. CARY. 12mo, 326 pages, cloth,
gilt top $1.50
... A lively tale in which are depicted the wonderful machinery of the
New York Fire Department and the human life that throbs with the
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the fortunes of the Amateur will absorb the interest of every
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This is a capital story for boys by the well-known author of "Toby
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idea that all street boys are vicious and worthless, and it enforces the
lessons of industry and proper ambition.--_N. Y. Observer._
The story is droll, full of action and interesting
incident.--_Churchman._
E. P. DUTTON & CO., Publishers
31 West Twenty-third Street, New York
BOOKS BY PAUL CRESWICK
ROBIN HOOD AND HIS ADVENTURES
8vo, cloth, gilt top $2.50
Fully illustrated in colors, and black and white by T. H. ROBINSON.
To the boy mind there is no more interesting subject than Robin Hood.
Mr. Creswick has made a thorough study of his subject from all sources
and we believe he has written the best boy's rendering of Robin Hood yet
produced.
HASTINGS, THE PIRATE
12mo, cloth, gilt top, illustrated by T. H. ROBINSON.
$1.50
IN ALFRED'S DAYS
A Story of Saga the Dane. Illustrated, 12mo, cloth.
$1.50
Full of life and fire. Reproduces the far past with vividness. The
illustrations also are superior. A fine book.--_Congregationalist._
This story, so worthy the telling, has been set forth with stirring
words and vigorous speech in this volume so appropriately bound and
illustrated. This makes another splendid gift book.--_Living Church._
UNDER THE BLACK RAVEN
Illustrated by T. H. ROBINSON, 12mo, cloth $1.50
Writers of juvenile fiction are awakening to the consciousness that the
charm exercised upon sensitive children by Scott and certain other elder
writers lies in the very strangeness of their style, in its removal from
the newspaper and the school book.
Mr. Paul Creswick gives it in a story entitled "Under the Black Raven,"
and recounting the deeds of Sweyn Harfage, when, armed by Alfred, he
went forth to claim his own, and, after much good fighting, won it, and
many another thing. The illustrations are Mr. T. H. Robinson's and are
worthy of both style and story.--_Boston Journal._
A spirited and striking picture of olden times in Denmark before
Christianity dawned on that land. The interest of the story centres in
the conflicting claims of two Danish factions. The Ravens and The
Dragons--signifying the emblems under which they fought.
The story gives a vivid picture of the rude wars of remote times.--_The
Outlook._
E. P. DUTTON & CO., Publishers
31 West Twenty-third Street, New York