NEWS OF THE PRESIDENT'S DAUGHTER.
"Now where, Oscar?"
It was Andy who asked the question.
"Back to those ships we left several hours ago."
"Are we to blow them up?"
"Blow up as many as we can."
"And after that?"
"We are off for the coast of Alaska."
"Gee-rusalem! That's a long trip!"
"So it is. But there may be lots of glory in it. And Andy?"
"Well."
"You want to make a good record for yourself."
"How so?"
"The government is going to build three more ships like the Holland."
"That means that they will want three more captains."
"Exactly, Andy, and I intend to put in a good word for you," added
Oscar.
"Thank you, Oscar, you always were the best chum in the world. But if I
get one of those boats I'll hate to leave you."
"I may become commodore of the squadron and if so I'll see that you are
always close to me."
It was now coming morning, and by the gray light of dawn they soon came
upon the two Japanese and two Chinese ships getting ready to bombard
San Francisco and Oakland.
The Corcoran and her sister ship had disappeared.
"I'm not sorry about the Corcoran," mused Oscar. "Captain Gresson
seemed a pretty decent sort of fellow. I would hate to blow him up."
"Suppose Martha Adams is on board one of those ships?" asked Andy.
At this remark the young captain could not help shuddering.
"Don't! It makes me heartsick to think of it," he groaned.
"Why don't you make Hang Chang talk?"
"I will make him talk! I'll make him tell me everything!" cried Oscar,
with sudden determination.
He had tried to talk to the Chinaman before, but Hang Chang had refused
to open his lips.
The Celestial was still chained to the wall. He sat on the floor, his
knees drawn up to his chin, a sullen look on his thin, yellow face.
"Hang Chang, I want to talk to you," began Oscar.
To this there was no answer. Indeed, the Celestial did not even lift
his eyes.
"Do you hear? I want to talk to you. If you value your life you will
speak."
At this the Chinese captain shifted uneasily.
"What does the Yankee wish me to say?" he asked, with a treacherous
look from his almond-shaped eyes.
"I want you to tell me the truth about President Adams' daughter. Where
is she?"
"She is--safe."
"You have her a prisoner."
"How does the Yankee know that? Ha! You overheard my talk on the
Corcoran."
"I did. Where is she? I demand to know."
"She is, as I said before, safe." And the Celestial grinned wickedly.
"Hang Chang, you are playing with fire. We Americans are civilized and
do not usually harm the prisoners we take. But unless you tell me what
I want to know it will go hard with you. Martha Adams is too good to
remain a prisoner of the yellow dogs who are holding her."
"There is an easy way for her to become free."
"How?"
"Let your President do as China demands and she shall be returned to
her father safe and sound."
"You talk as the savage Indians of years ago used to talk. I demand to
know at once where she is."
"I have nothing more to say."
"Do you value your life? Would you not give something to be set again
at liberty?"
"No."
"You tell a lie when you say that. You do value your life, and it would
be far sweeter for you to go free than to suffer the torture which
awaits you if you refuse to speak."
"Torture!"
"Aye, torture; Hang Chang--torture worse than any you ever inflicted on
Japanese or Tartar--a torture which will make you writhe and scream in
spite of yourself."
Oscar had no intention of torturing the yellow wretch, but he spoke so
earnestly that Hang Chang shivered and his yellow face blanched.
"I thought the Yankees did not torture their prisoners," he faltered.
"Usually they do not, but there are exceptions to all cases. I think
much of Martha Adams, and am bound to restore her to her parents. If
you do not tell me where she is you shall suffer all the horrors of the
Pit of Everlasting Fire! I will kill you by inches! You shall thirst,
you shall starve, you shall burn, all at the same time. Now take your
choice."
"I--I will say nothing," responded Hang Chang, but his lips trembled so
that he could scarcely frame the words.
Oscar turned to Andy, who had come up.
"Lieutenant Greggs, see to it that the foot plates are made red-hot,"
he ordered. "Perhaps he will talk after his feet have been well warmed."
"No! no! Do not scorch my feet!" wailed the yellow wretch. "I suffered
that once--from the Borneo pirates--I could not stand it again."
"And, Lieutenant Greggs, see that the branding iron is also made
red-hot," went on Oscar, calmly. "Hang Chang needs a mark of beauty
upon each cheek and upon his chin."
"No! no! no! I will not stand it! It is inhuman!" shrieked the
Celestial. "Do not touch me! I--I will tell all I know, if only you
will let me go!" And he fell upon his bony knees in front of Oscar.
"Then tell me at once where Martha Adams is. And mind I will not let
you go until you have proved your words true."
"And if I tell you the truth will you let me go?" questioned Hang
Chang, eagerly.
"Yes."
"She is on board of our warship, the Green Dragon."
"You are positive of this?"
"I swear it!" And Hang Chang beat upon his forehead with his hand.
"Where is the Green Dragon now?"
"Many miles from here."
"I asked where?"
"I cannot tell exactly. She sailed from Chesapeake Bay southward to the
coast of Cuba."
"Is she with other warships?"
"No, she is alone, for with the President's daughter on board, it was
thought best by our admiral not to let her go into any fights."
At this Oscar drew a long breath. At least for the present this lovely
girl was safe.
"Have you informed President Adams that you are holding his daughter?"
"Not yet, but we expect to do so soon."
"And you intended to give her up only when he should grant what China
demanded?"
"Yes."
"What ships have you here?"
"The Pekin and the Shanghai."
"You are certain she is on board neither of these?"
"She is thousands of miles from here, on the Green Dragon, as I swore
before."
"Very well, I will take your word for it. But if you have played me
false let me say no torture I can think of shall be spared you."
"I have told the simple truth. When will you let me go?"
"As soon as I can prove your words. I have work ahead now, and when
that is done I shall go in search of the Green Dragon."
"And in the meantime?"
"In the meantime you must remain on board of the Holland. But you will
fare as well as any of us."
"Then you will unchain me?"
"No, I cannot as yet trust you that far."
"And when you have found the Green Dragon, what then?"
"I will try to make terms with those on board."
"What terms?" questioned Hang Chang, eagerly.
"Wait and you will see," replied Oscar gravely.