ew words of farewell to them for
me. We've been signaled by a Japanese warship," he continued, "and asked
to stop and wait for a Japanese boat. I haven't the slightest idea what
the fellows want, but we must obey orders; the matter will no doubt be
settled in a few minutes as soon as the boat has arrived."

The officer disappeared, and the captain, standing by the port yardarm
on the bridge, waited anxiously for the cutter which was approaching at
full speed. The gangway had already been lowered. The cutter, after
describing a sharp curve, came alongside, and two marines armed with
rifles immediately jumped on the gangway.

"Halloo," said the captain, "a double guard! I wonder what that means?"

The Japanese officer got out of the cutter and came up the gangway,
followed by four more soldiers, two of whom were posted at the upper
entrance to the gangway. The other two followed the officer to the
bridge. A seventh man got out of the boat and carried a square box on
the bridge, while finally two soldiers brought a long heavy object up
the gangway and set it down against the wall of the cabin in the stern.

The Japanese officer ordered the two marines to take up their stand at
the foot of the steps leading to the bridge, and with a wave of his hand
ordered the third to station himself with his square box at the port
railing. At the same time he gave him an order in Japanese, and the
rattling noise which followed made it clear that the apparatus was a
lantern which was signaling across to the man-of-war.

"This is carrying the joke a little too far. What does it all mean?"
cried the captain of the _Tacoma_, starting to pull the man with the
lantern back from the railing. But the Japanese officer laid his hand
firmly on his right arm and said in a decisive tone: "Captain, in the
name of the Japanese Government I declare the American steamer _Tacoma_
a lawful prize and her whole crew prisoners of war."

The captain shook off the grasp of the Japanese, and stepping back a
pace shouted: "You must be crazy; we have nothing to do with the
Japanese naval maneuvers, and I shall have to ask you not to carry your
maneuver game too far. If you must have naval maneuvers, please practice
on your own merchant vessels and leave neutral ships alone."

The Japanese saluted and said: "I am very sorry, captain, to have to
correct your impression that this is part of our maneuvers. Japan is at
war with the United States of America, and e