,
scrambled aboard, and went at once to the cabin which they shared, the
skipper, with whom Nakamura and I had become very chummy, caught our
eyes and signed to us both to come up to his cabin on the bridge, the
ship then being in charge of a canal pilot, with Sadakiyo, the chief
officer, standing beside him on the navigating bridge.

Accordingly, we sauntered up in a nonchalant sort of way, as though
intent upon watching the progress of the ship through the canal, for
there had been something of furtiveness in the skipper's action which
seemed to hint that he did not wish his sign to be observed by others,
which led me at least to imagine that there might be something in the
wind.

And so, apparently there was, for when we had entered the cabin, the
skipper softly closed the door and drew the curtains across the two
after ports, as though desirous of concealing the fact of our presence
in his cabin. Then, having produced whisky and soda and a box of
cigars, he seated himself on the sofa, facing us, and said in English:

"You saw those two Russians come aboard, just now, after nearly losing
their passage?"

And when we nodded affirmation he continued:

"I am wondering whether the circumstance means trouble for us. And for
this reason. When I was ashore, about an hour ago, I had business that
took me into McIntosh's store. Now, McIntosh is a very good fellow,
whom I have known for some time. He is very friendly to us Japanese,
and `has his knife'--as you English term it--into the Russians. Well,
after chatting together for a little while, he took me into his inner
room and informed me that there is a steamer, flying the Russian naval
ensign, and a Russian destroyer lurking near the southern extremity of
the Red Sea, which seem disposed to give trouble to Japanese merchant
craft. It appears that only last week, one or the other of these--
McIntosh is not sure which--stopped and boarded the _Mishima Maru_ and
insisted upon examining her papers and inspecting her passengers, for
what reason McIntosh could not say, as he had merely heard the bare
facts of the case. And about a quarter of an hour later, shortly after
I had left McIntosh's place, I saw those two Russians who nearly missed
us enter the telegraph office, and I began to smell mischief. Of course
it may only be imagination, but remembering what McIntosh had told me, I
wondered whether by any chance they were wiring to Dgiboutil the news of
our arriv