al, and warning their friends to be on the lookout for us."

"But why wire to Dgiboutil?" I demanded.

"Because," replied Kusumoto, "Dgiboutil belongs to the French, who are
strongly pro-Russian; and those craft must have a sort of headquarters
at which they may receive news and instructions, and where they can
replenish their bunkers and storerooms, and I know of no place so likely
for this as Dgiboutil."

"I see," said I. "Yes, you are most probably right, so far. But why on
earth should those fellows interfere with Japanese ships? By what right
do they claim to do it? The two countries are not yet at war, whatever
may be the case within the next few months."

"That is true," agreed the skipper. "But the mouth of the Red Sea is a
long way from Japan; we have no warships anywhere near there to protect
us; the Russians are by nature a very high-handed people, and not too
scrupulous when dealing with a prospective enemy; and perhaps they think
that before Japan could make an effective protest, we may be at war, and
have other things than pin-pricks to occupy our attention."

"Very true," I assented. "That may be so. But I should like to know
upon what pretext they presume to molest and interfere with Japanese
ships. Such action is contrary to international law, and in fact is
closely akin to piracy, if indeed it is not piracy, pure and simple.
Now, suppose these fellows attempt to interfere with us, what do you
propose to do?"

"Ah!" ejaculated Kusumoto, "that is an exceedingly difficult question to
answer. I do not want them to come aboard me, if it can be helped,
for--to let you into a secret--our cargo consists of munitions of war of
various kinds, and if the Russians should discover that fact, as they
must if they board us and force me to show my papers, they may be
unscrupulous enough to play some trick upon me, either jeopardising my
cargo, or possibly detaining me in some way until war is actually
declared, and then confiscating both ship and cargo. I must think the
matter over, and try to hit upon some plan of `besting' them, as you
English say. And perhaps you two gentlemen will also give it a thought.
I am only a mercantile shipmaster, and have had no experience in
matters of this sort to guide me, but you are both military men, and out
of your knowledge you may be able to suggest something helpful to me.
Of course nothing may happen; we may not fall in with the Russians at
all, which will be