ns at the port must be getting desperate,
and they'll most likely pay any kind of a price for supplies. A captain
who ran the blockade successfully could make a fortune," returned Larry.

The young gunner's mate was right in his surmise. The big brig was a
Russian vessel in disguise and loaded to her fullest capacity with
supplies for the blockaded seaport. She had been fitted out at
Vladivostok, but had taken a wide sea course, so as to pretend to have
set sail from Nagasaki. Several Russian shipping merchants were
interested in the venture, which was a private one, and among the number
was Ivan Snokoff. From Captain Barusky, Snokoff had heard that fabulous
prices could be obtained for needed commodities at Port Arthur, and he
had invested nearly every _ruble_ he possessed in the enterprise. If the
vessel succeeded in reaching Port Arthur, Captain Barusky was to
undertake the disposal of the goods shipped in Snokoff's name, and then
the two were to divide the profits.

The big brig had come close to being wrecked off the coast of Japan and
during a gale had run down a fishing smack containing Shamhaven,
Peterson, and two Japanese. One Japanese had been drowned, and the three
others from the smack had been made to join the crew of the big brig.
This was agreeable to Shamhaven and Peterson, who did not wish to remain
near Nagasaki or at any place where Captain Ponsberry or Larry would be
likely to discover them.

CHAPTER XXXII

FALL OF PORT ARTHUR--CONCLUSION

"Open, in the name of the Czar!"

Such was the command which startled both Ben and Grace Chase, and for
the moment each gazed at the other in horror, not knowing what to say or
do.

"I must get away from here!" whispered the young captain, but scarcely
had he spoken when there came a crash, and the front door of the
residence swung in. Then half a dozen Russians poured into the house.

"There he is, as I suspected!" said one, an officer from the prison.
"We'll see that you do not escape again," he added to Ben, grimly.

In the midst of the excitement Nathan Chase arrived. But he could do
nothing for the young captain, and was glad that he was left to protect
his daughter.

"We ought also to take her," said the prison official. "She did wrong to
harbor this prisoner." And then, without further ado, Ben was marched
back to the place from which he had escaped such a short while before.

After that the time passed dismally enough for the young Amer