stormed the inner defenses of the Russian chain of
forts, killing nearly all of the brave defenders who dared to oppose
them. Then tons upon tons of shot and shell were sent into Port Arthur
and over the harbor once again, until the locality became little short
of an inferno. Nearly all the shipping was destroyed, and so many
buildings were set on fire that to stem the conflagration became all but
impossible. The end came on New Year's Day, 1905--ten months after the
famous siege began. To hold out longer seemed impossible, and to avoid
further carnage General Stoessel called a council of war and sent a
message to General Nogi offering to capitulate.

"Port Arthur has surrendered!" The news flew from one Japanese regiment
to another, and soon the warships were sending the message from vessel
to vessel. For once the Japanese showed their real feelings, and "_Banzai!
Banzai!_" rent the air again and again. "Long life to the Mikado! Port
Arthur is ours once more!"

"It is a well-earned victory!" cried Larry, when he heard the news.

"Yes, lad, and I trust it brings this bloody war to a close," came from
Luke.

"They say General Stoessel blew up the warships remaining in the
harbor."

"He couldn't have had many left," returned the old Yankee gunner. "The
army and the navy have about battered everything to bits." And in this
surmise Luke was correct.

The fall of Port Arthur caused widespread consternation in Russia, while
the people of Japan were correspondingly elated. Because of the gallant
defense of the place, the Japanese made generous terms with those who
had surrendered, much to the satisfaction of the world at large. Many
had predicted a universal butchery, but nothing of the sort occurred,
and the Russian sick and wounded were given every possible attention.

After the fall of the port Larry was permitted to go ashore some miles
above the town, and he managed to locate Gilbert, and then learned for
the first time that Ben was a prisoner in the captured place.

"A prisoner!" he ejaculated. "Oh, Gilbert, we must find him and have him
released!"

"That is just what I have been thinking, but I don't know exactly how to
go at it, Larry."

"There ought to be some way of doing these things. We might interview
one of the generals and----Who is that coming this way?"

"Why, it's Ben himself!" cried Gilbert.

"Ben!" screamed Larry, and ran forward to meet his brother. Soon they
were in each other's arms, and t