“If we remain anchored here the guns of the forts, if hostile, will soon drive us from the city,” he began again, his eyes on the chart. “Before we strike a blow we must first embark all foreigners from the concession and change our anchorage to one beyond the range of the forts. With this startling news from the Chinese prisoners, coupled with the attempt last night to blow up the gates of the mission, the intention of the Chinese is no longer a matter of conjecture. We have now to face a condition. This mission, guarded by sailors from my own ship, is in imminent peril and must be relieved at once. Every moment is precious. The means only should now be considered by us. I have two plans in mind: the first one is to move farther up the river to a point abreast the mission,” placing his finger on the chart; “from the river it is but three miles to the mission, and we can easily land a force after dark and march across to its relief.” As the captain finished he glanced inquiringly at the pilot. “That would be very difficult, sir,” Langdon said quickly, reading the question in his captain’s eyes. “True, from there the distance is short, but we shall have to cross a wide and deep irrigation ditch. This canal is nearly fifty feet in depth and its sides are perpendicular.” “Are there no bridges?” inquired a foreign officer anxiously. “There are several bamboo bridges,” Langdon answered, “but they are narrow and frail. Probably even now they have been destroyed.” “Then we must adopt my second plan,” the American commander declared stoutly. “We have but two thousand men available for landing, which depletes our ships to an alarming extent, anchored as they are under the guns of the batteries; if we wait until the mission is attacked and then land to the rescue, we might find ourselves at a great disadvantage against the many thousands of well-armed enemies; besides, in our absence it might prove too great a temptation for the men of the forts to open fire on our ships, thus cutting us off from our own vessels. Lien-Chow, where the Chinese fanatics are massing, is from here seven miles by land and sixteen by water; the rebels will not leave the cover of their city before dark. “My recommendation is therefore to get under way at once from this anchorage, taking with us all foreigners who wish to leave the foreign concession, and then steam by the forts and into the To-Yan Lake. Immediately upon our arrival off Lien-Chow I propose to land and fearlessly attack the rebels in their headquarters. In routing them we shall either break the back of the uprising, or else make it incumbent upon the mandarins, the real offenders, to devise other plans for encouraging this movement against the lives of the Europeans. “Are you with me, gentlemen?” CHAPTER VII DISSENSIONS