“It’s worse than going to sea in a submarine, Mr. Perry,” the sailor exclaimed. “She’s so low in the water and rolls so quickly that we was awash all the way up the China coast. We couldn’t use them big guns at sea; one second they are pointing in the water and the next they are looking at the moon; but here in the river it’s different. We can cut our name on those forts if they’ll give us a chance. “That captain of yours, Mr. Perry, is a fire-eater. There ain’t nothing he is afraid of. I am glad,” he added, lowering his voice, although there was no one but a Chinese crew man within ear-shot, “to hear you tell me that our skipper ain’t going to lead this expedition. He’s all right when he gets good and mad, like he did when the fort fired at him to-night, but he ain’t got the initiative. Now, ‘Bucko’ Hughes, that’s his name on the foc’s’le, is different; he always likes to hit first.” Then he continued in a moralizing tone while he spun his wheel to steer the course to bring the ship’s lights on a proper bearing: “The longer I live, Mr. Perry, the more I believe that’s the best tactics for a fighting man. If you hit first and hit hard enough maybe the other fellow’ll drop his fists and say he’s had enough.” Phil slapped the sailor on the back in sign of agreement with his views, while O’Neil brought the “Phœnix’s” lights, now close aboard, broad on his beam in order to round to for a landing at the gangway, and in answer to a hoarse challenge from the gunboat, he sang out in his clear voice: “Aye! Aye!” “We’re still midshipmen,” Phil corrected; “you should have answered ‘No! No!’”[2] “That’s all right, sir,” the sailor returned with a grin. “It ain’t who you are; it’s the news you bring. If I’d said, ‘No! No!’ they might not have waked ‘Bucko,’ and I know he’d want to see you as soon as you put foot on board.” A few minutes later Phil led the way up the gangway ladder and soon found himself in the enthusiastic embrace of the officer of the deck. Although it was after twelve o’clock many of the officers were awake and a glance about the ship told the midshipman that careful preparations were being made to protect the vital parts of the gunboat from the shells of the enemy. They were told that Commander Hughes was in the cabin and as yet in ignorance of the return of the hostages. “I sent down word just now by the orderly,” the officer of the deck said with a smile, “that some commissioned officers were coming alongside in a launch, so I suppose he’s awake, for it’s not often that we receive callers this time of night.”