“Stump has brought us the evidence too late,” he said disappointedly, spreading out a letter on his desk. “The guns are paid for,” he read aloud. “Godfried and Company, our agents, will load them upon demand from you. Remember, you take them to Saluafata at night and send word to me on arrival.” Commander Tazewell stopped reading, and gazed off wistfully. “That was from Klinger to Scott. He’ll be unloading them to-night,” he added, “unless they are already in the Kapuan firm’s store. If I’d had these letters this morning, I’d have sunk the ‘Talofa’ before I would have permitted her to leave the harbor, foreign flag and all, until after I had given the vessel a thorough search.” CHAPTER X RUMORS OF WAR Commander Tazewell and the midshipmen dined that evening with Mr. Lee and his daughters. “The evidence is all in, commander,” the American consul said as the party sought the cool sea breeze on the “lanai,”[24] facing the harbor. “The chief justice will probably render his decision in the morning.” Tazewell expressed his gratification. “And the Herzovinian consul?” he asked. “Does he still refuse to help to prevent a war?” Mr. Lee’s face became grave. “The three consuls held a meeting this afternoon after you had gone,” he said in reply. “The English consul and I unconditionally agreed to support the judge’s choice. Mr. Carlson seemed ill at ease. He could not be made to give a direct answer on any question, and all of a sudden he declared he had an important engagement and bolted from the room. We saw that he was under a serious mental strain.” “I see,” Commander Tazewell said quietly. “Have you an idea what the decision will be?” he asked. Mr. Lee remained silently in thought for a moment. “Personally no, but my confidants among the natives all say Judge Lindsay is against Kataafa. I know the judge to be an honorable and unbiased man,” he added in defense of his friend. “That we Americans are inclined in our sympathies for Panu would have no influence with him at all. This unimpeachable testimony of the demand made some years ago by Herzovinia and Kataafa’s recent discourtesy to the court in keeping the judge waiting, besides practically refusing to agree to abide by the judge’s decision, may influence a judgment against him.” “Then Carlson must have received instructions to uphold the judge’s decision, only in case it is favorable to Kataafa,” the commander said. “Now that it appears to be going against him, he refuses to stand with you and your British colleague.” Mr. Lee nodded his head. “That seems to be the one possible solution.” Commander Tazewell had given the consul that morning a full account of the “Talofa.” Now he brought up the subject of the meeting of the Panu warriors and their “tonga-fiti.”