Kamimura had already disappeared beyond the horizon with his ships, not being interested in his enemy's remains. "Oh, won't you come across," groaned and wailed the engine quite loudly as a door to the engine-room was opened. Longstreet jumped up with a start, and then climbed wearily and heavily up the stairs. The entire deck had been turned into a hospital, and the few doctors were hurrying from one patient to another. Longstreet went up to a lieutenant in a torn uniform who was leaning against the railing with his head between his hands, staring across the water. "Where are we going, Harry?" asked Longstreet. "I don't know; somewhere or other; it doesn't matter much where." Longstreet left him and climbed up to the bridge. Here he shook hands in silence with a few comrades and then asked the captain of the _Ontario_ where they were going. "If possible, to San Francisco," was the answer. "But I'm afraid the Japanese will be attacking the coast-batteries by this time, and besides that chap over there seems to have his eyes on us," he added, pointing to port. Longstreet looked in the direction indicated and saw a gray cruiser with three high funnels making straight for the _Ontario_. At this moment a signalman delivered a wireless message to the captain: "The cruiser yonder wants to know our name and destination." "Signal back: United States hospital ship _Ontario_ making for San Francisco," said the captain. This signal was followed by the dull boom of a shot across the water; but the _Ontario_ continued on her course. Then a flash was seen from a forward gun of the cruiser and a shell splashed into the water about one hundred yards in front of the _Ontario_, bursting with a deafening noise. The captain hesitated a second, then he ordered the engines to stop, turned over the command on the bridge to the first officer and went himself to the signaling apparatus to send the following message: "United States hospital ship _Ontario_ with five hundred wounded on board relies on protection of ambulance-flag." A quarter of an hour later, the Japanese armored cruiser _Idzumo_ stopped close to the _Ontario_ and lowered a cutter, which took several Japanese officers and two doctors over to the _Ontario_. While a Japanese officer of high rank was received by the captain in his cabin in order to discuss the best method of providing for the wounded, Longstreet went down to Winstanley. "Well, old man, how are you?" he asked. "Pretty miserable, Longstreet; what's going to become of us?" Longstreet hesitated, but Winstanley insisted: "Tell me, old chap, tell me the truth. Where are we bound to--what's going to become of us?" "We're going to San Francisco," said Longstreet evasively. "And the enemy?" Longstreet remained silent again. "But the enemy, Longstreet, where's the enemy? We mustn't fall into his hands!" "Brace up, Winstanley," said Longstreet, "we're in the hands of the Japanese now."