“Ben!” cried Gilbert. “I am ever so glad to meet you. I was afraid I should have to leave Luzon without seeing you. How have you been?” “First-rate, Gilbert. And you?” “Oh, I’m all right except for a slight wound in the shoulder. We had a final brush with the guerillas yesterday, and bagged nine of them. But what are you doing here?” “I came down on a special mission for the general. Larry is with me, as a member of my company. Here he comes now.” As Larry Russell came up, more hand-shaking followed; and then the Russells plied Gilbert with questions, all of which he answered as well as he could. “I wish you were going with us,” said the young lieutenant. “We might have some fine times together.” “That’s true,” put in Larry Russell. “But I guess we’ve got to stay here until we are mustered out.” “Perhaps we’ll be sent to China later on,” said Ben Russell. Then he turned, as he felt a pluck at his sleeve. “Hullo, Stummer! And you, too, Casey! How are you getting along? It’s too bad that you left me to join the regulars, but I suppose it’s all for the best.” “I dink you besser choin, too,” replied the German soldier. “Uncle Sam vill need you in China, sure.” “Perhaps, Carl, but not now.” “To lave you is the wan sorrow of me partin’ wid Manila,” said Casey. “Sure, an’ we was loike brothers, barrin’ ye was captain an’ I was a corporal. I hope we mate ag’in, so I do.” And his honest eyes looked suspiciously moist. He had served with Ben all through the Cuban and Philippine campaigns. The conversation now became general; and presently Casey and Stummer went off, leaving Gilbert and the Russells to themselves. From one thing the talk drifted to another, and finally came around to Mr. Amos Bartlett and the fortune Jefferson Pennington had sunk in the Richmond Importing Company. “The Richmond Importing Company!” cried Larry. “Why, I know a party who is now working for that concern.” “You do!” exclaimed Gilbert. “And who is it?” “Captain Ponsberry, of the three-masted schooner _Columbia_, the vessel I shipped in from Honolulu, with Luke Striker.” “You mean the ship you were serving on at the time you went overboard and was picked up by Admiral Dewey’s flagship just before the battle of Manila?” “The same. Captain Ponsberry wasn’t carrying for the Richmond Importing Company then, but he is now. He told me so himself yesterday.” “Yesterday? Then his ship must be here.” “She is.” “I should like to see this Captain Ponsberry, to find out how the company stands at present.” “Then you had better get around to-night or early to-morrow. He sails at noon.” “I’ll go at once if you’ll show the way,” concluded Gilbert. Larry was willing; and soon the three were on their way to new Manila, as it is designated, across the Pasig, and down to where the numerous wharves were lined with huge warehouses containing all sorts of merchandise from nearly every quarter of the globe.