“Dot ain’t so. I vos coming der stairs town, ven I slip, because der poat vos so unsteady,” explained Carl; and then he went into the details of the encounter from start to finish. Several times Jerry Nickerson tried to interrupt him, but the lieutenant-colonel would not allow it. Carl’s story was corroborated by several others besides the corporal who had first spoken up. “It seems you are to blame,” said the lieutenant-colonel, after listening to Nickerson’s lame recital. “In the future I think you had better leave our soldiers alone. And now I want this crowd to disperse,” he concluded, with a wave of his hand. The soldiers sauntered off, alone and in pairs; and Carl went with them. Nickerson said nothing more, but his black looks bode the German regular no good. “He’ll down ye if he can,” said Dan Casey to Carl, on hearing of the affair. “Ye want to be afther watchin’ him as a hen turkey watches a hawk.” “I vos keep mine eye skvare on him,” answered Carl. But this was hardly necessary, at least for the next few days; for, as the storm increased, both Nickerson and Nuggy Polk became violently seasick, and had to keep to their state-room, both moaning and groaning in a fashion that was truly pitiable. Nickerson laid his sickness to the violent handling received from Stummer, but Nuggy had no such excuse. The sight that greeted our soldiers when the transport dropped anchor off Taku was truly an inspiring one. At Nagasaki they had seen many vessels of various nationalities; but never before had they witnessed such a collection of noble-looking warships, each cleared for action and each flying the flag of the nation to which it belonged as well as its own naval ensign. Here were armored cruisers, battleships, ironclads, torpedo boats, and despatch steamers innumerable; while still closer to the various landings lay transports, coal, and supply vessels, all busy loading or unloading, and many teeming with soldiers. “What a collection!” said Gilbert, as he and Captain Banner surveyed the scene through a field-glass. “Just look at those Japanese soldiers. I don’t believe one of them is over five feet six inches in height.” “No, but I understand they make good fighters,” answered the captain. “The Frenchmen, unloading next to them, are not much larger.” “There are some soldiers we have never seen before,” put in Major Morris, who was also at the rail. “They are Sikhs from India, and belong to the British contingent. How strong and sturdy they look!” “There go a lot of camels,” went on Gilbert. “I suppose the East Indians use those instead of horses.” “Yes; and the Russians use them, too,” answered the major. “Yonder, back of the dock, is a long string of oxen with carts. I guess anything goes here, in the way of transportation. The main thing is to get there, and as soon as possible.”