Banzai! | Page 7

quickly, and the relief guard piled their kits on two mule-carts, in
which they were to be carried up the steep hillside to the top, where a
few flat, white houses showed the position of the wireless station, the
high post of which, with its numerous wires, stood out alone against the
blue sky. The relieved men, who plainly showed their delight at getting
away from this God-forsaken, tedious outpost, made themselves
comfortable in the shade afforded by the sail, and began to chat with
the crew of the Mindoro about the commonplaces of military service. A
shrill screech from the whistle of the Mindoro resounded from the
mountain side as a farewell greeting to the little troop that was climbing
slowly upward, followed by the baggage-carts. The Mindoro cast off
from the pier, and, having rounded the neck of land on which Mariveles
stood, was just on the point of starting in the direction of Corregidor,
when the signalman on the bridge called Parrington's attention to a
black steamer which was apparently steaming at full speed from the sea
toward the entrance to the Bay of Manila.
"A ship at last," said Parrington. "Let's wait and see what sort of a craft
it is."

While the Mindoro reduced her speed noticeably, Parrington looked
across at the strange vessel through his glasses. The ship had also
attracted the attention of the crew, who began to conjecture excitedly as
to the nationality of the visitor, for during the past week a strange
vessel had become a rather unusual sight in Manila. The wireless
detachment said that they had seen the steamer two hours ago from the
hill.
Parrington put down his glass and said: "About four thousand tons, but
she has no flag. We can soon remedy that." And turning to the
signalman he added: "Ask her to show her colors." At the same time he
pulled the rope of the whistle in order to attract the stranger's attention.
In a few seconds the German colors appeared at the stern of the
approaching steamer, and the signal flag, which at the same time was
quickly hoisted at the foretopmast, proclaimed the ship to be the
German steamer Danzig, hailing from Hong-Kong. Immediately
afterwards a boat was lowered from the Danzig and the steamer
stopped; then the white cutter put to sea and headed straight for the
Mindoro.
"It is certainly kind of them to send us a boat," said Parrington. "I
wonder what they want, anyhow." He gave orders to stop the boat and
to clear the gangway, and then, watching the German cutter with
interest, awaited its arrival. Ten minutes later the commander of the
Danzig stepped on the bridge of the Mindoro, introduced himself to her
commander, and asked for a pilot to take him through the mines in the
roads.
Parrington regarded him with astonishment. "Mines, my dear sir, mines?
There are no mines here."
The German stared at Parrington unbelievingly. "You have no mines?"
"No," said Parrington. "It is not our custom to blockade our harbors
with mines except in time of war."
"In time of war?" said the German, who did not appear to comprehend

Parrington's answer. "But you are at war."
"We, at war?" returned Parrington, utterly disconcerted. "And with
whom, if I may be allowed to ask?"
"It seems to me that the matter is too serious to be a subject for jesting,"
answered the German sharply.
At this moment loud voices were heard from the after-deck of the
Mindoro, the crew of which were swearing with great gusto. Parrington
hurried to the railing and looked over angrily. A hot dispute was going
on between the crew of the German cutter and the American sailors, but
only the oft-repeated words "damned Japs" could be distinguished. He
turned again to the German officer, and looked at him hesitatingly. The
latter, apparently in a bad temper, looked out to sea, whistling softly to
himself.
Parrington walked toward him and, seizing his hand, said: "It's clear
that we don't understand each other. What's up?"
"I am here to inform you," answered the German sharply and decisively,
"that the steamer Danzig ran the blockade last night, and that its captain
politely requests you to give him a pilot through the mines, in order that
we may reach the harbor of Manila."
"You have run the blockade?" shouted Parrington, in a state of the
greatest excitement. "You have run the blockade, man? What the deuce
do you mean?"
"I mean," answered the German coolly, "that the Government of the
United States of America--a fact, by the way, of which you, as
commander of one of her war vessels, ought to be aware--has been at
war with Japan for the last week, and that a steamer which has
succeeded in running the