CHAPTER IV
CAPTAIN PONSBERRY HAS HIS SAY
"Hurrah! Here come the boys who are bound for China!"
"Good luck to you, boys! Wish I was going with you!"
"Don't let the Chinks get the best of you! Stick up for Uncle Sam and Old Glory every time!"
Such were some of the cries as the command to which Gilbert was attached swung across the bridge which spanned the river Pasig, and marched through the streets of old Manila to the barracks assigned to them previous to their departure for China.
It was a warm, pleasant evening, and the thoroughfares were alive with people,—Americans, natives, Spaniards, Englishmen, and likewise a good sprinkling of Chinamen. But the latter had already heard of the sending of troops to their native land, and they took good care to keep in the background for fear of a riot in which they might come off second-best. All was gayety, with scarcely a thought of the terrible struggles which had occurred in that vicinity but a few months before.
The barracks were gained, and, while the band was playing one of the popular airs of the day, the companies were dismissed to seek their quarters and make themselves as comfortable as circumstances permitted.
"Gilbert! I was hoping I should find you!"
The exclamation came from a tall, handsome young fellow wearing the uniform of a captain of volunteers; and, as the young lieutenant turned, he found his hand tightly clasped by his old chum, Ben Russell.
"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.
The Columbia lay deep in the water opposite the wharf from which she had loaded, for she was laden with a cargo for China. At the wharf they found a small boat tied up, in charge of a sailor named Hobson, whom Larry Russell knew very well.
"Hullo, Larry, what brings you?" demanded Hobson, in surprise; for he had not expected to see the young soldier-sailor.
"My friend wishes to see Captain Ponsberry, Hobson. Is he ashore?"
"No, I'm waiting for Tom Grandon, the mate. The cap'n is on board."
"Will you take us over?"
"Certainly. Jump in."
The two entered the row-boat, and Gilbert was introduced to Hobson, who had been Larry's messmate for several months. Soon the side of the schooner was gained, and Larry clambered to the deck with the agility of a monkey, leaving Gilbert to follow.
"Hullo, Larry! back again?" came from Captain Nat Ponsberry, a whole-souled skipper of the old New England school. "I had hardly expected to see you again afore I sailed."
"My friend here wishes to have a talk with you, captain," answered Larry. "He is Lieutenant Gilbert Pennington now of the regulars, but formerly of the volunteers. He served with my brother Ben."
"Oh, yes I reckon as how I've heard tell of ye," said Captain Ponsberry, as he extended a horny hand, as hard as it was honest. "Glad to know ye personally."
"Perhaps you'll think it strange I should come to you for information, captain," said the young lieutenant. "But Larry tells me you are carrying for the Richmond Importing Company now."
"Exactly." And the skipper of the Columbia gazed questioningly at the speaker. "But this is my first trip; and I don't know but that it may be my last, too."
"And may I ask why you say it may be your last?"
"You may, since I've nothing to conceal on the p'int, lieutenant. Their price ain't my price, thet's all. I can make more money on my own hook."
"The reason I have come to you is this: Years ago my father owned stock in the company. He died, and when my mother tried to get a settlement—well, they didn't give her near as much as she expected."
"I see." Captain Ponsberry paused. "Well?"
"That was when I was only ten years old,—rather a long time ago. I've never had a chance to look into the claim, but I intend to do so now; and I want to know how the company stands, if you don't mind telling me."
"As I said afore, I have nothing to conceal. So far as I know, the standin' of the concern is good, and it is wuth nigh on to two hundred thousand dollars."
"And who is its head?"
"Mr. Ramsey Polk, a banker, who does business in Richmond and in New Orleans."
"He must be the same Polk who took hold at the time my father died. I remember the name well."
"More'n likely, lieutenant; an', if he is, I'll allow you have a tough customer to deal with," added the skipper of the Columbia, with a peculiar smile.
"Then you found him hard to deal with?"
"I did."
"Do you know if there is a Mr. Amos Bartlett still connected with the company?"
"Yes, there is; but I've got it putty straight that the Polks, father an' son,—an' the son, Nuggy, is wuss nor his dad,—are doin' their best to squeeze him out of it."
"And where is Mr. Bartlett, now?"
"In Tien-Tsin, China, or else at Shanghai."
"And how are they going to squeeze him out?"
"If you'll tell me, I'll tell you," laughed Captain Ponsberry. "I guess the Polks have a way all their own. But they'll do it, for I've heard that they have squeezed out others. Nuggy Polk is on his way now to China, to see what he can do toward ousting Bartlett out of the concern. The Polks know they have a good thing, an' I guess they want to keep it right in the family."
"You say he is on his way to China. Is he here?"
"He was here a few days ago. I think he sailed for Hong Kong yesterday."
"I wish I had seen him. Perhaps he could have given me some information."
"Not he—if he thought you were after some money due your father," returned Captain Ponsberry, with a sharp shake of his head. "The Polks are close-fisted to the last degree. You won't get a cent from them unless you wring it by main force."
"Then I'll wring it by main force—if I find that some money is really due me," answered Gilbert, with determination.
Captain Ponsberry now invited the pair to his cabin; and the three went below, and discussed the situation for the best part of an hour. During this talk, Gilbert learned that the affairs of the Importing Company were almost entirely in the hands of the Polks, who had forced out a man named Redmund and an old widow named Van Vechen, both of Richmond. Amos Bartlett was now the only outsider holding stock, and it was the captain's opinion that Nuggy Polk's sole reason for going to China was to get the old merchant to sell out his holding.
"An', if he won't sell out, he'll be squeezed out," added the captain. "But I guess the Polks will get him to sell out by showin' him papers an' statements to prove thet the company ain't making any money an' is in debt."
"But you say they are doing well?"
"So they are, too. I had a search made afore I agreed to carry for 'em."
"Then a statement to the contrary would be a fraud," put in Larry.
"Exactly. But what could Bartlett prove if the hull thing was done in secret?"
"It won't be done in secret—not if I can help it," said Gilbert; and there the conversation came to an end.