"She has no sea-port," said Jack, "but she has a fleet--of row boats."
"Where do you hail from?" inquired the officer.
"New Switzerland."
"That gentleman is very curious," observed Jack.
Here a silence of some minutes ensued; the officer seemed at fault in
his geography.
"Where away?" at last resounded from the trumpet.
"Bound for Europe," replied Fritz.
This reply elicited an expression of doubt, accompanied with such a
tremendous exjurgation as made both Fritz and Jack almost shrink into
the hold.
A few minutes after the Yankee in command stepped on board, and
explanations were entered into that perfectly satisfied the republican
officer. He continued, however, to eye Willis curiously.
The _Hoboken_, for that was the name of the strange ship, was an
American cruiser, carrying twelve ship guns and a long paixhan. She
was attached to the Chinese station, but had recently obtained
information that war had been declared between England and the States.
She was now making her way to the west by a circuitous route to avoid
the British squadron, and, at the same time, with a view to pick up an
English merchantman or two.
Fritz and Jack being citizens of a sister republic, and subjects of a
neutral power, were received on board with a hearty welcome, and with
the hospitality due to their interesting position.
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