Stedman did not hear this; he was watching the broadside of the ship to see another puff of white smoke, but there came no such sign.  The two row-boats were raised, there was a cloud of black smoke from the funnel, a creaking of chains sounding faintly across the water, and the ship started at half-speed and moved out of the harbor.  The Opekians and the Hillmen fell on their knees, or to dancing, as best suited their sense of relief, but Gordon shook his head.

“They are only going to land the marines,” he said; “perhaps they are going to the spot they stopped at before, or to take up another position farther out at sea.  They will land men and then shell the town, and the land forces will march here and co-operate with the vessel, and everybody will be taken prisoner or killed.  We have the centre of the stage, and we are making history.”

“I’d rather read it than make it,” said Stedman.  “You’ve got us in a senseless, silly position, Gordon, and a mighty unpleasant one.  And for no reason that I can see, except to make copy for your paper.”

“Tell those people to get their things together,” said Gordon, “and march back out of danger into the woods.  Tell Ollypybus I am going to fix things all right; I don’t know just how yet, but I will, and now come after me as quickly as you can to the cable office.  I’ve got to tell the paper all about it.”

It was three o’clock before the “chap at Octavia” answered Stedman’s signalling.  Then Stedman delivered Gordon’s message, and immediately shut off all connection, before the Octavia operator could question him.  Gordon dictated his message in this way:—­

“Begin with the date line, ‘Opeki, June 22.’

“At seven o’clock this morning, the captain and officers of the German man-of-war Kaiser went through the ceremony of annexing this island in the name of the German Emperor, basing their right to do so on an agreement made with a leader of a wandering tribe known as the Hillmen.  King Ollypybus, the present monarch of Opeki, delegated his authority, as also did the leader of the Hillmen, to King Tellaman, or the Peacemaker, who tore down the German flag, and raised that of the United States in its place.  At the same moment the flag was saluted by the battery.  This salute, being mistaken for an attack on the Kaiser, was answered by that vessel.  Her first shot took immediate effect, completely destroying the entire battery of the Opekians, cutting down the American flag, and destroying the houses of the people—­”

“There was only one brass cannon and two huts,” expostulated Stedman.