Explore "Under the Mikado's Flag" by Edward Stratemeyer on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
The winter had been long and severe in Manchuria, and even now, early in February, it was biting cold and with a touch of snow in the air at Port Arthur.
Close at hand was a shop where refreshments of various kinds could be had and to this place Gilbert led the way making certain that the Russian followed. He saw at a glance that Nicholas Vanskynov was a fellow of small caliber and could readily be handled if given a little money. Sitting down to a table he ordered a cup of coffee and some fancy cakes for himself and asked the other what he would have.