After the American launch had shoved off from the yacht and was standing back to the “Alaska” some hundreds or more yards away, Lieutenant Winston turned an inquiring glance on the boatswain’s mate.
“That must have been an important letter,” he exclaimed, “by the way the officer pounced on it and stowed it away in his tunic pocket. Do you know what was in it?”
“Not first hand. No, sir,” O’Neil replied soberly. “But that fellow Randall knows all about it, or I miss my guess.”
CHAPTER XV
INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY
After the Japanese officer had taken his abrupt departure Phil looked despondent.
“This thing must not occur, Phil,” Sydney cried out earnestly, laying his hand affectionately upon the shoulder of his classmate. “The whole miserable affair can and must be explained. To fight this duel would only heap fuel on the already smouldering fire of misunderstanding between the two countries. It is our duty,” he urged, “to go to Taki and unmask this man Impey; don’t you see by remaining passive we are aiding him in his designs, whatever they may be?”
Phil sat unmoved, apparently unheeding his friend’s appeal.
“You haven’t considered, Syd,” he replied sadly. “These Japanese are not like our own people. I have done bodily injury to an officer of the Emperor of Japan in his sacred uniform. Until he kills me the shame cannot be wiped out. So you see,” he ended hopelessly, “I must fight; there is no other way.”
“But,” Sydney persisted unconvinced, “suppose we told him where you found the document and that you had the best of intentions and were going to give it to him, when you found it had been taken away from you. Couldn’t you then apologize for your act, explaining that he misunderstood you entirely? Surely Taki will be influenced by his academy training to believe you are not afraid, but that your only wish is to aid the two governments to remain on peaceful terms.”
Phil’s answer was prevented by a knock on the door, and the man who they believed was at the bottom of their trouble came in.