“Then how can you explain as a friend of the Americans, and holding the confidence of the American ambassador, your action in assuring a Japanese companion that America was negotiating for the Chinese squadron when you know that it is untrue?” Phil’s voice held a ring of triumph. He watched Impey’s face intently, certain of surprising a guilty start, but he was doomed to disappointment. Instead the foreigner continued to placidly smile.
“I am afraid as detectives you are but a qualified success,” Impey said in a patronizing voice. “You have unfortunately followed a blind trail. Everything I have done has been with Mr. Tillotson’s fullest approval. In order to surprise their secret from them I intentionally made the Japanese officials believe that the United States was negotiating for the ships of the new Chinese navy. That I was successful was shown by the contents of the lost letter.”
The two lads stood nonplussed before the wily foreigner. Phil doubted that the ambassador would give his sanction to such a method. Impey’s conduct was inexplicable to the midshipman. Instead of an enemy, as they had come to believe him, was he in reality a friend who had warned their government, through Mr. Tillotson, of an act which would harm the “balance of power” in the Far East?
Try as he would Phil felt it was difficult to regard Impey in this new rôle of friend. Down in the bottom of his heart, he yet mistrusted him.
“Then, as matters stand,” Sydney exclaimed perplexedly, “Perry and I are believed to be responsible for the lost document, and we are supposed to have sent it to our ship by the two sailors. Your part in translating it and giving the contents to the ambassador is not known by the Japanese at all?”
Impey nodded, as he answered quickly:
“Captain Inaba knows that I held the letter last night, but he still thinks I am working for him. My men from the yacht were returning on board, for I was on the point of taking a trip on her. They met your two sailors and the Japanese steward on the train. As easily happens in a foreign country, they became acquainted, and your sailors went by invitation on board the yacht. There they displayed this lost document, which my men knew at once was important. When I went on board, ready to sail, they told me of it, and I found they had imprisoned your sailors, fearing they might get in trouble ashore if they were arrested with this paper on their persons. I at once hastened back to Tokyo to tell you of it and that was the reason I followed you and Lieutenant Takishima. I pretended to have business with him to allay suspicion and I was endeavoring to find an opportunity to confide in one of you when the unfortunate trouble with the Japanese lieutenant occurred.”
“And you say that Sago, our Japanese steward, has betrayed us by going to Captain Inaba with his information?” Phil exclaimed.
“I have not the slightest doubt of it.” Impey’s voice was quite positive. “Captain Inaba is not now in Tokyo; he has gone on a secret and sudden mission. Lieutenant Takishima, your friend and classmate, deliberately and openly insulted you. Would you want more proof than that?”
“What is this secret mission?” both lads asked, their voices rising in excitement.