“Bless me!” Captain Rodgers exclaimed. “I’ll take the chance. Go by all means, and you had best take O’Neil with you; he’s a handy man to have in such an expedition. He and Marley were waiting to see you on the driveway as I came in. Take both of them, and don’t get us farther involved in this international muddle than we are already.”
Phil thanked his captain and shook his hand warmly.
“I have warned the ambassador about Impey,” Captain Rodgers added. “It seems he has been completely taken in by the man.
“I have wired the President of the United States asking to be allowed to give his letter to the Minister of State. I was instructed, as you know, to deliver it only into the hands of the Emperor. I am sure if that letter were read by the Japanese government that Captain Inaba would be recalled by wireless.”
After leaving the captain’s room Phil went at once to where O’Neil and Marley were waiting. Taking the boatswain’s mate aside, he gave him hurried but detailed instructions.
“You can depend on us, sir,” O’Neil answered, quite calmly. “We’ll all be on board the yacht when you arrive. It looks like ugly weather, sir,” he added glancing aloft at the scudding clouds. “The Japs won’t be keeping much of a watch to-night.”
Phil went back to his room, much pleased with his success.
“You said that this would serve your end too?” Phil asked Impey, as he arose to go after giving the midshipman a letter to the captain of the yacht, and the official document that would turn over the Chinese ships to the American navy.
“The United States is a better paymaster than Japan,” Impey replied again seating himself coolly, “and we’d rather have your country to deal with in China than the Japanese. Whichever nation gets the ships, war will be certain, and if the United States is successful Japan will cease to be a factor in the Orient.”
Impey arose again to go while the midshipmen regarded him in blank surprise. They could not help admiring the man’s self-possession.