“I can’t tell you, Taki, how sorry I am that we had to play this trick on you,” he said in a low earnest voice, “but it’s better that we should be simply not friends than real enemies.”
Takishima raised a haggard face to that of the midshipman. Phil saw that his humiliation was great, and his heart smote him.
“I shall be the laughing stock of our navy,” Takishima complained bitterly. “I have disgraced the Emperor’s uniform. My father will disown me when he hears.”
“Taki,” Phil exclaimed earnestly, “if my plans are successful, you will receive the thanks of your Emperor and retain the admiration of your brother officers in the navy, for we shall show them how terribly they have blundered in misunderstanding the friendly intentions of my country.”
But Takishima’s mortification was too fresh to be appeased by such an optimistic view of his present predicament. Following the midshipmen to Yokohama, he had witnessed their escape in the yacht. He had been sent on his own request upon this important mission—to overtake and bring back the yacht which he knew would endeavor to thwart Captain Inaba’s purpose. He had not taken proper precautions. He had discounted the daring of his former classmates and they had turned the trick upon him and were carrying him away against his will while the fast “Hatsuke” was somewhere in the fog, searching vainly for the swiftly escaping yacht.
“If you had not come on board,” Phil continued earnestly, “it was my intention to communicate with our admiral in Manila; tell him of Captain Inaba’s mission and await his instructions as to where we should meet him, for I am sure he would endeavor to prevent the Chinese squadron from being seized. By Japan’s holding up all cablegrams from Captain Rodgers and our ambassador and refusing to deliver those arriving for them, Washington must now suspect that your country intends to take some action which might jeopardize the balance of power in the Orient. Impey has kept the Washington authorities informed through his agents in the United States. My wireless message will clear up the situation, and our admiral will at once put to sea to seize the Chinese ships himself to prevent their falling into other hands.
“That is Impey’s desire, and the reason why he has given us the yacht. He and those for whom he is only an agent do not desire to see Japan grow stronger. They wish to destroy her influence in Manchuria and in all China; to seal up her natural energies in the island kingdom. America is vastly rich in resources, and for many years to come will not care to more than break ground in China. Meanwhile those who pretend to be your friends are striving to blind Japan into believing that America covets her territory and power in the far East, and thus tempt her to waste her energies and wealth in a fruitless war with my country.”
Takishima had listened impatiently at first, but as Phil drove home one self-evident truth after another, the young naval man at length listened eagerly, understanding growing in his troubled face.
“Perry, I believe my country has been fooled,” he exclaimed suddenly. “We have listened to a voice that we should have known can never be disinterested. Do you know,” he asked earnestly, “who in Japan has been urging us to obtain the Chinese ships?”
“Impey, of course,” Phil answered.