“We’re now off Hongkong,” Phil exclaimed as he saw the penciled position on the chart. “In two days we shall be nearing Singapore, and then for the success or failure of our plans.”
Sydney’s face beamed with pleasure, but a cloud crossed it as he thought of poor, dejected, disappointed Takishima in his cabin below.
“I wish we might win Taki over,” he said charitably. “He takes defeat so bitterly.”
Phil remained silently thoughtful.
“I believe I see the way,” he replied after a lapse of a few minutes. “When he sees that his fleet has failed and that there is no chance for our seizure, then he may be more amenable to common sense. The Japanese fighting class represented now in the army and navy, the Samurai of old, have a very lofty sense of honor. Taki would without a personal thought sink or blow up this vessel if he believed by so doing he could aid his government in its plans. That is why it was necessary to constrain him. If we had not discovered him in the wireless room yesterday just after the fog shut down, the thing upon which our plan principally depends would have been wrecked beyond repair; for during only a few minutes his destructive work was marvelous, and he knew the most important things to destroy. Fortunately there were spare parts in the storeroom and Randall, who seems to be an all around handy man, is doing wonders to repair the damage. Hereafter Taki must be watched more closely.
“From now on we must keep a watch on Impey, too,” Phil continued, a happy smile on his face. “He asked me only a moment ago if I thought we could call up Manila yet. He counts on our wirelessing the admiral and expects he will sail at once to an appointed rendezvous, and that we will then intercept the Chinese ships and lead them to this rendezvous. He asked me if that was not my plan. When he knows our real intention he will be mad enough to attempt anything.”
“And what did you say?” Sydney asked, catching Phil’s joyful spirit.
“I said how clever he was to have guessed it; and then added I hoped we should have the wireless working very soon.”
The day passed pleasantly enough on board the yacht; the fog had cleared away, eaten up by the sun, long before noon. A few curls of smoke had been sighted, but no vessel crossed their track close enough to show even the top of its funnel.
O’Neil and Marley had formed a strong liking for Randall, who had shown himself willing to atone for past misdeeds.