“It was lying in the street just before we hit the crowd, sir, and Marley picked it up. I advised him to keep it snug.”
“But we must send it to its address; we have no right to keep it.” Phil’s voice was indignant.
“Just as you say, sir,” O’Neil answered without emotion. “You notice, sir, it is unsealed.”
Phil was devoured with curiosity to read the contents. The scene in the hallway of the navy building now took on a new aspect. The injured man was Inaba’s messenger. So ran Phil’s thoughts. He had been entrusted with this letter. He had lost it. That surely was the cause of the perturbation of the Japanese naval men. Some naval secret, perhaps, but undoubtedly in Japanese, which they could not read. The more honorable thing to do would be to go back post-haste and deliver the letter to the Japanese navy department.
“It’s in English, sir, and it’s about us.” Marley had found his tongue during the silence. “I stole a look while you were in the building.”
Phil’s curiosity had beaten down all scruples of honesty, and his eyes were running rapidly over the words of the letter. At first only amusement showed in his face, but it soon gave place to surprised indignation and anger.
CHAPTER V
WHO WROTE THE LETTER?
“Well, if this isn’t the most barefaced treachery!” Phil exclaimed angrily, as he handed the letter to Sydney.
O’Neil and Marley stood, caps in hand, both eager to hear all within the letter. They received it in their turn, and both, according to their way, displayed the anger they felt.
“Say nothing of this to any one,” Phil counseled as the sailors moved toward the door. “And, by the way, O’Neil,” he added, “you saw the driver of the motor and also the man who got in with him.” O’Neil nodded eagerly.