“Hama-san came and told me, but she said she feared her brother too much to interfere,” the young girl confided as the pair walked down the gravel path. “She believed that you had betrayed and insulted him, and according to their code he was bound to kill you or be killed himself; but when your sailors came and explained your innocence, which bore out what I had told her, she gladly led us to the spot.” “He would have killed me if he could,” Phil said in a low voice, pressing Helen’s hand thankfully. “I saw that in his eyes.” At the park entrance the party gathered in the growing darkness. “Taki,” Phil said, stepping up to his friend’s side, and taking his outstretched hand, “now that you know that Impey has misled your government in supposing that the United States will seize the Chinese ships, cannot Captain Inaba be recalled by wireless, if he has indeed sailed? The situation would be much clearer if he were back in Japan.” Takishima’s face showed marked surprise as he asked: “How do you know that Captain Inaba has sailed, and what his mission is?” “I don’t,” Phil replied quietly, smiling inwardly at Taki’s betrayal, “but Impey told me he was sure he had gone to seize the ships.” “Whatever has been ordered by our Emperor cannot be altered,” Takishima hastened to say, “but I hope that better understanding between our countries will soon come after the part Impey has played becomes known to both governments.” “If your Emperor could be convinced that the United States had no intention of obtaining the Chinese ships,” Phil asked eagerly, “would he have wanted to obtain them for Japan?” “I am sure he would not,” Takishima replied readily. “The price asked is enormous, much more than it would cost to build them in my own country.” The party was breaking up; most of them had climbed into their jinrikishas, and were waiting upon the two in absorbed conversation. “We must talk over this again to-night,” Phil exclaimed as he saw they were keeping the rest waiting. “I’ll see you at our ambassador’s.” Takishima nodded, and the next moment the entire party was in motion. Phil was deep in silent meditation. He was thinking over a plan; one similar to that proposed by Impey, but with a vastly different purpose. CHAPTER XVII INDECISION After seeing Helen Tillotson to the embassy, Phil and Sydney went direct to the hotel, for there was but scant time to dress and accompany Captain Rodgers to the state dinner, given that evening by the American ambassador to the visiting officers and their Japanese naval hosts. Bursting with the important and exciting news, the two lads, heedless of Phil’s appearance in his blood-stained uniform, went straightway to Captain Rodgers’ room. There they found their commanding officer in the midst of his toilet, and they gave a gasp of surprise to see Sago, the steward, quietly aiding his master in his dressing.