“Admiral Ting,” Phil exclaimed suddenly, finding his voice at last, “if you will hear my plan, I can save your ships for China and defeat the aims of this scheming rascal.” Phil’s face was flushed as he pointed an accusing finger at Impey. “There is a harbor on the coast of Paragua in the Philippine Islands. The entrance is narrow, but with sufficient water for a battle-ship, and inside, your ships can anchor securely and be invisible from the outside.” The lad’s voice was eager and earnest and made a visible impression on the Chinaman. “I know the channel, having been there on a small gunboat and made a survey of the bay; I can pilot you in. There we can make terms with the world by wireless without either of the disputing countries discovering our whereabouts.” “Your Excellency,” Impey exclaimed with a harsh laugh, “you must see that this is the talk of a romantic boy. It is unlikely that there is any such place, and from my knowledge of the coast of Paragua Island, I would advise you not to risk your ships. It is a rocky and dangerous coast, and the charts are worse than useless.” Phil would have answered Impey’s sally by a denial, but Admiral Ting’s answer made it unnecessary. “Mr. Perry, I will follow you,” he said quietly, rising from his chair and escorting them to the gangway, where their boat was waiting. “If we are successful you will have won the thanks of three nations and the applause of the civilized world.” “And the dislike of a denationalized rascal,” Phil added with joy in his voice and a triumphant glance at the discomfited Impey as they passed down the gangway into the waiting boat. With the “Sylvia” leading, the Chinese squadron steamed through the Singapore Straits and out into the China Sea. All the world soon knew that the coveted squadron had passed the city of Singapore, for it was cabled from there to every country. Then it disappeared as completely as if it had been swallowed up by the sea; days passed, and no news came of its arrival in any port. It was the great mystery of the hour. The newspapers strained every effort and spared no expense to discover its whereabouts but without success. The “Sylvia” had steered northwest, heading directly for the unknown bay on the coast of the Island of Paragua. A close watch was kept both during the day and night for the smoke of other vessels, but the course taken was so far out of the regular track of steamers plying between ports in the Orient that luckily none were sighted. The midshipmen desired that no eye should discover the position and destination of the squadron for fear that it would inform the world and cause searching war-ships to be sent to bring them back to civilization.