“Where can I leave you?” he began tentatively; “for I must hurry if we are to be of any service.” The officers who a moment before were with her had gone. “Can’t I go with you?” Her face was flushed and her eyes bright with excitement at the thought. “I don’t even know where we are going,” he replied, his voice deprecating the idea of her accompanying them. “It might be something serious. I couldn’t think of putting you in any danger.” Phil was relieved to see Lieutenant Winston making his way toward them. He waited impatiently until Winston reached Helen’s side and then hurried away without a word of further explanation. Outside the brightly lighted entrance Takishima was waiting; three rikishas stood ready, and the three classmates lost no time in jumping in. Takishima quietly gave the directions, and the next moment they were rolling rapidly along the evenly paved boulevard. Takishima’s rikisha was in the lead, while Sydney and Phil trailed after in single file. The Japanese policeman ran along at Takishima’s side. Phil was in an agony of suspense. He longed to ask what the trouble was, but to do so he would have had to shout at the top of his voice. He thought over all the things that might have happened, becoming more anxious as the minutes dragged by. He saw that his coolie was lagging behind, while Sydney’s kept close up to Takishima. Phil called loudly the word he had heard meant hurry, “haiaku,” but the distance between Sydney and himself slowly increased. Phil’s coolie was evidently giving out; he could not keep up the pace set by Takishima. Phil was on the point of getting down and running to catch up. He was sure he could easily overtake them. Suddenly Phil’s rikisha stopped, and the coolie lowered his shafts to the ground, breathing heavily and wiping his face with a large handkerchief. The lad glared at the Japanese angrily and roundly berated him for his incompetence, but he soon realized that he was but wasting precious moments; his companions were now far ahead. He gazed about him anxiously. The narrow street was dark and deserted, the road ahead was empty. Takishima and Sydney had turned to the right or left, but in which direction Phil had not seen. Planting his cap firmly on his head the midshipman ran swiftly down the street.