The lads were consumed with impatience, for by the look in the general’s eyes they realized it concerned them. He read the message. “I am appointed ambassador to Japan. Have selected Blynn as military attaché and Midshipmen Perry and Monroe naval attachés to our embassy. Wire their answers. “TILLOTSON.” The midshipmen’s hearts beat fast and they were about to cry out their delight, when the tearful face of Maria caught their eye; and instead Phil answered soberly, “I doubt if we have sufficient rank to accept.” O’Neil had heard enough, and as he moved forward toward his hammock slung on the forecastle he murmured gruffly: “I can’t let ’em go alone. They need me to look out for them.” And Phil and Sydney, had they heard, would have said he was right. Other books in this same series are: A UNITED STATES MIDSHIPMAN AFLOAT A UNITED STATES MIDSHIPMAN IN CHINA A UNITED STATES MIDSHIPMAN IN JAPAN A UNITED STATES MIDSHIPMAN IN THE SOUTH SEAS FOOTNOTES: [1] A lorcha is a Filipino schooner; its sails are usually made of a rough canvas, yellow in color, manufactured from a native fibre, usually hemp. [2] “Friend, a letter.” [3] Pulijanes--ladrones, outlaw TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES: Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized. Archaic or alternate spelling has been retained from the original.