ROBERT IMPEY, much elated over his success in throwing the entire blame upon the shoulders of the American midshipmen, left the two Japanese naval officers in Captain Inaba’s office and sought out his friend and co-conspirator, Baron Kosuba.
No word was spoken beyond those of welcome until after the servants had withdrawn, then when they were alone together Baron Kosuba said:
“After our conversation of yesterday I went at once to see the prime minister and the Minister of Marine, and they assured me that Japan would buy the Chinese ships at once. I have guaranteed the payment.”
“I know already,” Impey returned hurriedly. “The letter advising the purchase was lost. Captain Inaba believes the Americans have discovered his secret.”
“Lost!” the baron exclaimed, a smile almost of triumph in his eyes. “How could the infallible Captain Inaba be guilty of such carelessness?” It was plain that Baron Kosuba and the naval strategist were not the best of friends. Doubtless the baron resented the younger man’s power.
“But, baron,” Impey interrupted, “I have little time. I have come to you on a most important matter.”
The Japanese nobleman inclined his head as a sign that he was ready to listen.
“To-day, in but a few hours, the Emperor will receive the American captain,” Impey hastened to say. “This audience must not take place. It is rumored that he is a special emissary from the President of the United States. If this audience cannot be stopped your dreams of naval supremacy in the Pacific will be at an end.”
“Why should this audience change the naval policy of my country?” Baron Kosuba exclaimed. “The entire naval board is pledged for a strong navy, and only yesterday agreed to advise buying China’s ships.”
“If the United States should agree to give up her intention of obtaining these ships,” Impey said, “would not Japan hesitate before expending this large sum of money? The necessity would seem to be over. The consequence would be,” Impey declared, “that America would go on building war-ships, and the time would have passed when your country can secure the supremacy of the Pacific.”
The baron’s face was wrinkled in deep thought.
“How can I prevent the audience?” he asked.
“That must rest with you,” Impey said with a shrug. “If it takes place America will triumph over you commercially.”
Baron Kosuba was much affected by Impey’s words. He was not entirely patriotic. His country’s welfare was second only to the accumulation of his riches. If the American navy could be destroyed, her merchant marine must die and his own steamers increase and multiply, for there were no other competitors worthy of notice. And for this he would gladly force a war.
“The United States fears now that she has gone too far,” Impey added after a short silence. “I have told you that the Washington government has agreed to buy the ships, and are now worried over Japan’s attitude. They fear that Japan will seize the Chinese ships. Their fleet in Manila is ready to move at a moment’s notice, and it is between the Japanese fleet and the Chinese squadron. Once the Washington government knows for certain that Japan has made her decision it will drop the mask of friendship and order its fleet to obtain the ships before they reach Singapore. This mission of the ‘Alaska,’ as I have told you before, is intended only as a blind to their real intentions, and if Japan is weak enough to believe in America’s honesty then our work will have been for nothing.”
The baron’s face expressed his anxiety.
“I shall go at once to the navy department,” he exclaimed, “and I trust I can stop this audience.”
Impey bade good-bye to the financier, smiling proudly as they shook hands. He had won his point. Baron Kosuba would go immediately to his friend the Minister of Marine. Impey knew that before now Captain Inaba would have laid before that official proofs of the guilt of the American visitors, which would bear out the baron’s arguments. If the Minister of Marine could be convinced, then his powerful influence would surely defeat the audience with the Emperor.
“What should be his next move?” was the question uppermost in his mind as he drove rapidly toward the city from the baron’s home. To make the United States see her apparent danger, and cause her to seize the ships at once was the result desired.
After Impey had left Captain Inaba’s office Lieutenant Takishima had entered. The former handed him the “Shimbunshi” letter to read.
“This is not written by one of my friends,” Takishima exclaimed finally, throwing the letter on the desk.
“Then why should it be found in one of their valises?” Captain Inaba asked. “Why will you defend them when you know that they concealed the official letter lost by Oka? Do you call that a friendly act? If it hadn’t been for Impey’s vigilance and the honesty of a former countryman of ours, we would never have found out that these friends are really spies.”
“Would it be likely that they would call themselves spies,” Takishima picked up the “Shimbunshi” letter, and pointed to the words, “if they contemplated such work?” Takishima’s voice was triumphant, while Captain Inaba was silent. “If they are spies they did not write this letter. If they wrote this letter they are not spies.”
“Your reasoning, my dear Takishima, is quite illogical. They wrote the letter before they found the Oka document. Don’t you see? With that in their possession they decided not to send this letter to the ‘Shimbunshi.’”
“Would the ‘Shimbunshi’ publish such a letter, not knowing who the author was?” Takishima asked.
“The ‘Shimbunshi’ is a syndicate newspaper, owned mostly by foreigners. It is an investment, is unpatriotic and appeals to the worst in men. I believe it will publish anything, no matter what the source, if a sensation can be produced,” Inaba answered thoughtfully. “There is but one thing it fears to do, and that is attack the government of His Majesty, for then it would be suppressed.”
“Have you ever doubted the honesty of Impey?” Takishima asked suddenly.
“My nature is to be suspicious of every one,” Inaba replied smilingly. “Impey, among the rest, has fallen under my espionage. Until Impey came to me and explained everything I believed he had betrayed us. The letter was in his hands last night. It passed from him to our men and was at one time in the hands of the American midshipmen. It was afterward in the hands of one of their sailors. Impey located the letter and brought me the information not an hour ago.”
“What great harm would there be if the letter was read by the Americans?” Takishima questioned anxiously. “It is all true, in fact a matter of common knowledge, except the buying of the ships.”
Inaba shrugged his square shoulders while the old sinister smile played about the corners of his straight lips.
“The American fleet is in Manila, holding its yearly target practice. Is it merely a coincidence that it should have arrived there just now? Did it take a fifteen thousand mile cruise by way of the Cape of Good Hope merely to hold this target practice?” Takishima shook his head impatiently. “For some years Japan has lagged behind other nations in building war-ships because our country must meet other expenses, and our countrymen are already taxed to the utmost. America and the other nations have outstripped us. The addition of these ships would give us the additional strength which we have lost by an unwise naval policy. Again our growing merchant marine would have ample protection. Again we would become a factor to be reckoned with in the Far East. Baron Kosuba is our strongest friend in urging the transaction. I believe if America knew for a certainty that we would acquire these ships she would buy them herself.”
“To fight us with?” Takishima asked breathlessly.
“Who can say?” Inaba returned. “Whom can we trust? Even your old schoolmates have turned against you.”
“Then if the information that we had decided to acquire China’s ships were known in America, you believe that she would buy them ahead of us?” Takishima asked. “Is that your meaning? And afterward you think she might endeavor to force a war to despoil us of our Chinese territory?”
“I did not say so,” Inaba answered promptly. “But we navy men must take no chances. His Majesty depends upon us. Let us hope that such a catastrophe will never occur.” Captain Inaba picked up several papers from his desk and handed them to Takishima. “In these two telegrams is the key to the mystery. One is to the State Department in Washington—the other to the governor in Manila, both from the American ambassador. They are in cipher and quite beyond our powers to decipher. Their timeliness alone seems to divulge the possible context. I believe that they give the intelligence gained from the lost document. There is but one thing for us to do.” Inaba’s voice was low and earnest. “Hold these cablegrams, send out a sufficient force to man the Chinese ships, and take possession of them on the high seas before the United States can do so!”
Takishima’s eyes opened wide, while his heart beat faster. He glanced up and saw the calm face of the Minister of Marine in the doorway.
Admiral Kamikura and Captain Inaba had been in consultation for nearly an hour while Takishima in his own office awaited the outcome. The plan advanced by the bold Inaba seemed dangerous in the extreme. It might lead to war—to war with a country that he looked upon as partly his own. He had spent four happy years at the Naval Academy at Annapolis. He knew the American navy and admired it. The American people he had studied in all their phases.
“Their thoughts are not upon war, but history shows that when war comes they can fight as hard and as long as any people in the world,” he exclaimed aloud.
Within the hour Inaba sent for him. The admiral had gone. The captain’s face was grave, but his eyes were bright with excitement.
“I am sorry I cannot be at your lunch party to-day,” he said gravely. “I am off to Sasebo. Give my regards and sayonara to your sister, O Hama-san. I can tell you nothing more, Takishima,” he added, seeing that a question trembled on the lad’s lips.
Takishima bowed low, murmuring a wish that good luck attend him upon his mission; then the door closed behind him.