Chapter I: Front Matter

A
UNITED STATES
MIDSHIPMAN
IN JAPAN

_by_

Lt. Com. Yates Stirling Jr. U.S.N.
Author of
“A U.S. Midshipman Afloat”
“A U.S. Midshipman in China”
“A U.S. Midshipman in the Philippines”

Illustrated _by_ Ralph L. Boyer

THE PENN PUBLISHING
COMPANY PHILADELPHIA
MCMXI

COPYRIGHT
1911 BY
THE PENN
PUBLISHING
COMPANY

Introduction

Philip Perry and Sydney Monroe are young officers in the United States navy. Although they have been out of the Naval Academy less than two years, and are still ranked as midshipmen, they have seen active service, as related in “A United States Midshipman Afloat” and “A United States Midshipman in China.” “A United States Midshipman in the Philippines” tells how Phil, with Sydney for executive officer, commanded a small gunboat in expeditions against the insurgents. Boatswain Jack O’Neil has been with the lads in many of their hazardous adventures, and the three are now on the “U. S. S. Alaska” in Japanese waters.

The story deals with a misunderstanding between the United States and the Island Kingdom. This complication causes a few days of anxiety to both nations, and gets some people into serious difficulties but, needless to say, it is purely fictitious.

Contents

I. THE MAN IN THE NEXT COMPARTMENT 9

II. IN THE EMPEROR’S GARDENS 20

III. WAR TALK 48

IV. STIRRING UP TROUBLE 67

V. WHO WROTE THE LETTER? 89

VI. BILL MARLEY’S FIST 117

VII. THE SECRET DOCUMENT 137

VIII. MISUNDERSTANDING 156

IX. MORE DISCOVERIES 176

X. CAPTAIN INABA 191

XI. PHIL CONFESSES 208

XII. THE CONSPIRATORS 224

XIII. THE QUARREL 235

XIV. THE YACHT “SYLVIA” 249

XV. INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY 258

XVI. THE DUEL 274

XVII. INDECISION 289

XVIII. A BOLD PLAN 306

XIX. ON THE HIGH SEAS 321

XX. THE “HATSUKE” 336

XXI. THE JAPANESE FLEET 352

XXII. PLOT AND COUNTERPLOT 369

XXIII. BY WIRELESS 384

Illustrations

PAGE

HE SEIZED THE OUTSTRETCHED HAND _Frontispiece_

“WHAT’S THE ROW, SIR?” 82

THE JAPANESE GENTLEMAN WENT DOWN 142

“THIS LETTER TALKS ABOUT A NAVAL REVIEW” 188

“YOU DESERVE A GOOD THRASHING FOR THIS” 242

“EXCEPT WHAT?” SHE ASKED 300

“THERE ARE AT LEAST TWENTY-FIVE SHIPS” 358

A United States Midshipman in Japan