t of
Frank and Jack, who had formed a liking for the courteous gentleman who
had treated them so kindly during the few hours he had been their
jailer. French, however, had promised to remain at Manila and to report
daily at military headquarters.

"I don't understand what his share in the plot is, or has been," Ned had
explained, "but it is evident that he will be needed only as a witness."

At Manila Ned had held a long conference with Major John Ross, and that
gentleman had seemed overjoyed at the report the boy had presented,
especially as it made his return to the group of islands to the north
unnecessary. After remaining in Manila one day and a night, Ned had been
directed to continue his investigation of the case in his own way.

To tell the truth, Major John Ross and the military men with whom Ned
conferred at Manila treated the employment of the boy by the authorities
at Washington as a good deal of a joke, as a whim. They were not
discourteous to Ned, but they took no interest in his suggestions. For
some hours after his departure, his employment on the case was the
subject of many sarcastic remarks.

However, those in charge had consented to hold the _Manhattan_ subject
to his orders, and had promised to give any communications received from
him due attention. And this was the situation when the boy, following
clues secured at the nipa hut and hints obtained from Pat, who had kept
his ears open during his captivity, and from French, had sailed away for
Japan with his chums on a steamer which was leaving Manila for Yokohama.
Pat Mack, released from service by the effort of Major Ross, at his own
request, had been left at Manila in charge of the _Manhattan_.

The boys landed shortly after dark and proceeded to a hotel where the
English language or something like it was spoken. Everything was new and
strange, the place being as unlike a Broadway hotel as it is possible to
imagine. However, the meals were served in half-American fashion, and
the rooms were tolerably comfortable.

"Now," Ned said, after their first meal in Yokohama was over, "we did
not come here to visit the palaces of the wealthy, or to inspect the
United States consulate. We've got to get down into the slums a bit if
we find what I want. The man who led the party that captured Lieutenant
Rowe was sent away as soon as he got to his masters. You doubtless
understand why. They did not want him implicated in the plot."

"How do you know?" ask