The Franklin
- And onto Part 4: "Returning."
- Setting: Late summer 1846 (3rd Year of Koka, Year of the Horse)
- An old friend from the John Howland returns to see Manjiro.
- It's Mr. Ira Davis, and he wants to offer Manjiro a position on this new ship called the Franklin.
- Manjiro's not really down for the job, though.
- The position is a steward, which is low, plus there's the farm to tend and baby William to look after. What with the captain away…
- But Ira tells Manjiro that the ship will be in Japanese waters; there's a chance for Manjiro to go home.
- He tells Mrs. Whitfield about the opportunity and she tells him that he just has to go, even if it kind of stinks for her.
- So that's it: It's goodbye to America for Manjiro.
- Once Manjiro gets on the boat, he runs into someone else he knows: Jolly.
- Ugh.
- But things are more evenly matched this time.
- Jolly only has one working eye, and Manjiro's a lot bigger and stronger than he used to be—Jolly still warns him that he has time to leave the boat yet, though.
- But the thing that's strange about the warning is how indifferent and calm Jolly is about the whole thing.
- It's almost like he's warning Manjiro about something or someone else…