At that time, he met Joe NIIJIMA (who later married with his younger sister Yae NIIZIMA) and promised that he would cooperate with him when he came to know his plan to establish a school.
その頃新島襄（のち覚馬の妹・新島八重と結婚する）と知り合い、彼の学校設立計画を知り協力を約束した。