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diff --git a/42077.txt b/42077.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 9613935..0000000 --- a/42077.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6554 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Boy Scouts at the Panama Canal, by John -Henry Goldfrap - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - - - - -Title: The Boy Scouts at the Panama Canal - - -Author: John Henry Goldfrap - - - -Release Date: February 12, 2013 [eBook #42077] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOY SCOUTS AT THE PANAMA -CANAL*** - - -E-text prepared by Stephen Hutcheson, Brenda Lewis, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 42077-h.htm or 42077-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/42077/42077-h/42077-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/42077/42077-h.zip) - - - - - -THE BOY SCOUTS AT THE PANAMA CANAL - -by - -LIEUT. HOWARD PAYSON - -Author of -"The Boy Scouts of the Eagle Patrol," -"The Boy Scouts on the Range," -"The Boy Scouts and the Army Airship," -"The Boy Scouts' Mountain Camp," -"The Boy Scouts for Uncle Sam," etc. - - - - - - - -A. L. BURT COMPANY -Publishers New York -Printed in U. S. A. - -Copyright, 1913 -by -Hurst & Company -Made in U. S. A. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - I. Boy Scouts to the Rescue 5 - II. An Angry Farmer 16 - III. On a Mission 27 - IV. Some Up-to-date Advertising 35 - V. A Big Surprise 43 - VI. Baseball 53 - VII. A Test for the Eagles 66 - VIII. Skill vs. Muscle 85 - IX. Fire! 91 - X. A Scout Hero 100 - XI. The Fire Test 113 - XII. In Peril of His Life 122 - XIII. The Enemy's Move 131 - XIV. A Novel Proposal 148 - XV. Off for the Isthmus 156 - XVI. Something about the Canal 167 - XVII. At Old Panama 181 - XVIII. Between Earth and Sky 191 - XIX. The Gatun Dam 200 - XX. A Dynamite Volcano 209 - XXI. "Run for Your Lives!" 217 - XXII. The Boys Meet an Old Acquaintance 223 - XXIII. Along the Chagres 232 - XXIV. The Trackless Jungle 241 - XXV. A Chapter of Accidents 257 - XXVI. The Ruined City 270 - XXVII. "Be Prepared" 284 - - - - - The Boy Scouts at the - Panama Canal - - - - - CHAPTER I. - BOY SCOUTS TO THE RESCUE. - - -Farmer Hiram Applegate had just finished breakfast. For this reason, -perhaps, he felt exceptionally good-humored. Even the news he had read in -his morning paper (of the day before) to the effect that his pet -abomination and aversion, The Boy Scouts, had held a successful and -popular review in New York and received personal commendation from the -President failed to shake his equanimity. - -Outside the farmhouse the spring sun shone bright and warm. The air was -crisp, and odorous with the scent of apple blossoms. Robins twittered -cheerily, hens clucked and now and then a blue bird flashed among the -orchard trees. - -As Hiram stepped out on his "vendetta," as he called his verandah--or, to -use the old-fashioned word and the better one, "porch"--he was joined by -a rather heavy-set youth with small, shifty eyes and a sallow skin which -gave the impression of languishing for soap and water. A suit of loud -pattern, new yellow boots with "nobby" toes, and a gaudy necktie did not -add to young Jared Applegate's general appearance. - -"Pop," he began, after a glance at the old man's crabbed and wrinkled -features, just then aglow with self-satisfaction, "Pop, how about that -money I spoke about?" - -Old Applegate stared at his offspring from under his heavy, iron-gray -brows. - -"A fine time to be askin' fer money!" he snorted indignantly, "you just -back frum Panamy--under a cloud, too, and yet you start a pesterin' me -fer money as ef it grew on trees." - -"What d'ye want it fer, hey?" he went on after a pause. "More Bye Scut -nonsense?" - -Jared shook his head as if denying some discreditable imputation. - -"I've had nothing to do with the Boy Scouts since the day I was kicked -out of--that is, since I left the Black Wolf troop in New York." - -"Dum glad of it, though you never tole me what you quit for," muttered -the old man. - -"But to get back to that money," said Jared; "as I told you when I got -back from the Isthmus, I need it. Need it bad, too, or I wouldn't ask -you." - -"Makes no diff'rence. What d'ye want it fer,--hey?" he repeated, coming -back to his original question. - -Jared decided that there was nothing for it but to tell the truth. - -"To go over what I told you the other night once more, I'm in debt. Debts -I ran up on the Isthmus," was the rejoinder. "A chap can't live down -there for nothing you know, and--" - -"By heck! You got a dern good salary as Mr. Mainwaring's sec'ty, didn't -yer, an' a chance ter learn engin-e-ring thrun in. You git fired fer -misbehavin' yerself an' then yer come down on the old man fer money. I -ain't goin' ter stand it, I ain't, and that's flat!" - -The old man knocked the ashes out of his half-smoked pipe with -unnecessary violence. Jared, eying him askance, saw that his father was -working himself up into what Jared termed "a tantrum." Taking another -tack, he resumed. - -"Sho, pop! It ain't as if you weren't going to get it back. And there'll -be interest at six per cent., too." - -This was touching old Applegate on a tender point. If rumor in and about -Hampton spoke correctly, the old man had made most of his large fortune, -not so much by farming, but by running, at ruinous rates, a sort of -private bank. - -"Wa'al," he said, his hard, rugged old face softening the least bit, "uv -course you've tole me all that; but what you h'aint tole me is, how yer a -goin' ter git ther money back,--an' the interest." - -He looked cunningly at his son as he spoke. Jared hesitated an instant -before he replied. Then he said boldly enough:-- - -"I can't tell you just what the business enterprise is that I expect to -go into shortly. I'm--I'm under a sort of promise not to, you see. But if -everything goes right, I'll be worth a good round sum before long." - -"Promises ain't security," retorted the old man warily. "I--Gee -Whitakers! Thar's that spotted hawg out agin!" - -Across the dusty road the animal in question was passing as the farmer's -eyes fell on it. In the center of the track it paused and began rooting -about, grunting contentedly at its liberty. - -At the same moment a humming sound, almost like the drone of a big bumble -bee, came out of the distance. As he heard the peculiar drone, a quick -glance of recognition flashed across old Applegate's face. - -"It's that pesky Mainwaring gal an' her 'lectric auto!" he exploded -vehemently. "That makes the third time in ther last two weeks that Jake's -bin out when she come along. Ther fust time she knocked him over, ther -second time she knocked him over, an' now--" - -A smart-looking little electric runabout, driven by a pretty young girl -in motoring costume, whizzed round the corner. The ill-fated Jake looked -up from his rooting as the car came dashing on. Possibly the recollection -of those other two narrow escapes was upon him. At any rate, with a -scared grunt and an angry squeal, he whisked his stump of a curly tail in -the air and dashed for the picket fence in front of the Applegate place. - -But either Jake was too slow, or the electric was too fast. Just as the -girl gave the steering wheel of the auto a quick twist to avoid the pig, -one of the forewheels struck the luckless Jake "astern," as sailors would -say. - -With an agonized wail Jake sailed through the air a few feet and then, -alighting on his feet, galloped off unhurt but squealing as if he had -been mortally injured. - -"Goodness," exclaimed the girl alarmedly, and then, "gracious!" - -The quick twist of the wheel had caused the car to give a jump and a skid -and land in the ditch, where it came to a standstill. Farmer Applegate, -rage tinting his face the color of a boiled beet, came storming down the -path. - -"This is the time I got yer, hey?" he shouted at the alarmed occupant of -the auto. "That makes three times you run over Jake. You got away them -other times, but I got yer nailed now. Kaint git yer car out uv ther -ditch, hey? Wa'al, it'll stay thar till yer pay up." - -"I'm--I'm dreadfully sorry," stammered the girl, "really I had no -intention of hurting--er--Jake. In fact, he doesn't seem to be hurt at -all." - -There appeared to be good reason for such a supposition. Jake, at the -moment, was engaged in combat over a pile of corn fodder with several of -his fellows. - -"Humph! Prob'ly hurt internal," grunted the farmer. "Anyhow, it's time -you bubblists was taught a lesson." - -"Oh, of course I'm willing to pay," cried the girl, and out came a dainty -hand-bag. "Er--how much will satisfy Jake's--I mean your--feelings?" - -The old farmer was quick to catch the note of amusement in the girl's -voice. - -"You won't mend matters by bein' sassy," he growled; "besides, your pop -fired my boy down on the Isthmus an' I ain't feelin' none too good toward -yer." - -"I have nothing to do with my father's affairs," said the girl coldly, -noting out of the corner of her eye Jared's figure slinking around the -side of the porch; "how much do you want to help me get my car out of the -ditch, for that's really what it amounts to, you know?" - -Ignoring the quiet sarcasm in her voice, old Applegate's face took on its -crafty expression. - -"Wa'al, it's three times now you've run over Jake. Say five dollars each -time,--that ud be yer fine for overspeedin', anyhow,--that makes it -fifteen dollars." - -"Fifteen dollars!" The girl's voice showed her amazement at such a -figure. - -"It ort'er be twenty," snorted old Applegate; "thar's ther injury to -Jake's feelin's. You bang over him at sixty mile an hour an' scare him -out'n all his fat an' six months' growth. Fifteen dollars is cheap, -an'--you don't go till yer pay up, neither." - -"Why, it's simply extortion. I'll pay no such sum. Send your bill to my -father. He'll settle it. And now help me out of this ditch, if you -please." - -"Now, don't you git het up, miss. Thar's a speed law on Long Island, an' -by heck, you pay er I'll hev yer up afore the justice. Lucindy!" he -raised his voice in a call for his wife; Jared had vanished. A -slovenly-looking woman, wiping her hands on a gingham apron, appeared on -the porch. - -"Lucindy, how many miles an hour? Jake's bin run over agin," he added -suggestively. - -"Wa'al," said Lucindy judicially, "it looked like sixty; but I reckin -h'it warn't more'n twenty-five." - -"Humph!" snorted Applegate triumphantly, "an' ther speed limit's -fifteen." - -"Why, I wasn't going more than ten miles!" cried the girl, flushing with -indignation. - -"Huh! Tell that to ther justice. I'll git my son to push yer machine -out'n ther ditch an' then I'll hop in aside yer an' we'll drive into -town." - -"You'll do no such thing! Why, the idea! Take your hand off my car at -once, or--oh, dear! What shall I do?" she broke off despairingly. - -"You'll drive me inter town or pay fifteen dollars, that's what you'll -do," declared Farmer Applegate stubbornly; "now then--hullo, what in ther -name uv early pertaties is this a-comin'?" - -Around the same corner from which the auto had appeared with such -embarrassing results to its pretty young driver came three well-built -lads. One of them was rather fat and his round, good-natured face was -streaming with perspiration from the long "hike" on which they had been. -But his companions looked trained to the minute, brown-faced, -lithe-limbed, radiating health and strength from their khaki-clad forms. -All three wore the same kind of uniform, gaiters, knickerbockers, coats -of military cut and broad-brimmed campaign hats. In addition, each -carried a staff. - -"Hullo, what's all this, Rob?" cried one of them as they came into full -view of the strange scene,--the ditched auto, the flushed, embarrassed -yet indignant girl, and the truculent farmer. - -"Consarn it all, it's them pesky Boy Scouts from Hampton," exclaimed -Farmer Applegate disgustedly, as, in answer to the girl's appealing look, -the three youths stepped up, their hands lifted in the scout salute and -their hats raised. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - AN ANGRY FARMER. - - -"Can we be of any assistance?" asked Rob Blake of the girl, whose alarmed -looks made it evident that she was in an unpleasant situation. He ignored -the red-faced, angry farmer, but took note out of the corner of his eye -of Jared, who was peeping out at them from behind a shed. Apparently he -had no wish to appear on the scene while his late employer's daughter was -there. To himself he muttered:-- - -"It's that stuck-up Rob Blake, that butter-firkin, Tubby Hopkins and that -sissy, Merritt Crawford. They're always butting in when they're not -wanted." - -The girl turned gratefully to the newcomers. Rob's firm voice and capable -appearance made her feel, as did no less her scrutiny of his companions, -that here were friends in need. - -"Oh, thank you so much!" she cried. "I am Lucy Mainwaring, and you, I'm -sure, are Rob Blake, leader of the Eagle Patrol. I've heard lots about -you from my brother Fred, who is leader of the Black Wolf Patrol, First -New York Troop." - -"Yes, I'm Rob Blake, this is Merritt Crawford, my second in command, and -this is Tub--I mean Robert Hopkins." - -"I know all on yer," growled out old Applegate, "an' I tell yer to keep -out of this. Just 'cause yer a banker's son, young Blake, don't give you -no right ter come interferin' where yer not wanted." - -"Oh, but they _are_ wanted!" cried the girl, before Rob could say a word. -"This man says that I ran over one of his pigs. Why, it's absurd. I only -just bumped the animal, and there he is over there now fighting for his -breakfast." - -Her eyes fairly bubbled merriment as Jake's raucous squeals rose -belligerently from the neighborhood of the hog pens. Tubby spoke up. - -"If he can eat, he's all right," announced the stout youth with his -customary solemnity. - -"But I've grazed the wretched pig twice before," cried the girl, "and Mr. -Applegate wants fifteen dollars or he won't help me out of this ditch." - -"That's right," confirmed the farmer, "fifteen dollars er she goes afore -the justice fer--fer running over Jake." - -"But she didn't run over him," retorted Rob, "and anyhow, fifteen dollars -is an outrageous price to ask for your real or fancied injuries." - -"The hog's injuries," corrected the farmer. - -"Same thing almost," whispered Merritt to Tubby with a chuckle. - -"Come on, boys," said Rob, "let's help this young lady out of the ditch." - -The girl turned on the power and the three Boy Scouts shoved with all -their might at the rear of the machine. It quivered, started, stopped, -and then fairly dashed up on to the road. So quickly had it all been done -that before the farmer could make a move the runabout was on the -thoroughfare. - -"Lucindy! Lucindy, let Towser loose!" yelled the old man as soon as he -had recovered his senses. - -The woman ran off the porch and in a few seconds a big, savage-looking -bull dog came bounding out, showing his red fangs and white teeth. - -The girl gave a little scream as the dog looked up at his master, -apparently waiting an order to rush at the boys. - -"Go on!" Rob said to the girl in a quick, low whisper, "we'll be all -right." - -"Oh, but I can't! You've helped me----" - -"That was our duty as Scouts. Now turn on your power and get away. We'll -find a way to deal with the old man, never fear." - -Seeing that it was useless to remain, the girl applied the power once -more and the machine shot out of sight. - -"Consarn you pesky brats," roared old Applegate, fairly beside himself. - -"Sic 'em, Towse!" he shouted the next instant. - -Rob had been prepared for some such move as this. As the dog, with a -savage growl, sprang forward, he brought his staff into play. There was a -flash of the implement, a quick twist, and the astonished Towser found -himself spinning backward in the direction from which he had advanced. - -"Don't set that dog on us again," cried Rob, in a clear, commanding -voice, "if you do, he'll get hurt." - -"Consarn you!" bellowed the farmer again, "air you aidin' and abettin' -lawless acts?" - -"As far as that goes, your hog had no business in the middle of the -road," was the quiet rejoinder. - -"I'll go to law about this," shouted the farmer furiously, brandishing -his knotted fist. But he made no attempt to "sic" Towser on the boys -again. As for that redoubtable animal, he stood by his master, his tail -between his legs. To use the vernacular, he appeared to be wondering -"what had struck him." - -As there was nothing to be gained by remaining, the three Boy Scouts -started off anew on the last stage of their "hike," which had been one of -twenty-four miles started the day before to visit a patrol in a distant -town on the island. They struck off briskly, as boys will when home is -almost in sight and appetites are keen. The farmer, seeing that nothing -was to be gained by abusing them any further, contented himself by -calling them "young varmints" and turned back toward his house. - -The boys had not proceeded many paces when they heard behind them the -quick "chug-chug" of a motor cycle. Turning, they saw coming toward them -a youth of about Rob's age, mounted on a red motor cycle which, from the -noise it made, appeared to be of high power. As he drew alongside them -they noticed that he, too, was in Scout uniform, and that from the handle -bars on his machine fluttered a flag with a black wolf's head on it. The -newcomer stopped his machine, nimbly alighted and gave the Scout salute, -which the boys returned. - -"My name is Fred Mainwaring of the Black Wolf Patrol of the First New -York Troop," he announced, "have you seen anything of a young lady -driving an electric runabout?" - -The boys exchanged amused glances. Then Rob recounted the scene in front -of the farmhouse. He also introduced himself and his patrol mates. Fred -Mainwaring, a fine-looking, curly-haired lad, appeared much diverted. - -"That's just like sis," he exclaimed, "she's always getting in trouble -with that auto of hers; doing things she aut-n't to, so to speak. Excuse -the pun. It's a bad habit of mine. She went for a spin this morning and -wouldn't wait for me, so now behold me in chase of her." - -After some more chat, during which Fred Mainwaring received a hearty -invitation to visit the quarters of the Eagle Patrol in Hampton, the boys -parted, very well pleased with each other. The young scouts of the Eagle -Patrol already knew much about the Mainwaring family, Mr. Mainwaring -having recently purchased an estate just out of Hampton. The newcomer to -the community was preceded by an almost world-wide reputation as a -skillful engineer. Many of the great problems in connection with Uncle -Sam's "Big Ditch" had been successfully solved by him, and, although just -now he was at home on a "furlough," he was shortly to leave once more for -the Zone. - -During the course of their brief chat Fred had informed the boys that he -and his sister were to accompany their father on the return voyage, Fred -taking the position of secretary. - -"He had another chap before he came up from the tropics," he informed the -boys. "I guess he lives somewhere round here. Jared Applegate his name -was. Had to fire him, though, for some sort of crooked work. I don't know -just what it was; but it must have been something pretty bad, for dad got -mighty angry when he told about it. You see, in a way I feel responsible. -Jared, who was working as a stenographer and typewriter in New York, -belonged to my troop. I liked him after a fashion, and got dad to make -him his secretary. It wasn't till after he'd left for Panama that I -accidentally found out that Jared, who had been treasurer of the troop, -had been stealing small sums from time to time. - -"I didn't notify dad for fear of worrying him; but of course Jared was -dropped from the troop. When dad got back from the Isthmus this time I -asked about Jared and found out that he had been discharged. Just what -for, I don't know. Dad wouldn't tell me." - -"We know something of Jared's reputation about here," rejoined Rob. "It's -none too good. By the way, that's his father's place back there where -your sister had all the trouble." - -"I knew that his home was somewhere near Hampton," was the rejoinder. - -This conversation took place on the roadside not more than a few feet -from a stone wall which bounded the outlying fields of the Applegate -property. Behind this wall, if the four lads had known it, was concealed -a listener to whom all their conversation was perfectly plain. Jared had -watched the boys meeting from the dooryard and had crept cautiously along -behind the stone wall till he arrived at a spot opposite that at which -the group was chatting. "Listeners never hear good of themselves," says -the old saw. Jared assuredly proved its truth that fine spring morning. - -An evil look passed over his countenance as he crouched behind the wall. -His sallow face grew a pasty yellow, with anger. His shifty eyes -glittered furiously as he heard his record discussed. - -"So that's the game, is it?" he muttered to himself, as the boys parted -company, Fred Mainwaring shooting off like a red streak on his machine. -"Well, I guess that before long I'll have my innings, and when I do I'll -make it hot for all of you, especially old man Mainwaring. I'll get even -with him if it takes me a year; but I don't think it'll be that long." - -He drew a letter from his pocket and glanced over it in the manner of one -already familiar with a missive's contents, but who wishes, by a fresh -perusal, to satisfy himself once more. This is what he read from the -much-creased document: - -"If you have what you claim we will talk business with you. It will be -made worth your while." - -The letter bore no signature nor address. It referred to a subject with -which the writer, for an excellent reason, would not have cared to have -his name linked. The "big ditch" project, the greatest of the age, -perhaps of all time, had, inconceivable as it may seem, bitter and -unscrupulous enemies. The person who had written that note to poor, -sneaking Jared Applegate was one of these. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - ON A MISSION. - - -While the three Boy Scouts are trudging back toward Hampton, we will take -the opportunity to introduce them more fully to our readers who may not -have met them before. Rob Blake, the son of the local banker in the -seashore village of Hampton, Long Island, had, some time before the -present story opens, founded the Eagle Patrol. The early days of its -existence formed the basis of the first book of the series, for the lads -flocked eagerly to its standard, and the Patrol was soon in a flourishing -condition, with a well-equipped room above the local bank building, a -fine, up-to-date structure. The adventures of the Patrol in camp and -Scout life in general were various and exciting. The boys made some -enemies, as was natural, for many boys wished to belong to their Patrol -who could not be admitted; but in the end, thanks mainly to their Scout -training, all things came out well for the Eagles. - -In the second volume we found "The Boy Scouts on the Range." In this book -full details of Scout principles as put into practice in a wild and -lawless country were related. The pursuit of Silver Tip, the giant -grizzly, popularly supposed to bear a charmed life, was an interesting -feature of their experience in the West. Indians and cattle rustlers made -trouble for the boys and their friends, but, although the boys were -several times placed in jeopardy and danger, they emerged with credit -from all their dilemmas. - -Still following the lads' fortunes, we found them in the third volume of -the series, "The Boy Scouts and the Army Airship," deeply interested in -the subject of aerial navigation. They managed to give material aid in -certain experiments that the government carried on at a lonely house on -the sea coast near Hampton, and became involved in some thrilling -incidents which still further put to the test their ability and -cleverness. - -In "The Boy Scouts' Mountain Camp," the scene shifted to the Adirondacks, -whither the boys went, primarily on a quiet camping trip. But they became -involved in an exciting search for a long missing treasure, immured in an -ancient and almost inaccessible cave in the heart of a wild region. How -they won out against apparently insurmountable obstacles makes exciting -and instructive reading. - -"The Boy Scouts for Uncle Sam," the fifth volume, related some surprising -events that occurred when the boys' aid was called into requisition in -connection with a new type of submarine which foreign powers were doing -their best to appropriate, but which was intended for the United States -Government. Readers of that volume will readily recall Rob's abduction -and marooning on a desert island and the pernicious activities of a green -motor boat which was used by the agents of a foreign power. Rob's -marvelous swim across a narrow inlet, through which the tide boiled like -a mill race, and the interchange of Scout signals with astonishing -results, are only two of the incidents that go to show that the Eagle -Patrol was always to be relied upon to do its duty and live up to the -strict letter of the inspiring motto, "Be Prepared." - - -For the next few days the lads of the Eagle Patrol were busy indeed with -preparations for what was to them a very important piece of work. This -was nothing more nor less than the placarding of the town with -announcements that a team made up of the Eagles would play the Hampton -nine in the first baseball game of the season, the proceeds to be equally -divided. The Boy Scouts' half, of course, would go toward the general -patrol fund for the purchase of equipment and so on. - -Each of the lads had a duty to perform in this connection. Hiram Nelson, -whose father was in the printing business, was to get up the posters, -which were to be printed on big, yellow sheets. Andy Bowles, whose uncle -conducted a livery stable, arranged for rigs to convey the young -bill-posters around the country; while Tubby Hopkins,--since the duty was -partly of a culinary nature,--undertook to make the paste. This, despite -unkind remarks to the effect that, unable to restrain his appetite, he -might be tempted to eat it! In this manner the different duties were -distributed and each member of the patrol took an active part in the -work. - -Rather to Rob's surprise, and likewise to the astonishment of the other -lads, Jared Applegate's name appeared as pitcher for the Hampton team. -But, after all, there was nothing so very astonishing in this, for Jared, -before he left for New York, had been a clever pitcher on the Hampton -Academy team, which had beaten some of the best ball players on Long -Island. Sam Lamb, the regular pitcher for the Hamptons, it was later -learned, had sprained his wrist in jumping on a moving train, and Jared -had eagerly volunteered to take his place. He had made open boasts about -the town that he meant to "knock some of those tin soldier kids higher -than so many kites." - -"Let him do his best," was all Rob had said, when Andy Bowles, the -diminutive bugler of the Eagles, brought him this information. - -When not engaged in preparations for "billing" the surrounding country, -which occupied almost all the time they could spare from their studies, -the Scouts practiced hard and faithfully. They had a good team, but they -had to admit that the town boys, too, played very good ball. As the day -for the contest, a Saturday, drew near, excitement began to run high. -Jared never spoke to any of the Scouts, all of whom, by this time, knew -of his disgrace while a member of the Black Wolf Patrol. Possibly he did -not wish to run a chance of being snubbed; but be that as it may, when he -passed any of the uniformed youngsters he kept his eyes on the ground. -This did not prevent him, however, from hanging around when the Scouts -were at practice and making all sorts of contemptuous remarks concerning -their play. - -The Saturday before the game, the lads started out in different -directions to put up their bills. Those whose duties lay within easy -distance of Hampton went on foot; but the others took rigs. Among the -latter were Rob, Merritt and Tubby Hopkins. With them they carried a good -thick bundle of bills, plenty of paste and long-handled brushes. It was a -beautiful day and they were in high spirits as they drove along the -pleasant country roads. - -Their way took them by Farmer Applegate's place. - -"Let's plaster up a few on the old grouch's barn," suggested Merritt with -a laugh. - -"No; I don't want to do that," declared Rob positively, "although he -isn't entitled to much consideration. It was a shame the way he treated -Fred Mainwaring's sister." - -"Such a pretty girl, too," chuckled Tubby, with a mischievous look at -Merritt. Rob intercepted the glance and turned red, at which both his -companions teased him more than ever. Luckily for Rob's peace of mind, -however, at this juncture something occurred to cause the current of -Tubby's thoughts to flow in another direction. - -Beyond the farm buildings a spotted pig was nosing about contentedly in -the middle of the road. As his eyes lighted on the porker, Tubby gave a -shout of delight. - -"We can use him," he cried delightedly. - -"There you go again. Always thinking about something to eat," snorted -Merritt. - -"Not this time," retorted Tubby indignantly; "anyhow, I've never heard of -your being absent at meal times. But on this occasion it's alive and in -his proper person that Jake is going to be useful to us." - -"In what way?" asked Rob. - -"As a living advertisement," chuckled the stout youth, his round cheeks -shaking as he eyed the unsuspecting Jake. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - SOME UP-TO-DATE ADVERTISING. - - -By the time the buggy drew up alongside Jake, who was too engrossed in -his rooting operations to perceive it, or at any rate to bestow any -attention upon it, Tubby had disclosed his plan to his chums, who hailed -it with shouts of delight. From his pockets the fat boy produced an apple -and a bit of cake. Tubby never traveled far without provisions. "Keeping -in touch with his base of supplies," he called it. - -It spoke volumes for his enthusiastic belief in the success of his plan -that he was willing to offer both of these to Jake as soon as he had -alighted from the buggy. Close behind him came Rob and Merritt, the -latter with the horse's hitching rope in his hand. - -"Come, pig! pig! pig! Nice Jake!" warbled Tubby in the most dulcet voice -he could assume. - -Jake looked up. His small eyes twinkled. Unsuspectingly he sniffed the -air as he perceived a rosy apple temptingly held out toward him. - -"It's a shame," laughed Rob, half contritely, "if he hadn't caused a lot -of trouble for a mighty nice girl I wouldn't stand for it." - -"Pig! pig! pig!" chortled Tubby persuasively. - -"Unk! unk! unk!" grunted Jake, wiggling his tail. - -"Wonderful how they understand each other, isn't it?" remarked Merritt -with a grin. But Tubby was too intent on what he had in hand to resent -the gross insult. - -Closer and closer shuffled Jake, his greedy little eyes on the apple. All -at once he appeared to make up his mind in a hurry. He made a dart for -the tempting bait. - -"Now," yelled Tubby. - -Quick as a flash, as soon as he heard the preconcerted signal, Merritt -flung the looped hitching rope about the pig's neck. Jake gave a squeal -and wriggled with might and main, but his ears held the rope from -slipping off. - -"Give him the apple to keep him quiet," suggested Merritt, as Jake -squealed at the top of his voice. - -Tubby proffered the apple and instantly Jake forgot his troubles in -devouring it. In the meantime Tubby slipped to the wagon and selected a -poster or two and a brush full of paste. Returning, amidst shouts of -laughter from his fellow conspirators, he plentifully "shampooed" Jake -with paste, and then slapped the gaudy yellow bills on till it appeared -as if the astute Jake had enveloped himself in a bright orange overcoat. - -"Now cut him loose," ordered Rob, when Tubby, with all the satisfaction -of a true artist, stepped back to view his completed work. - -Merritt slipped the noose, and off down the road toward the farm dashed -the gaudily decorated Jake, conveying the news to all who might see that -on Saturday, April --, there would be a Grand Baseball Game at Hampton, -Boy Scouts of The Eagle Patrol _vs._ The Hampton Town Nine. - -As the boys, shouting and shaking with laughter, watched this truly -original bit of advertising gallop off down the road, the one touch -needed to complete the picture was filled in. From his dooryard emerged -the farmer. The first thing his eyes lighted on was Jake. For one instant -he regarded the alarmed animal in wonderment. Then, with a yell, he -rushed into the house. - -"Ma! ma! Lucindy!" he bellowed at the top of his voice, "Jake's got the -yaller fever, er the jaunders, er suthin'. Come on quick! He's comin' -down ther road like ther Empire State Express, and as yaller as a bit of -corn bread." - -At this stage of the proceedings the boys, their sides shaking with -laughter, deemed it prudent to emulate the Arabs of the poem and -"silently steal away." - -Looking back as they drove off they could see Lucindy and her spouse -engaged in a mad chase after the overcoated Jake. Even at that distance -the latter's piercing cries reached their ears with sharp distinctness -and added to their merriment. Rob alone seemed a bit remorseful at the -huge success of Tubby's novel advertising scheme. - -"Applegate's a pretty old man, fellows," he remarked, "and maybe we went -a bit too far." - -"Well, if his age runs in proportion to his meanness, he'll outlive -Methuselah," declared Merritt positively. - -The road they followed gradually led into a by-track that joined the main -road they had left with one that traversed the north side of the island. -It was sandy, and at places along its course high banks towered on each -side of it. At length they emerged from one of these sunken lanes and -found on their right an abandoned farm. Quite close to the roadside stood -a big, rattletrap-looking barn. It had once been painted red, but neglect -and the weather had caused the paint to shale off in huge patches, -leaving blotches of bare wood that looked leprous with moss and lichen. - -"What do you say if we leave a few souvenirs pasted up there?" said -Merritt. - -"Well, it wouldn't hurt the looks of the place, anyhow," decided Rob. "I -doubt if many people come along this road anyway; but I guess we might as -well get busy." - -"Well, you two fellows can do the work this time," declared Tubby, -stretching out luxuriously in the rig. - -"What are you going to do?" - -"I'm going to drive down the road and hitch up in the shade of that tree -and take a nap." - -"That's pretty cool!" exclaimed Merritt. - -"I know it is, at least it looks so," responded Tubby. - -"Seems to me it's up to you to do some work, too," protested Merritt. - -"As if I hadn't just done a big job in labeling that pig," replied Tubby, -yawning; "it's your turn now." - -Seeing that it was useless to try to turn Tubby from his determination to -rest, which, next to eating, was his favorite occupation, Rob and Merritt -took up their brushes, paste and a roll of bills and set out for the -barn. Tubby watched them languidly a minute and then drove off along the -sandy track while the other two clambered up a bank. - -From the road the barn had appeared quite close; but when they reached -the top of the bank they found that, actually, it stood back quite a -little distance beyond a strip of grass and weeds. The boys waded through -these almost knee-deep, and finally reached the side of the old barn. -They set down their buckets and brushes and unrolled some bills -preparatory to pasting them up. - -Suddenly Merritt raised a warning finger. Rob instantly divined that his -chum enjoined silence. - -"Hark!" was the word that Merritt's lips framed rather than spoke. - -Inside the barn some one was talking,--several persons seemingly. After a -minute the boys could distinguish words above the low hum of the -speakers' voices. Suddenly they caught a name: "Mainwaring." - -"I guess maybe we might be interested in this," whispered Rob. - -By a common impulse the two Boy Scouts moved closer to the moldering wall -of the old barn. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - A BIG SURPRISE. - - -Time and weather had warped the boards of the structure till fair-sized -cracks gaped here and there. The boys made for one of these, with the -object of peering into the place and getting a glance at its occupants. -At first they had thought that these were nothing more than a gang of -tramps, but the name of the engineer, spoken with a foreign accent, had -aroused them to a sense that, whoever was in the old barn, a subject was -being discussed that might be of interest to their new friends. - -Applying their eyes to two cracks in the timbers, they saw that within -the barn four persons were seated. One of these they recognized almost -instantly as Jared Applegate. By his side sat a youth of about his own -age, flashily dressed, with a general air of cheap smartness about him. -The other two occupants of the place were of a different type. One was -heavily built and dark in complexion, almost a light coffee color, in -fact. His swarthy face was clean shaven and heavily jowled. Seated next -to him on an old hay press was a man as dark as he, but more slender and -dapper in appearance. Also he was younger, not more than thirty, while -his companion was probably in the neighborhood of fifty, although as -powerful and vigorous, so far as the boys could judge, as a man of half -his years. - -"You say that you have duplicates of Mainwaring's plans, showing exactly -the weakest points of the great dam?" the elder man was asking, just as -the boys assumed positions of listening. - -Jared nodded. He glanced at the more slender of the two foreigners. - -"I guess Mr. Estrada has told you all about that," he said. - -"Of course, my dear Alverado," the dapper little man struck in, "you -recollect that I spoke to you of Senor Applegate's visit to me at -Washington." - -Rob started. The name Estrada, coupled with a mention of Washington, -recalled to his mind something that sent a thrill through him taken in -connection with the words of the man addressed as Alverado. - -Estrada,--Jose Estrada! That was the name of the ambassador of a South -American republic that had several times been mentioned as being opposed -to Uncle Sam's plans on the Isthmus. What if--but not wishing to miss a -word of what followed, he gave over speculating and applied himself to -listening with all his might. Jared gave a short, disagreeable laugh. - -"You can just bet I got duplicates of all the plans," he chuckled, "I had -an idea that Mainwaring was going to fire me on account of--well, of -something, and so I went to work and copied off all of his private papers -I could. You see, it was common talk on the Isthmus that the place was -alive with spies, and I figured out that anybody who was interested -enough to hire spies must be mighty anxious to get at the real plans of -the canal, and willing to pay big for them, too," he added with a greedy -look on his face, which for an instant gave him a strong likeness to his -father. - -Rob and Merritt exchanged glances. From even the little that they had -heard it was plain enough what was going forward in the barn. There was -no doubt now that Jared was bargaining with representatives of a foreign -power that had good reason to dislike Uncle Sam; no question but that Mr. -Mainwaring's plans, or at least copies of them, were in the hands of an -unscrupulous young rascal who was willing to sell them to the highest -bidder, without caring for what nefarious purpose they were to be used. - -The Boy Scouts' blood fairly boiled as they heard. They had always known -Jared to be weak, unprincipled and dishonest, but that he would descend -to such rascality as this was almost beyond belief. Merritt in his anger -made a gesture of shaking his fist. It was an unfortunate move. A bit of -board on which one of his feet rested gave way with a sharp crack under -the sudden shifting of his weight. - -Instantly the men in the barn were on the alert. - -"What was that?" cried Estrada sharply. - -"Nothing. A rat, I guess; old barns like this are full of them," rejoined -Jared, striving to appear at ease, but glancing nervously about him. - -"A rat, bah!" exclaimed Alverado, puffing out his fat jowls till he -looked like a huge puff adder. "That was not a rat, _amigo_, that was a -spy. This barn is not as secret a meeting place as you led us to -believe." - -"Come on, Merritt," whispered Rob, "grab up everything and run for it. -They'll be out here in a minute." - -Swiftly they gathered up their paste, brushes and bills, and crouching -low ran toward what had been a smoke-house. Hardly had they darted within -its dark and odorous interior when the conspirators in the barn came -rushing out, looking in every direction. In Alverado's hand something -glittered in the sunlight. The two Boy Scouts peering out through a -knot-hole had no difficulty in recognizing the object, with an unpleasant -thrill, as an automatic revolver. - -They now saw, too, something that they had been unable to perceive from -the back of the barn. This was a big, red touring car drawn up close to -the antiquated structure. But they had no time to waste in looking at the -car. The movements of the searching party engrossed their attention too -deeply. - -"Scatter in every direction," they heard Alverado order, "we must find -out if anyone has been here listening, or if our ears deceived us." - -There was no doubt but that the search was to be a thorough one. Even the -chauffeur of the car, which, the boys noticed in a quick, fleeting -glance, bore no number, joined in the search. They rushed about like a -pack of bloodhounds in every direction. - -"This is getting pretty warm," whispered Rob; "it's plain those chaps are -thoroughly alarmed and don't mean to leave a stone unturned to find us." - -"Oh, that unlucky board!" groaned Merritt remorsefully. "I'm a fine -specimen of a Scout to make such a mistake as that,--at such a critical -time, too." - -"It was unfortunate; but accidents will happen," rejoined Rob quickly. -"But it's no use crying over spilt milk." - -"What are we going to do?" - -"I'm trying to think." - -"Perhaps there is a chance that they will overlook us." - -"No danger of that, I'm afraid. From what little I saw of Mister Alverado -he appears to be a very painstaking gentleman." - -"They're searching the house now." - -"Yes, that will take them some time; but you can depend on it that when -they've finished they'll search the outbuildings." - -"Yes; and they've left that chauffeur on guard outside, too. Not a chance -of our getting out of here." - -"Unless there's another door." - -"Cracky! Maybe there is. Let's look. But we've got to hurry up. Hark!" - -"They're coming out of the house and pointing over here," cried Rob the -next instant. - -Both boys desperately sought to find some way out of the old smoke-house -other than by the door by which they had entered. But no exit offered. -Suddenly Rob had an inspiration. The smoke-house was roofed like an -inverted V. The roof was covered with shingles. Apparently they were -rotten, for in places the light came through. One side of the roof faced -toward the abandoned farmhouse; the other faced back upon some fields. -Rob thrust his fist with some violence against the shingles on the side -of the smoke-house roof that faced the fields. To his joy the shingles -gave way almost like rotten cardboard. - -"Hurrah! We've found a way out," he cried exultingly, although he was -careful not to raise his voice much above a whisper. He rapidly enlarged -the opening till it was big enough to crawl through. Luckily the search -party had paused to examine a corn crib that lay between the smoke-house -and the farmhouse, so that the boys had a few seconds' grace. - -"Now then, through you go!" breathed Rob as soon as he had pitched out -the bills. - -Merritt scrambled through with Rob close on his heels. The apex of the -roof, of course, screened them from view of the party now approaching the -old smoke-house. It was a drop of not more than three feet to the ground, -for the walls were low, and Rob had, of necessity, punctured the roof -near the eaves. - -Ahead of them lay a meadow with a patch of woods beyond. Rank brush and -tall weeds intervened. But they had to make a dash of some hundred feet -across an open space. Somehow, just how they never knew, they got across -it and plunged into the brush, making for the woods beyond. - -At the same instant Alverado and the others entered the smoke-house. - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - BASEBALL. - - -"Of course they guessed how we made our escape, Rob." - -Merritt spoke as the two lads lay crouched in the thick brush far removed -from harm's way. - -"Naturally. The fresh breaks in the roof would show them that. But, -beyond that, they are none the wiser as to our identity, of which I am -heartily glad." - -"I can understand that. You don't like the look of things." - -"Merritt," Rob spoke very soberly, laying his hand on the other's arm, -"it looks to me as if we've stumbled on a monumental plot against Uncle -Sam's canal. I don't know much of politics, but I do know enough to -realize that there is a certain South American republic that thinks that -the Canal Zone was stolen from her by trickery and deceit. I'm sorry to -say, too, that I've heard that there are interests right here in the -States that agree with her--people who think that the opening of the -canal will result in enormous losses to freight, and who would like to -see the canal completion delayed at all costs." - -"I see. You think that the two dark men were representatives of that -republic you mentioned." - -"I _know_ one of them was," snapped Rob; "he is its representative at -Washington." - -"Wow! Say, Rob, this is a big thing we've stumbled upon. We must bring it -to the attention of the proper authorities." - -"That's our duty as Scouts." - -"Of course. But what steps do you propose to take?" - -"I don't just know yet. We must see Mr. Mainwaring, of course, first. It -will be for him to decide. But--horrors, Merritt!--we've forgotten all -about Tubby. He's asleep in the rig. Look, Jared and his friends are -piling into the auto. If they go down that road they are sure to discover -him. They may do him some injury." - -But the next instant both the anxious lads drew a sigh of relief. Instead -of taking the by-road, the auto struck off across lots along a barely -perceptible and weed-grown track. In a few moments it was out of sight -and the coast was clear. Then, and not till then, the two Boy Scouts set -out to rejoin Tubby. They found that rotund youth blissfully sleeping, -while the old nag cropped grass at the roadside. They awakened their -stout comrade and soon took the lees of sleep out of his eyes by relating -all that had passed within the last hour. Tubby heartily agreed that the -first thing to be done was to put Mr. Mainwaring on his guard. - -Naturally there was no more thought of bill posting, and filled with a -sense of the duty that lay before them the three Boy Scouts drove rapidly -back to Hampton. But there a disappointment awaited them. Mr. Mainwaring -had been called away on business. He had gone west and would not be back -for a week or more. So for the present the scene in the barn had to be -forgotten, while more immediate matters were attended to. During the -ensuing week nothing was seen of Jared, but the Saturday afternoon of the -game found him "warming up" on the ball field with the orange and black -of the Hampton team on his back. - -Rob and Merritt fairly boiled over with indignation as they watched him. -But they decided not to say anything to him that might put him on his -guard. - -"We'll give him all the rope he wants," declared Rob. Later he was -bitterly to regret the adoption of this policy. - -The grounds began to fill up early. The game aroused widespread interest -in that section of Long Island. As the local paper put it, "red-hot ball" -was looked for. Enthusiastic young ladies were there by the score, waving -flags from the bunches on sale about the field by hawkers. The -grand-stand filled early. Rob's team-mates noticed his eyes frequently -straying in that direction. - -"Looking for Lucy Mainwaring," whispered Tubby to Merritt with a grin on -his round and blooming countenance. - -Finally the game was called and soon both teams were on the field. Hiram, -captain of the Eagles, won the toss and chose to go to bat first. The -game was started. Nelson promptly struck out. He could not help making a -wry face as he threw down the willow. - -A broad grin was on Jared's face. He went through all sorts of antics, as -Andy Bowles came to bat with a look of grim determination on his face. - -Jared was good; that was a fact which admitted no blinking, as the Eagles -had to acknowledge. Andy was given first base on balls, tried to steal -second, was thrown out and retired disgruntled to the bench. The Hampton -rooters began to give their war cry. The Eagle supporters replied to it -bravely. It was early in the game to be making any predictions. Rob was -third batter. He struck out. Jared's delight was ill-concealed. - -"I'll shut 'em out," he bragged loudly, not caring who heard. "I'll show -the tin soldiers some pitching." - -The Eagle supporters had to admit that things did not look very roseate, -but they consoled themselves by recollecting the fact that practically -the game had only begun. - -Hampton now went to the bat. Merritt occupied the pitcher's box. He had -injured his arm somewhat in practice, but it was agreed, after a -consultation, to put him up as first pitcher, holding Rob in reserve till -they got the Hampton's gait. Merritt showed wonderful form. In one, two, -three order he struck out Hampton's batters, including Jared. - -Great was the delight of the Eagles and their friends. - -"Good boy, Merritt! Good for you! Kr-e-e-e-ee-ee!" was heard on all sides -as the Hamptons came running out to take their positions in the field. - -Merritt felt a glow of pleasure as Rob congratulated him. - -"I hope I can keep it up," was all he said. - -"I hope so, too; but I'd like to have a chance at Jared," responded Rob. - -The Eagles now came to the bat, Rob leading. Rob was not only a good -pitcher but a sure batter. Whiz-z came Jared's ball. Rob met it and -promptly drove a humming liner into right field. It was a safe base hit. - -"Oh, you Eagles!" chanted the crowd; those of them who were not lined up -for Hampton, that is. - -Rob watched his chance and stole second, to the huge delight of his team -supporters. An ugly look was on Jared's face. The next batter, Merritt, -received first base on four balls. Cheers and yells greeted this. Jared's -countenance grew blacker and blacker. He bit his lip impatiently. - -Suddenly Rob played dangerously off second base. The Hampton second -baseman was close to him. It was a daring move. Jared saw it in a flash. -The catcher's signal came. He threw the ball to the Hampton short stop on -second base. - -But Jared's chagrin at the way his pitching was being "knocked about" -unsteadied his aim. He threw wild. The ball passed above the short stop's -outstretched finger tips. Rob darted off for third base like a jack -rabbit. - -The right fielder got the ball and shot it to third base, but, although -the ball and Rob seemed to arrive simultaneously, Rob was hugging the bag -contentedly in the nick of time. This was a quick, stirring bit of play -and brought yells from the crowd, among whom criticisms of Jared were -freely expressed. He grew pale with rage and chagrin. - -Paul Perkins now came to bat. The dreamy lad struck out. His apparent -unconcern made the crowd laugh. They laughed even more when Tubby, having -struck out also, calmly picked up a bit of pie he had been munching when -he came to bat and marched to his seat contentedly chewing it. - -At this stage of the game two were out, Merritt was on second and Rob on -third. - -Now came the turn of Ernest Thompson, a big-eyed, serious-looking lad, -one of the first recruits to the Eagle standard and a first-class scout. -Jared was now on the broad grin. Thompson looked easy. - -"Look out, baby-face," chuckled Jared, poising himself. - -An in-curve shot from his hand. Ernest gazed at it in an uninterested -manner and allowed it to go by. - -"Strike one!" came the sonorous voice of the umpire, who was Sim Giles, -the postmaster. - -"Oh-h-h-h-h!" yelled the crowd. - -The next ball was of the same character. This time Ernest struck at the -ball. He missed and the crowd yelled again. Jared began to regain -self-confidence. - -"Strike two," was the cry. - -The third ball was high. - -"Ball one," declared Sim. - -Then came an out-curve. But it was too far out. Jared was a rather ragged -pitcher. - -"Ball two," called Sim. - -Suddenly Jared threw to third base. But, quick as he was, he didn't catch -Rob off. - -"How's that?" yelled Higgins, the Hampton third baseman, as he touched -Rob. - -The umpire merely waved his hand in what he deemed a professional manner. - -"A thousand years late," chuckled Rob to Higgins. - -Jared heard him and flashed him an ugly look. Hatred gleamed in his eyes. -Rob watched him narrowly and again stole off third. - -Bang!--came a swift straight ball at the dreamy Ernest. But he was not in -"a trance," as Jared had scornfully thought. Crack!--went a hot grounder -to short stop. Merritt stood fast at second, but Rob, like an arrow from -a bow, shot off for home. The short stop fired in the sphere to the -catcher as quickly as he could. But before the ball got there, Rob, his -legs working like pistons, had passed the home plate. - -What a roar went up then! Flags waved and cheers resounded among the -Eagle sympathizers. - -As the cheering died away the catcher, Hollis Powers, walked into the -diamond to confer with Jared, who showed by his passionate gestures that -he was mad clear through. - -"Look out or they'll knock you out of the box," yelled some one. - -This did not tend to improve Jared's temper. But, nevertheless, he struck -out the next batter, Simon Jeffords, which helped in part to restore his -balance. The Eagles then retired to the field. - -"How do you feel, Merritt?" was eagerly asked by his comrades before he -took the pitcher's box. - -"All right, so far. You'll know soon enough when my wing gets sore," was -the reply. - -Apparently Rob was not destined to pitch that day. Merritt struck out the -first two batters, fielded a hot liner and threw out Jared before he got -to first base. Jared was certainly piling up his list of grievances -against the Boy Scouts. To add to his ill-feeling he had recognized Fred -Mainwaring, nodded to the latter and received the cut direct. The fact -that Lucy Mainwaring was a witness to this snub did not improve matters. - -"Good boy, Merritt!" yelled the Eagle supporters in a frenzy of delight. - -The third inning commenced with the Eagles at the bat. But now Jared -appeared to have on his throwing clothes. The Scout batters couldn't -hammer his pitching at all. - -In fact, all that occurred while they succeeded each other at the bat was -a monotonous succession of calls from the umpire: - -"Strike one. Strike two. You're out." - -The Hampton villagers began to pluck up heart. They gave Jared warm -support and cheers for his really excellent work and that of his -team-mates. To the somewhat blank astonishment of the Eagles, they had -not been able to find Jared's pitching at all in this inning. It began to -look as if they were by no means to have things their own way. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - A TEST FOR THE EAGLES. - - -But Jared was to score still further. He came to bat confidently at the -end of the third inning. With two of his side out and none on bases, he -knocked a beautiful homer into left field. It was a really fine drive. -The Hampton contingent went wild. The faces of the Eagle supporters, too, -were cheerful, but anxious. As for Jared, he beamed, and then as his eyes -met Rob's, he gave the latter a malevolent glance. - -At the end of the third inning each side had scored one run. The Eagles -made no runs in the following three innings, while Hampton scored two, so -that, when the seventh inning began, things looked rather gloomy for the -Scouts. The score then stood three to one in favor of Hampton and the -town players fairly swelled with confidence. - -It was already painfully evident that, exercise his will power as he -would, Merritt's arm was getting sore. He had put redoubled efforts into -his work but the score showed with how little success. At the beginning -of the seventh, he told Captain Hiram that he thought the Hamptons had -"found" his pitching, but he consented to stay in the box for one more -inning. - -The inning commenced with Merritt at the bat. He was given first base on -balls. Paul Perkins made a base hit to left field. He got safely to first -with Merritt hugging second. Tubby Hopkins once more struck out with the -same cheerful grin on his round countenance. Hiram sent a slow grounder -to Jared and was promptly thrown out at first, but Merritt reached third, -and Paul second, very nicely. - -Rob Blake now came to the bat. Jared determined to strike him out if it -were humanly possible. After a lot of posing which he thought gave him -quite a professional air, Jared delivered the best ball in his -repertoire, a swift and vicious in-curve. It fairly hissed through the -air. - -Crack! - -Rob's willow collided with the sphere and away it sped far into right -field. Merritt and Paul scored amidst tremendous enthusiasm; hats were -thrown in the air. Things once more looked rosy for the Eagles. Rob was -easily the favorite of the moment. - -As for Jared, his feelings were not enviable. He felt that he would -gladly have allowed the others to score if he had only been able to shut -Rob out. He struck out the next batter, and then Hampton went to bat. - -Merritt's arm felt better and he went to the box without the misgivings -that had assailed him earlier. But with the first ball he pitched he knew -that he had deluded himself. The batter hit a fly to right field and was -caught out. Merritt, summoning every ounce of resolution he could muster, -struggled on right manfully. But it was a hopeless cause. Base hits were -made with absurd ease. Jared was caught out on a fly. Finally there were -two out and two on bases. - -Higgins came to bat and made a second home run amidst yells of delight -from the Scouts' opponents. - -It began to look like grim defeat for the Scouts. The Hampton contingent -was jubilant. Jared danced mockingly about whenever he could catch the -eye of a Boy Scout. - -The next Hampton batter struck an easy fly to left field which was caught -by Paul Perkins. The Scouts now came to the bat, beginning the eighth -inning. The score was six to three in Hampton's favor. Things looked -black, but with the true Scout spirit the lads of the Eagle put the best -face possible on matters. They noted Jared's leering face without a sign -that they saw his malignant triumph. - -Jared struck out the first three Scout batters with ridiculous ease. When -the Hamptons came to the bat, the Eagles made a change in pitchers. It -was Rob, cool, self-confident and determined, who occupied the box. This -followed a consultation at which it was agreed that, splendidly as -Merritt had done, his arm had gone back on him. - -As Hiram adjusted his catcher's mask and Rob took his new position, -things grew very quiet. It was palpable to all that the change of -pitchers denoted a crisis in the game for the Scouts. Rob faced the first -batter without indulging in any of Jared Applegate's antics. Hiram -signaled for a swift one. He braced himself as he saw it coming. He knew -that Rob was a swift pitcher with a mighty right. - -"Strike one!" yelled the umpire a fraction of a second later. - -Jared, at the bat, looked angry and puzzled. He wondered why they hadn't -put Rob in the box at first. He did not know that Rob, while a splendid -pitcher, was not to be relied on through a long game as was Merritt. -Another thing he didn't know was that Rob had determined with a grim -resolution to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, if possible. That's -a feeling that will carry any boy, or man either for that matter, a long -way. - -Hiram signaled for another cannon-ball. It was plain that those were just -the kind of missiles that were not at all to Jared's liking. - -The ball shot from Rob's hand apparently without effort. But it shot over -the plate like a bullet. - -"Strike two!" bellowed the umpire. - -"Oh, you Rob!" yelled his friends. - -"K-r-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee!" shrilled the Scouts. - -But Rob took no notice; nor did he regard Jared's look of hatred, oddly -mixed with worry. Rob's pitching bothered him. He wanted no more off that -plate. - -But whi-z-z-z-z-z-z! came another "cannon ball" like a high powered -projectile burning up the atmosphere. Jared swung wildly an inch too -high. - -"Striker's out!" came the call of Jared's doom from the umpire. - -It was a furiously angry youth that strode to the bench. - -"Thought you were going to make ducks and drakes out of him, Jared?" -grinned one of his fellow players. - -"So I was. I was just trying him out," grunted Jared disgustedly. - -The next two batters couldn't handle Rob's pitching at all. The game -began to look as if it might be retrieved after all. - -"Blake! Blake! Blake!" chanted the crowd as Rob walked toward the -batters' bench. - -Merritt was first at bat for the Scouts in the ninth inning. Jared began -to pitch with as good an imitation of Rob's speed as he could muster. -Merritt let the first ball sing past him. - -"Ball one." - -The second, also, went by in similar manner. - -"Ball two!" sang out Sim in his high, nasal voice. - -Jared pulled himself together. He sent the ball humming right over the -home plate. Merritt swung at it and made a safe base hit to right field. -Then came Hiram. He struck out. Jared and the Hamptonites began to feel -better. Jared was still holding the Scouts down and they had a safe -margin of runs. - -Paul Perkins struck out this time. Then came Ernest Thompson, who -dreamily submitted to the same process. - -Rob Blake now came to the bat. His exhibition of pitching just previously -earned him a round of applause. Jared looked positively bilious. He had -actually been holding himself in reserve for Rob. It was his intention to -shut him right out. Rob ignored Jared's first ball. - -"Ball one!" was the cry. - -"Ball two!" followed in rapid succession. Rob smiled easily. Jared's -dislike of the boy at the bat was making him irritable and uneasy. - -But he rallied his skill and threw what looked like an easy pitch. Rob -struck at it but fanned the empty air. - -Jared grinned, the Hamptonites yelled and the umpire called:-- - -"Strike one!" - -"All right for you, Mister Casey at the bat," snarled Jared, "watch out -for this one." - -It came like a flash, a tricky, wavy curve. Rob swung with all his -strength and--missed! - -"Strike two!" - -A groan went up from the Scout supporters. Their chances of victory -looked slim indeed now. - -"Wake up! You're in a trance!" scoffed Jared, grinning at Rob. "Get out -of the straw." - -"The straw in the red barn!" suddenly flashed Rob, in a low, but -far-reaching voice. It was pregnant with meaning and Jared turned white -as death. He fumbled the ball with trembling fingers. - -"W-w-what do you mean?" he managed to gasp. - -"Play ball!" yelled the crowd impatiently. - -Jared, his fright still on him, pitched. He made a wild fling. Rob -trotted to first base. Merritt boomeranged to second. - -Simon Jeffords got his base on balls, advancing Rob to second and Merritt -to third. Everybody began to sit up and take renewed notice. A home run -now would add four to the Scout score. Could they get it? Jared had shown -that he could hold them down. Could he still keep up his gait? - -And now out strolled Tubby Hopkins. He paused first to insert a huge -chunk of chewing gum in his capacious cheek and then, not noticing in the -least the laughter and joking that greeted his appearance, he lounged to -his place, his jaws moving rhythmically. - -"It's up to you, Tubby. Bring home the bacon!" some one yelled. - -"He's got the bacon with him," shouted some other humorist. - -Jared fixed his eyes quizzically on Tubby. - -"Like a bottle of anti-fat, kid?" he sneered; and then, "Oh, what I won't -do to you! How do you like 'em?" - -Tubby stopped chewing an instant. His large eyes opened wide as if he had -just heard Jared's voice. - -"Oh, I like 'em Panama fashion, if you've got any of those about you -to-day," he said with a cherubic smile. - -Zang! came the ball. It was as swift as any that Jared had yet thrown. He -would have liked to see it knock the disconcerting fat youth on the head. -But it did no such thing. With an agility unsuspected except by those who -knew him, Tubby swung viciously at the spheroid. - -"Bin-go!" yelled the rooters. - -Off into left field a hot liner whizzed its way. - -"Go on!" shrieked the Eagles and their supporters, dancing up and down in -excitement. - -Off darted Merritt from third. He shot across the home plate an instant -later and scored amidst loud cheering. Hot after him flashed Rob, with -Simon close behind. Excitement rose to a point where it was almost -unbearable. - -Tubby had shot like a stone from a sling the instant he made his hit. And -now more like a steam roller the fat youth cavorted over the bases while -the crowd went crazy. Pandemonium reigned. - -"Home! Home! Home!" shrieked the raucous crowd in a frenzy. - -Boys hugged each other and the Scouts danced up and down. - -Tubby, with amazing speed, his short fat legs working like piston rods, -flashed by first, second and third bases. The next instant a yell went up -that split the air. A rotund form sky-hooted across the home plate and -then, tripping up, went rolling like a tub of butter into the arms of Rob -and his team-mates. Tubby had made one of the most sensational plays ever -seen on the Hampton field, and foes as well as friends generously -applauded the fat boy. But he paid no attention to the plaudits. - -"Great Scotland! I've lost my gum," were his first words on being helped -to his feet. "Anybody got a chew?" - -"A barrel full, if you want them!" yelled the delighted Scouts, dancing -about the boy who had hit out a home run with bases full. - -The next batter, Walter Lonsdale, struck out. Then the town team went to -bat for its last chance. The score now stood thus: - - Eagles: seven. Hamptons: six - -Rob resumed his place in the pitcher's box. Higgins struck out. But Jared -got his base on balls. Maybe Rob was overconfident. Conners came next. -Two strikes had been called on him, when Rob, like a flash, hurled the -ball to first. With neatness and expedition Jared was put out. - -Incidentally, Conners had been so rattled by Rob's pitching that, when -the latter threw to first, Conners frantically struck at an imaginary -ball, causing a roar of laughter. This disconcerted him so badly that he -missed the next ball and struck out. - -The Scouts had indeed snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. The game -was theirs but by so narrow a margin that they hardly liked to think -about it. - -In an instant the crowd broke all boundaries and surged about the -victorious Eagles. - -"Three cheers for Home-run Tubby!" yelled somebody. - -In a flash the fat youth was hoisted on half a dozen shoulders. Then -began a triumphal march around the field to the music of Andy Bowles' -bugle, which he had suddenly produced from some mysterious hiding place. - -"You see, I knew that I'd need it," he explained afterward. - -Rob, arm in arm with Merritt, brought up the rear of the tumultuous riot -of enthusiasts. Suddenly Rob's eye caught sight of a figure in the -uniform of the Hampton's players sneaking up behind a corner of the -grand-stand which it was evident the crowd must pass in their march of -victory. It was Jared Applegate. With him was the same young man the boys -had seen in the barn the week before, as well as two other youths of bad -character in the village, Hodge Berry and Maxwell Ramsay. - -"What mischief is Jared up to?" breathed Rob, clutching Merritt's arm. - -"I don't know, but he looks as sneaky as a pole cat. Let's watch him." - -The two scouts followed, at a slight distance, the group of which Jared -was the center. They saw the boys that they were watching sneak in behind -the grand-stand, while Jared stooped and picked up a heavy stone. As the -crowd, with Tubby's rubicund countenance shining above their heads, came -swinging around the corner on their way off the ball field, Rob gave a -sharp exclamation and sprang forward. - -Like a flash he gripped Jared's arm just as it was about to launch the -stone at Tubby's head. - -"You--you rascal!" he managed to exclaim, forcing Jared's arm down with a -firm wrist hold. - -The next instant Hodge Berry and Max Ramsay, both of whom had played in -the Hampton team, sprang at Rob furiously. - -"You're going to get a licking you won't forget in a hurry," they cried. - -The crowd had swung on, not noticing the dramatic scene that was -occurring so close to them. Rob dropped Jared's wrist and turned to face -his opponents. - -Something in his face made them halt an instant, and in that brief space -of time Merritt was at his side. The strange youth who had said nothing -so far now started to speak, but Rob checked him. - -Utterly ignoring the others, he addressed himself to Jared. - -"Well, what do you want?" he demanded. - -"I want to get square with you," replied Jared in a furious tone. He -appeared almost beside himself with rage. - -"Humph! and so you've brought a bunch of your amiable friends along to -help you in case it proved too big a job to tackle alone." - -"See here," exclaimed the stranger, stepping forward a pace, "I don't -know who you are except by name, but I'm not going to have you insult me. -Jared here is a chum of mine. I knew him in New York----" - -"Sorry for you," flashed out Rob curtly. - -"None of your lip," growled Max Ramsay sullenly; and yet, so electrical -had the atmosphere become, and so capable of handling himself did the -clean-living young scout look, that, uneven as the odds were, no further -hostile move was made. - -"Jared said he had a bone to pick with you," went on the strange youth. -"He told us he wanted to have it out with you Scouts. He invited us -along. I'm not going to take any part in it, you can be assured of that. -There'll be fair play." - -"Like stone throwing, for instance," retorted Rob contemptuously. - -"I guess you're scared," sneered Jared. - -"Who says so?" - -"I do. You act so. You're afraid of me." - -Jared was quite quick enough to see that Rob was unwilling to get into a -fight. The leader of the Eagle Patrol abhorred, above all things, to be -mixed up in a disgraceful set-to. But even Rob, who had unusual -self-control, was fast beginning to lose patience. - -"I don't know what harm I've ever done you, Jared," he said quietly, "but -if you feel so, why I can't help it." - -"I hate you, Rob Blake," exclaimed Jared through his clenched teeth, "and -I'm going to polish you off once and for all,--do you hear me?" - -"I'm not deaf. Let us pass, please," said Rob, still with that same calm, -unruffled manner. - -"Not till you've given me satisfaction." - -Jared interpreted Rob's manner amiss. He was sure now that Rob would -avoid a fistic discussion at all hazards. He determined to show his -friends what a terrible person he was. - -"Well, you heard what I said," repeated Jared, thrusting out his jaw and -stepping closer to the unmoved Rob, "you've got to give me -satisfaction--understand?" - -"Do you want me to fight you?" asked Rob, without the flicker of an eye. - -"Yes, I do," whipped out Jared boldly. - -At the same instant, thinking to catch Rob off his guard, he aimed a -vicious blow at the lad in front of him. Rob merely stepped to one side. -Jared almost lost his balance as his fist encountered thin air, and just -saved himself from taking an ignominious tumble. - -"So; you're a coward, eh?" cried Jared furiously. - -"Possibly that's your opinion," spoke Rob calmly. "I don't like fighting, -Jared, it's not gentlemanly and it's not a Scout principle; but if you -_want fight, you're going to get it!_" - -"Good for you!" cried Merritt, who had stood silent, well knowing Rob's -ability to handle himself, for the Scouts had many friendly sparring -bouts with the gloves. The noble art of self-defense was cultivated by -all of them, but as a means of self-defense and for the joy of the sport -only. - -Rob whipped off his coat in a jiffy. Jared, with a slight quiver of his -lower lip, did the same. Both boys stood ready to defend themselves, and, -while the shouts of the crowd bearing Tubby aloft died away in the -distance, the fight, into which Rob had been unwillingly dragged, began. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - SKILL VS. MUSCLE. - - -Jared was heavily built and strong, but his science was nothing to boast -of. Jared had never had the application to build himself up physically. -Yet he was no mean opponent, as Rob saw. The leader of the Eagles was not -as heavily muscled or as weighty as Jared, but he more than made up for -it in his cat-like quickness and ability to spar. - -The farmer's son saw this and realized that his best opportunity to put a -quietus on his hated opponent was to land a heavy blow before Rob's -perfect training had a chance to assert itself. He rushed in wildly, -determined to battle his way through Rob's defense and beat him down by -sheer weight and force. - -But in this he had reckoned altogether without his host. Rob cleverly -dodged Jared's savage swings, and, watching his opportunity, countered -with amazing swiftness. None of the onlookers saw the blow, but they -heard the sharp crack of Rob's knuckles on Jared's jaw. As for Jared, he -beheld a swimming galaxy of brilliant constellations. - -Rob saw that he was dazed for an instant and dropped his hands to his -side. - -"We'll stop right here if you like, Jared," he said. - -"Not much you won't," shouted Jared, shaking his head, "I've only begun." - -"Well, don't keep on the way you're going," laughed Merritt cheerfully. -Jared's friends began to look rather gloomy. In their hearts both Max -Ramsay and Hodge Berry felt heartily glad that they hadn't tackled the -Boy Scout. - -Once more Jared rushed in on Rob. A second later his nose stopped a solid -blow straight from the shoulder. It felt to Jared as if he had -inadvertently collided with the rock of Gibraltar. - -"Ouch!" he yelled in spite of himself. - -Then, losing his head completely, he rushed at Rob and seized him in a -wrestling grip. Rob, caught off his guard, lost his feet and the two -toppled to the ground, going at it in rough-and-tumble fashion. - -"Magnificent, but not war!" cried Merritt as he danced about. - -Over and over they rolled, Jared managing in this style of battling to -get in some heavy blows that caused Rob to gasp. But in a short time Rob -had Jared fairly howling for mercy. - -"Help!" he bawled out, "take him away, you fellows! He's not fighting -fair." - -"Don't be a cry baby," was all the consolation he got from his friends. -"Give it to him hard." - -Thus counseled, Jared made one last effort to triumph over Rob. He -suddenly disengaged himself and jumped to his feet. Rob was up as quick -as the other and met Jared's last rush calmly. Jared, by this time, had -lost his head utterly. He waved his arms wildly in a whirlwind of blows -that Rob contented himself by ducking and dodging. He had no wish to -punish Jared any more severely. - -Suddenly the battle came to an abrupt termination, and that through no -effort of Rob's. It had rained the week before, and back of the -grandstand was a depression in which water had gathered in sufficient -quantity to form a small pond. - -His wild evolutions had brought Jared close to the edge of this miniature -lake. The ground there was muddy and slippery, and, before he knew what -had happened, Jared's feet slipped from under him. He staggered, -clutching at the air to save himself; but although his friends rushed -forward to help him, they were too late. With a mighty splash the -luckless Jared toppled backward into the pond. - -He was helped out, a truly pitiable object; but even his friends could -not help laughing at him. Plastered with mud and streaming with water, -his enraged countenance excited nothing but mirth. - -"Come on," said Max Ramsay as soon as he could for laughing, "we'll get -you to the buggy, Jared, and you can drive out home. Good thing you won't -have to go through the village." - -"Shake hands, Jared," exclaimed Rob impulsively, for the moment -forgetting what they had overheard at the barn, in his sympathy for -Jared's plight. - -He extended his hand, but Jared dashed it furiously aside. - -"I'll get even with you, you--you tin soldier!" he shouted, shaking with -rage, and also with the chill of his immersion. - -"I'm sorry you feel that way about it," rejoined Rob, as he turned aside -and put on his coat, which Merritt had held for him. - -"Yes, and you'll be sorrier yet," snarled Jared, as his friends walked -him off toward the shed where his buggy was tied. - -Just then, from across lots, there came a summons:-- - -"Hey, Rob! Where have you got to?" - -"I'm coming right along," was Rob's reply; "wait a second." - -He jammed on his cap and stepped out from behind the grandstand. Running -toward him was Tubby, who had somehow escaped from his admirers. - -"What's up?" cried Rob, as he saw the lad's flushed, excited face. - -"Say, you know that note you left for Mr. Mainwaring?" - -"Yes." - -"Well, he's just got back. He's over in that auto yonder and asked me to -find you as soon as possible." - -Tubby pointed to the road on the outskirts of the village, where a big -torpedo-bodied auto was drawn up. In it was seated a man of past middle -age, with iron-gray hair and keen eyes, who was watching the boys closely -as they came toward him. - -As they drew nearer he got out of the car and addressed the chauffeur. - -"You needn't wait for me, Manning. I'll walk home," he said. - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - FIRE! - - -"A most remarkable story; but I happen to know certain things that fit in -with it in every way. Boys, you have done me a great service to-day." - -Mr. Mainwaring paused as he spoke and looked kindly and admiringly at the -three Boy Scouts who had unfolded to him the story of their experiences -at the old barn. The tale had been told as they strolled along the road -leading to the engineer's home, on a hill outside Hampton. - -It had occupied some time in the telling, and dusk was drawing in so -that, much against their will, the boys were compelled to decline Mr. -Mainwaring's invitation to visit his library and see some interesting -drawings and data relating to the Panama Canal. But they made an -engagement to come at some other time and hear from the great engineer -about some of the wonders that had been accomplished in the magic land -lying nine degrees north of the equator--a land which, so far as the -Canal Zone is concerned, has been turned by Uncle Sam's canal commission -into a land as healthful as any, if due precautions are observed. - -It was almost dark as the boys hastened on their homeward way. There was -a meeting called in the Eagle rooms over the bank that night, and they -were all three in a hurry to get home and change and eat supper. As they -walked along at a brisk pace, the conversation naturally was chiefly -concerned with the topic which they had just been discussing with Mr. -Mainwaring. - -"I wonder what he'll do about it?" said Merritt. - -"Well, as he said, it's a mighty delicate matter as things are now," -rejoined Rob. "To make a hasty move might force the plotters to rush -things before any precaution could be taken against them. Even to take -Jared before the authorities might be premature, so Mr. Mainwaring said. -I gathered, in fact, that he means to let matters lie quiet for a time -and watch every move of those whom he suspects." - -"They ought to clap the whole outfit in jail," sputtered Tubby, "and give -them nothing to eat but bread and water." - -"The last part of that remark would be a fearful punishment to Tubby, all -right," chuckled Merritt, nudging Rob. - -"What a lucky chap Fred Mainwaring is," said Rob presently. "Just think, -when his father goes back to Panama he's to go, too. His dad says that -every American boy who can ought to see the Big Ditch before the water is -in it, and that, even if Fred does miss some schooling, he will be -getting some education that can't be obtained from books." - -"That's the sort I'd like," sighed Tubby, who was a notoriously unwilling -worshipper at the shrine of knowledge. - -"How about a cook book?" chuckled Merritt mischievously, and then dodged -aside just in time to avoid a blow from Tubby's chubby fist. - -Suddenly, behind them came the sound of wheels and the staccato rattle of -a horse's hoofs tapping the road at a rapid trot. - -"Out of the road, fellows, here comes a rig," cried Rob. - -So fast was it coming that they had hardly time to step aside before the -buggy, which held two occupants, was beside them. The driver pulled the -horse up almost on its haunches and hailed them as they stood in the dark -shadow of some big maples at the side of the road. - -"Hey, you fellows! Got the time? We've got to make that seven-thirty -train out of Hampton and my watch is broken." - -Rob, and his companions, too, recognized the voice instantly. - -"It's just seven o'clock, Jared," said Rob, "you'll have plenty of time." - -"Confusion," muttered another voice in the rig, that of the strange young -man who now appeared to be Jared's shadow. "It's those Boy Scouts." - -Jared picked up his whip and aimed a vicious slash into the darkness. It -is not likely that he had any hope of striking one of the lads he -disliked so much, but he intended it probably just to show his hatred of -them in a graphic manner. The next instant the same whip cracked over the -flanks of his horse and the buggy dashed off into the gathering gloom. - -"Whew!" whistled Rob, "so Jared is going to beat a retreat, eh?" - -"Looks like it. I saw a suit case strapped on the back of that rig." - -"We ought to stop him." - -"How? By what right? What excuse could we offer?" - -"That's so; but just the same it looks as if he's going to give Mr. -Mainwaring the slip and join those plotters some place." - -"It certainly does," admitted Merritt. "I guess we ought to call up Mr. -Mainwaring and ask him if there is anything we can do." - -"That's a good idea, Merritt. At any rate, having done that, we shall -have performed our duty." - -Hardly had the words left his lips before there came booming out on the -night air a sound that thrilled them all to the heart. Clear and loud, -with a note of clamorous terror, there came winging toward them the clang -of the fire alarm! Stroke after stroke struck with a heavy hammer on the -tire of an old locomotive wheel--that was the only alarm Hampton boasted. -The wheel hung outside the fire house of the Vigilant Engine Company -Number One. There was no Number Two. - -"Gee whiz, fellows! The fire alarm!" cried Tubby, pulling up short in the -road. - -They stood breathlessly listening, while out on the dusk the clamorous -notes of the steel tocsin went clanging and jangling. A thrilling, -soul-stirring cry at any time, it was doubly so to these lads, members of -a body enlisted in the cause of helping those who needed aid. - -They were standing on the main street at a point where the stores and -business houses had given place to residences surrounded by lawns and -trees. Out of the houses there came rushing men and women and children, -all in high excitement. - -"Fire," cried some of the men. - -"Where?" came back in a dozen voices. - -But nobody knew accurately. Suddenly a man, hatless and coatless, came -sprinting up the street. - -"It's the 'cademy!" he was yelling, "the 'cademy's on fire!" - -"The Academy!" gasped Rob, aghast at the thought that the private school -which most of the boys enrolled as Scouts attended was in flames. - -"It's up to us to do something and do it quick!" he cried the next -instant. "Merritt, run as quick as you can to Andy's house. Tell him to -sound the Assembly. There's lots of work for the Eagles to-night." - -A boy that Merritt knew was hastening by on a bicycle. - -"Lend me your wheel for Scout duty, will you?" asked Merritt -breathlessly. - -The boy eagerly assented. - -"I guess they'll need all the help they can get," he volunteered as -Merritt sprinted off up the street, "my pop has been on the 'phone and -they say it's a mighty bad blaze." - -It seemed an eternity, but in reality it was only a few minutes before -Merritt reached Andy's home. The little bugler was just rushing out as -Merritt dashed up. They almost collided. - -"Sound the assembly!" panted Merritt. "The Academy's on fire." - -"Wow! Wait a second. I knew of the fire and was going to get hold of Rob -for instructions." - -Andy darted back to the house. He was out again in a flash and sounding -the sharp, clear notes of the assembly call. Then came another urgent -summons, the quick, imperative "fire call." - -"There go the firemen on the run," exclaimed Andy, as several of the -Vigilants dashed by the house. "Come on, Merritt; the others will all -beat it to the fire-house at top speed." - -"Rob's already there, I guess," panted Merritt as they ran side by side, -balancing the bicycle. As they proceeded, Boy Scouts came from some of -the houses and joined them. - -"The Academy! The Academy's on fire," they shouted. - -Against the darkening sky a red gush of flame leaped up suddenly. - -"Come on, fellows!" implored Merritt. "It's going up like a pack of -fire-works. We've got to hustle if we want to be of any use." - - - - - CHAPTER X. - A SCOUT HERO. - - -At the fire-house they found Rob and Tubby helping to drag out the -antiquated apparatus which was the best that Hampton boasted. Glad enough -of the aid of the Boy Scouts, the firemen greeted them warmly. They -recalled a former occasion when the khaki-clad lads had been of signal -service to them. - -Accordingly, while some of the men hitched up a pair of bony old nags to -the engine, and others got the fire lighted, the hose cart was rushed out -and the ropes unraveled. - -"Fall in, boys," shouted Rob. - -They obeyed his order with military promptitude. The long rope was -swiftly seized. Rob was in front, as became the leader of the troop. - -"All ready!" came the cry. - -"Heave!" shouted Rob. - -Like one boy the Eagles bent to the work. Off they scampered down the -street, Andy's bugle calling to clear the way. Men and women on their way -to the fire scattered to right and left as the hose cart came lumbering -along, drawn by its willing young escort at almost as fast a gait as -horses could have dragged it. - -"'Ray for the Boy Scouts," shrilled a small boy. - -The excited crowd took up the cry as the hose cart went roaring by, -speeding toward the sinister glow on the sky ahead of them. - -A throng rushed behind it, making believe to aid greatly by pushing the -lumbering vehicle. - -Suddenly a terrible thought flashed across Rob's mind. The house occupied -by the janitor of the school was undergoing extensive repairs and he and -his family had been given temporary quarters in some rooms at the top of -the school building. - -The sudden realization of this sent a thrill shooting through the boy. -What if they were caught in a fiery trap, unable to escape? - -"Oh, I hope they are all right," Rob found himself muttering half aloud -as at the head of a line of straining boys he galloped along. - -"Hey! Here comes the engine," went up a sudden shout from the crowd -behind. - -Glancing back Rob saw the engine, the pride of the Vigilants, coming -careening down the street. Its whistle wailed in a melancholy fashion and -from its stack there streamed sparks in sufficient volume to render timid -folks apprehensive that another fire would be started. - -"Pull out! Pull out!" cried Rob, as he saw it, "here comes the engine." - -But there was no need to tell his followers that. Every boy in the -village knew the old Vigilant and had seen it go screeching and lurching -to a dozen fires. They rushed the hose cart up on the sidewalk as the -engine came swinging nearer. It looked quite inspiring with its flaming -stack, hissing jets of steam and thunder of horses' hoofs. The driver, Ed -Blossom, was belaboring his steeds furiously. - -Suddenly, out into the middle of the road darted a tiny little girl. In -the excitement and confusion no one noticed her at first. She stood there -apparently oblivious of the approaching fire engine for one instant. -Then, although she saw her doom thundering down on her, she still stood -as helplessly as a tiny bird fascinated by a glowing-eyed serpent. - -"Out of the way! Run! Run!" shrieked a dozen frenzied voices as several -people perceived the child's danger. - -"Great Scotland! She'll be killed," cried Merritt. - -The engine was almost opposite the hose cart as the Scouts took in the -scene, but with one spring Merritt darted right in the path of the heavy -machine. It happened so quickly that no one quite knew what had happened -until they saw a second figure in the path of the Juggernaut. - -To snatch up the child was the work of an instant; but in that instant, -as a groan from the horror-stricken onlookers testified, it looked as if -Merritt's doom had been sealed. - -Ed Blossom tugged frantically at his horses' bits and swerved them a -trifle as he saw what was before him. As Merritt sprang backward with the -agility of an acrobat, clasping the child in his arms, Ed succeeded in -swinging just a little more. The horses grazed Merritt as they snorted -and reared. - -Suddenly there came a crash and a loud, tearing, ripping sound and the -rear of the fire-engine was seen to collapse on one side. In pulling out -to avoid running down Merritt and the little girl, Ed Blossom had quite -forgotten, under the stress of the moment, the trees that grew on each -side of the road. The hub of the rear wheel had struck one of these and -the wheel had been torn off completely. If Ed had not been strapped to -his seat he would have been hurled to the road. - -A half hysterical woman fell on Merritt's neck and covered him with -tearful thanks. Then she snatched up the child and vanished in the crowd, -leaving the Boy Scout free and greatly relieved that her gratitude was to -be spared him just at that time. - -There was a quick hand-clasp from Rob, "Well done, old man." And then -they all turned toward the wreck of the engine. Steam was hissing in -clouds from the crippled bit of apparatus. Merritt heard someone say that -the pump had been broken. He knew then that the engine was out of -commission for that night. - -Men had already unhitched the plunging horses and tied them to a tree. -But it was soon evident that the engine must lie where it was for the -present. - -"Can't do nawthin' with her," decided the foreman and Ed Blossom, after a -necessarily hurried examination, "but say," continued the foreman, -enthusiastically, as if the breakage of the engine was only a secondary -consideration, "that rescue of the little gal was as plucky a thing as I -ever seen." - -And there was no one in that crowd who did not agree with him. But there -was no time to linger by the engine. The thing to be done was to push on -to the fire. The crowd rushed along and the foreman stopped to say to Rob -aside:-- - -"You boys must help us keep the crowd back while we form a bucket line; -it's our only chance to save the place now--and a mighty slim one," he -added, as again a red tongue of flame slashed the dark firmament like a -scarlet scimitar. - -"There goes the last of the old 'cademy!" cried a man as he saw. "In an -hour's time there won't be a stick of it left." - -Without the engine to pump a stream through the pipes, the hose cart was -useless and was abandoned where it rested. Under the foreman's directions -the Boy Scouts invaded houses and borrowed and commandeered every bucket, -pail or can they could find. Everything that would hold water was rushed -to the scene. - -There was a creek opposite the blazing Academy, and while the Boy Scouts -held back the crowd the firemen formed a double line and passed the -filled utensils rapidly from hand to hand. As fast as they were emptied -they came back again to be refilled by those at the creek end of the -line. With improvised staves, cut and broken from shrubs, the boys held -the crowd back. The method was this: each lad held the ends of two -staves, the other ends of which were grasped by his comrades on either -side of him. This formed a sort of fence and to the credit of the Hampton -citizens be it said they had too much respect for the good work of the -Boy Scouts to try and press forward unduly. - -The Boy Scouts were on duty now. Alert, watchful, aching to be taking -part in the active scene before them, they schooled themselves into doing -their best in the--by comparison--hum-drum task assigned to them. - -The Academy, an aged brick building, was wreathed in flames. From the -cupola on top, from which had sounded for so many years the morning -summons to study, was spouting vivid fire. They could see Dr. Ezekiel -Jones, the head of the school, and some of the other instructors running -about in the brilliantly lighted grounds and saving armfuls of books and -papers. The fire appeared to be on the middle floors. At any rate up to -this time it had been possible for the men bent on saving what they could -to dart in at the big front doors, reappearing with what they had been -able to salvage from the flames. - -With the pitifully inadequate means at their command, the firemen could -do little more than work like fiends at passing buckets. It was necessary -to be doing something, but even the stoutest hearted and most hopeful of -the onlookers knew that the case was hopeless. - -Suddenly there appeared, from no one knew exactly where, a little -pale-faced man with sandy whiskers. He wore overalls and was hatless. A -woman, a white-faced woman, clung to his arm desperately. - -"No, Eben," she kept screaming, "not you, too! Not you, too!" - -"Let me go, Jane!" the pallid little man kept shouting in reply. "It's -our baby, we've got to get him out!" - -He made a struggle toward the blazing building, but the woman clung to -him frenziedly. Now a fireman rushed at him and added his strength to the -woman's. - -"Great Scotland," gasped Merritt, who stood next to Rob, "it's old Duffy, -the janitor, and his wife!" - -"What is it?" cried Rob, without replying, as a fireman hastened past -him. "What's the matter?" - -"Her baby. She's left it in the 'cademy," came the choking answer. The -man, whose face was white with helpless horror, hurried on to obey some -order, while a shudder of sympathy and fear ran through the crowd. Now -came more details as men hastened back and forth. The woman, thinking -that her husband had the baby, had rushed from the house at the first -alarm. For his part, old Duffy, the janitor, never dreaming that the fire -would gain such rapid headway, had tried to fight it alone, thinking all -the time that his wife had the infant. The true situation had just been -discovered and the man was frantic to get back into the place although he -was a semi-invalid, known to suffer with heart disease. - -The flames were leaping up more savagely every minute. For all the effect -that the feeble dribble supplied by the bucket brigade had, they might as -well have given up their efforts. - -Rob felt his heart give a bound as he watched the janitor and his wife -kindly, but firmly, forced back. - -His pulses throbbed wildly. He gave one look at the red inferno before -him. Then,-- - -"Here, spread your arms and take my place in line," he snapped out -suddenly to Merritt. - -The next instant his lithe young figure darted across the flame-lit open -space in front of the school. He knew the interior of the old building -like a book, and that would aid him in the task he had steeled himself to -perform. He rushed up to the group about the shrieking woman. - -"What room is your child in?" he cried, his heart seeming to rise in his -throat and choke back the words. - -"That one on the south corner," cried the woman mechanically, staring at -him with frightened eyes. "See, the flames are getting nearer to it! Oh, -my baby! My baby!" - -She gave a terrible scream and sank back. Had they not caught her she -would have fallen. When she opened her eyes again there was a roar all -about her that was not the roar of the flames. - -It was the tremendous, awe-stricken turmoil of the crowd. They had seen a -boyish figure dart from the fainting woman's side, shake off a dozen -detaining hands, and then, wrapping his coat about his head, dash by a -back entrance into the burning building. - -As he flung open the door and vanished, a great puff of smoke rolled out. -The cry of awed admiration for such bravery changed to a groan of -despair,--the terrible voice of massed human beings seeing a lad go to -his death. For, as the flames crackled upward more relentlessly than -before, it did not seem within the bounds of possibility that anyone -could enter the place and emerge alive. - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - THE FIRE TEST. - - -Touched with reckless bravery, foolhardiness in fact, as Rob's act had -appeared to be, yet he had not acted without taking due thought. As -always in emergencies, his mind worked with great swiftness. He had no -sooner made up his mind that it was his duty, cost what it might, to save -that innocent little one's life, than he had hit upon a plan. - -If the child was lodged in the center of the building, he knew full well -that long before its life must have been yielded up to the fire demon. -But if the quarters of the janitor were, as he believed, in the south -corner of the school, then there was still a chance. The mother's words -had put him out of all doubt on this score and Rob instantly determined -to face the most daring act of his life. - -The rooms at the south side of the building had been used by the Academy -boys as a gymnasium before their present quarters were built, so that Rob -was thoroughly familiar with the stairways leading to them. So far as he -could see it would be possible, by using a side door, to dodge the flames -shooting up the center of the building. There was a winding stairway that -existed on this side of the structure quite independent of the main -flight which, by this time, must have fallen in. - -With Rob, to arrive at a decision was to act upon it. As we have seen, he -had lost no time in making for the doorway. He had, in fact, a double -reason for his haste. For one thing, every second would count, and, for -another, he realized that to many in the crowd his act would appear to -border on madness, and that an attempt might be made to hold him back. - -"The boy's a fool!" yelled someone in the crowd behind Merritt. - -Quick as a flash Rob's chum faced around, indignation shining in his -eyes, which had, a second before, been dimmed with tears. - -"No, sir; however Rob makes out, he's a hero," he shot back, while a -murmur of approbation ran through the crowd. - -"Keep your places, boys," he ordered the next instant, for the Scouts, -half wild with anxiety and excitement, were beginning to waver and allow -the crowd to surge forward. Merritt's words stiffened them. In a moment -they were recalled to a sense of that duty of which they had just -witnessed such a conspicuous example. - -The instant Rob crossed the threshold of that door he found himself -surrounded by smoke. But he bent low, and throwing his coat more closely -above his head, he crouched on all fours so as to get below the level of -the acrid fumes that made his eyes smart cruelly. Suddenly he stumbled -over something, and as he saw in the dim light what it was he gave a glad -gasp. It was a bucket of water, left on the stairway after the regular -Saturday scrubbing. - -Rob was a Scout who knew, from careful study of his Manual, just what to -do in emergencies. He recalled now that in case of being compelled to -enter a smoky, blazing building, it was recommended to bind a wet cloth -over mouth and nostrils in such a way as to act as a respirator. -Instantly he saturated his handkerchief in the water and bound it on his -face in the manner advocated. - -Then he began what was to prove a terrible climb. The school was three -stories in height, the lower two floors containing study rooms and -offices and the top floor lumber rooms and the apartments occupied -temporarily by the janitor. - -Breathing with more ease now that he had bound up his face, Rob fought -his way upward. It was as murky as a pit, and it seemed that the stairs -were interminable. Suddenly he stumbled and fell headlong. He had gained -the first landing. Through a door opening upon it jets of flame, like -serpents' tongues, were beginning to shoot. Rob staggered toward the door -and slammed it to. He knew that this was absolutely necessary, for in the -case of the staircase being in flames when it came time for him to -retrace his steps his retreat would be cut off. - -But that was a thought he did not dare to dwell upon. Steeling himself -anew he pushed stubbornly on to the next flight. - -"It's lucky I know this place as well as I do," he thought, as he gamely -kept up the fight against what appeared almost overwhelming odds. - -As he climbed higher it grew hotter. The place was like the interior of a -volcano. Beyond the wall of the stairway Rob could hear the flames -roaring like the beat of the surf on a rocky coast. It almost seemed as -if the fire demon possessed an articulate voice and was howling his rage -and defiance at the boy who had dared to face his terrors. But, hot as it -was growing, Rob yet found some small grain of comfort in the fact that -the smoke was not so thick. - -He breathed more freely even if his throat was becoming dry as dust and -whistled in an odd way as he climbed higher. At last he reached the -summit of the second flight. - -He paused irresolutely on the landing. Several doors opened off it. Now -that he was actually there, Rob was confused for an instant. He was not -quite so sure of his bearings as he had thought he would be. But the roar -of the flames below and about him warned him to lose not a second of -precious time in procrastination. - -He plunged into the door nearest at hand. Within he found himself in a -room which was evidently a dining room. Supper was ready spread on the -table. A lamp illumined the scene. How odd it seemed to be gazing at this -peaceful domestic setting, while below and to one side of him, devouring -flames were roaring and leaping. Save for a strong smell of smoke and a -slight bluish haze, the room might have been a thousand miles away from -the flaming building in which it was located. - -Suddenly, as the boy stood there looking swiftly about him, there came a -crash that shook the whole place like an earthquake. - -"A floor's fallen!" gasped Rob. "Pray heaven it's not taken any part of -that stairway with it!" - -Brave as he was, the young scout turned pale and actually shook for an -instant like a leaf. He knew full well that if that stairway, or any part -of it, was gone, he was doomed to die as irrevocably as if a death -sentence had been pronounced upon him. All at once, from a room opening -off the dining room came a wailing cry. - -"Muvver! Muvver, I'se fwightened!" - -Rob's heart gave a quick bound and he galvanized into instant action, a -great contrast to his temporary state of stupefaction! - -"All right, youngster. Don't cry, I'm coming," he called out, plunging -forward. - -Inside the room was a small crib, with a child about three years old -lying on it clasping a doll in her arms. - -"Who's oo?" she demanded in some alarm, as Rob, with his handkerchief -tied over his face, advanced. - -"Me? Why--why, I'm a fireman," exclaimed Rob; and then, with an -inspiration, "Let's play that the place is on fire and I'm going to save -you." - -The child clapped her hands and her eyes shone. Rob picked her out of her -crib and carried her tenderly out of the room. - -"Now I'm going to cover your face just like real firemen do," he said, as -they emerged on the landing and the hot breath of the furnace below was -spewed up at them. - -"Is dat in de game," inquired the child doubtfully, "an' will oo cover -dolly's, too?" - -"Yes, it's all part of the game," Rob reassured her. "Now then, there we -are." - -He enveloped the child in his coat which he had already removed and -started for the landing. Suddenly he stopped, and from under the coat -came a muffled but inquisitive voice: - -"Is 'oo cwyin', Mister Fireman?" - -No, Rob was not crying; but he had just seen something that made his -breath come heavingly and his heart almost stop beating. Below him he -could see a dull red glow, growing momentarily brighter. No need was -there for him to speculate on what that meant. - -The stairway was on fire. His one means of escape from the blazing -building was cut off. - -For an instant Rob's head swam dizzily. He felt sick and shaky. Was he to -die there in that inferno of flames? A cry was forced wildly from his -cracked lips. - -"Not like this! Oh, not like this!" he begged, raising his eyes upward. - - - - - CHAPTER XII. - IN PERIL OF HIS LIFE. - - -In the meantime, outside the building suspense had reached almost the -breaking point. The Scouts still stood steady and staunch, but their -faces were white and drawn. When the crash that announced the falling -floor came, a man, wrought beyond the bearing point, cried out: - -"There goes his last chance, poor kid!" - -"Shut up, can't you," breathed a fierce, tense voice in his ear the next -instant. "Don't you see his father and mother back there?" - -It was only too true. Attracted by the excitement, Rob's father and -mother had driven to the scene in their car. They reached it just in time -to hear of Rob's heroic act. Now, white-faced and trembling, they sat -hand in hand wretchedly waiting for news. As time passed and the flames -rose higher without a sign of the daring lad, their hearts almost ceased -to beat. Seconds seemed hours, minutes eternity. - -Then suddenly came a fearful cry. On the roof there had appeared the -figure of Rob with a bundle which the crowd readily guessed to be the -janitor's child clasped tightly in his arms. The flames, leaping from the -cupola, illumined his form brightly and showed his pale, tense face. -Thwarted in his effort to descend by the stairway, Rob had managed to -reach the roof through a scuttle. - -"He's done it! Hurrah! The boy's saved the baby!" went up an -ear-splitting cry from the unthinking in the crowd. - -The others knew only too well that the reason that Rob had appeared on -the roof betokened the terrible fact that his escape had been cut off. He -was making a last desperate stand, with the flames drawing closer, and -threatening to burst through the roof at any moment. - -Every eye in that crowd was fixed on the solitary figure on the roof. - -"Ladders! Get ladders," yelled the foreman, hoping against hope that one -could be found tall enough to reach to that height. - -Rob came forward to the cornice, and looked over as if gauging the -height. They saw him shake his head. Then he looked behind him. Alas, -there, too, all hope of escape was cut off. Between himself and an iron -fire-escape at the back of the building, tongues of flame were now -shooting through the roof. - -"He's shouting something. Keep still, for heaven's sake!" came Merritt's -voice suddenly. - -A death-like silence followed. Then above the roar and crackle came a -faint sound. It was Rob calling out some commands. - -"A rope!--shoot it up here," was all they could distinguish. - -Merritt darted forward and stood below the walls. - -"Louder, Rob! Louder!" he besought. - -"A rope! Bow--arrow--shoot it up!" came Rob's voice, audible to few, but -his chum Merritt was the only one that understood. He was back among the -Scouts in a flash. He seized Paul Perkins by the shoulder. - -"Paul, your house is nearest. Run! Run as you never ran before and get -your archery bow and lots of arrows." - -Paul didn't stop to ask the meaning of this strange command, but darted -off at top speed, the crowd opening for him. - -"Ropes! Ropes and lots of string!" shouted Merritt next, appealing to the -throng. Those who were closest realized that a plan to save Rob--although -what it was they couldn't imagine--was to be tried. Neighbors of the -Academy ran off at once and in a few minutes the Scouts were busy, under -Merritt's directions, knotting ropes together to form one long line. - -When this had been done, Merritt measured with his eye the height of the -Academy walls. Then he set them to work knotting light twine together in -as long a line as they could make. By this time Paul was back with the -bow and arrow that the Scouts used at archery practice. - -"Give it here," ordered Merritt tersely if ungrammatically. - -What he was going to try was a repetition of the trick that had rescued -some of the Eagle Patrol when they were imprisoned on the top of Ruby -Glow in the Adirondacks on their memorable treasure hunt. - -With a hand that was far from steady, Merritt knotted the end of the -light string to an arrow. Then, placing the arrow in position, he drew -the bow. It was plain enough to the dullest-witted now what he meant to -do. His plan was to shoot the arrow, with the string attached, up on the -roof where Rob could seize it. This done, it would be possible for the -latter--if he had time--to haul up the rope, knot it to a chimney and -slide down. It was a daring, desperate plan, but none other offered, and -the fact that Rob had suggested it showed that his nerve was not likely -to fail him in what might be aptly described as a supreme test. - -Amid a dead silence Merritt let the arrow fly. It shot through the air, -but instead of reaching the roof it struck the wall and rebounded. A cry -went up from the watching crowd as it fell, having failed to accomplish -its purpose. If Rob's face changed as he stood up there on the edge of -the fire-illumined roof, it was not visible to those below him, keen as -his disappointment must have been. - -But Merritt was almost sobbing as he picked up the arrow and fitted it -afresh for another trial. As he drew the bow with every ounce of strength -he possessed, his lips moved in prayer that his next effort might be -successful. At any moment now, the foreman of the fire-fighters told him, -the roof might collapse, carrying with it the brave boy and his childish -burden. - -On the outskirts of the crowd, too, a white-faced man and woman were -imploring Divine Providence to nerve Merritt's arm and aim. For one -instant the bowstring was drawn taut till it seemed that the bow must -snap under the terrific pressure. - -Then suddenly the string fell slack, the arrow whizzed through the air -and a mighty cheer split the sky as it winged true and swift to the roof -top, falling almost at Rob's feet. Hand over hand he drew in the string, -and at last he had hauled up enough rope to knot one end fast about some -ornamental stone work at a corner of the building. - -While doing this he had laid the child down. Now he was seen to pick her -up again, and holding her in his arms for an instant he appeared to -consider. To slide down that rope he must have at least one arm free. How -was he going to do it? The crowd almost forebore to breathe as they -sensed what the boy on the roof was puzzling over. - -It was Rob's scout training that solved the problem--one of life and -death for him--as this same training is doing all over the world for lads -in every grade of life to-day. He was seen to give the child some -emphatic instructions and then throw her over his left shoulder much as -he might have done with a bag of meal. In this position the child's head -hung down between his shoulders. Her legs were across his chest. - -Seizing the baby's left arm so that it came over his right shoulder, Rob -extended his left hand between its knees and grasped the little one's -wrist firmly. In this position she was held perfectly securely in what -all Boy Scouts know as "The Fireman's Lift," one of the most useful -accomplishments a Boy Scout can master. - -This done, the most difficult, dangerous part of Rob's task came. He had -to slide down that rope with his burden on his shoulder with only his -right arm and his legs to depend on for a grip. But it had to be done. -Without hesitation he swung himself from the coping and gripped the rope. - -For one terrible instant he shot down for a foot or so before he -succeeded in checking his downward plunge. But his knees gripped the rope -and his right arm stood the strain, although he felt as if it must snap. - -How he reached the ground Rob never knew. Those last terrible moments on -the roof had come very near to breaking his nerve. He was conscious of a -sudden flare of light and a crash as his feet touched the ground. It -crossed his mind hazily that part of the roof must have fallen -in--perhaps the part on which he had been standing. Then came a rush of -feet, shouts, cries, and arms flung about him, and through it all Rob -could hear his mother's glad cry of relief after the awful tension she -had endured. He tried to say something and failed, and then everything -raced round and round him at breakneck speed. - -"He's fainting!" he was conscious that somebody was shouting, and he -could hear himself, only it seemed like somebody else, saying: - -"No, I'm all right," and then everything grew blank to the Boy Scout who -had won, through "Being Prepared" for a great emergency. - - - - - CHAPTER XIII. - THE ENEMY'S MOVE. - - -Rob Blake was sitting on the porch of his home in Hampton. In his hand -was a book on Woodcraft. But he was not just now devoting his attention -to the volume. Instead he let it hang idly from one hand while he gazed -up through the maple tops and dreamed of many things. As Rob himself -would have put it, the "spring was in his blood." More strongly than -usual that morning he felt the "red gods calling." - -Suddenly two hands were thrown over his eyes from behind and a voice -cried: - -"Surrender, you leader of the Eagles! That's one time you're caught -napping." - -"Tubby!" exclaimed Rob, springing up and facing round. - -"How in the world did you get in?" he asked the next minute. "I never -heard you coming, and----" - -He broke off with a laugh as his eyes fell on a big section of apple pie -with one crescent-shaped bite missing, that the fat boy was regarding -affectionately. - -"Oh, I see. The back door, eh?" he inquired. - -"Ye-es," drawled Tubby, "and I must say your cook makes good pie and is -inclined to look favorably on a starving Scout." - -"Starving! Why, it's not two hours since breakfast!" - -"Well, two hours is a long time--sometimes," mumbled Tubby, who had taken -another bite while Rob was speaking. - -"What news from the Academy, Tubby?" - -"Haven't you heard? They haven't been able to find another building big -enough to house the scholars, so I guess it's a holiday till the -beginning of September for all of us," cried Tubby with shining eyes. -"Hullo, what's that? A Latin grammar?" - -He picked up a volume that lay on an adjoining chair. He regarded it -attentively for a few seconds and then flung it forth into the garden -where it landed in a rose bush. - -"Let it lie there till September," he chuckled. "Well, how are you -anyhow, old fellow?" he rattled on. "It's a week since the fire and you -ought to be feeling fit again." - -"Never felt better in my life, although I was knocked out quite a bit; -but you see I've had very good care, and----" - -"Oh yes, Lucy Mainwaring has been to see you--once or twice, hasn't she?" -and Tubby, with an air of apparent abstraction, fell to studying a white -cloud that happened to be drifting by far above them. Suddenly he faced -about with a mischievous laugh. - -"You looked sort of pale when I came in, Rob," he chuckled, "but you've -got plenty of color now." - -Rob, boy-like, looked embarrassed and changed the subject rather -abruptly. - -"Everything fixed for that meeting at headquarters to-night?" he asked. - -A rather odd look passed over the fat boy's face. - -"Oh yes, it's all ready," he said with rather a marked emphasis on the -words. - -"Good; you and Merritt must have worked hard." - -"We've all taken our part. The hall looks bully. It'll be dandy to have -you around again." - -The meeting the boys referred to was the regular weekly meeting of the -patrol. But when Rob reached the hall above the bank that night he felt -rather astonished to find that chairs and stools had been arranged all -over the spacious hall, and that decorations consisting of the Stars and -Stripes and the Eagle Patrol flags were strung everywhere. Off the main -hall opened the Scouts' gymnasium and general store room. In this room -Rob found his Scouts assembled. They greeted him with a cheer as he -appeared. Rob began to feel uneasy. He hated anything like that, but he -took the congratulations that were showered upon him in the spirit in -which they were offered. - -When he found an opportunity he drew Merritt aside. - -"What are all the chairs arranged outside for?" he asked suspiciously. - -"Oh, just so that the folks can see what we've been doing with our time -during the winter," was the reply. "We've arranged some single stick -bouts and an exhibition drill and so on--you don't mind, do you?" - -"No, it's a fine idea," declared Rob warmly. "How soon will the -company--audience I mean--arrive?" - -"Guess they're beginning to come now," said Merritt as the sound of feet -tramping into the hall became audible. - -"Better send out Walter and Martin to act as ushers, hadn't you?" - -"Yes, I guess so," and Merritt hastened off to dispatch the two second -class Scouts referred to. - -The hall filled rapidly. In the front rows Rob could see his parents and -beside them Commodore Wingate, the scout master of the district, and the -parents of most of the boys. The other chairs were filled with villagers -and all at once--Rob's heart beat rather quicker--down the aisle came the -Mainwaring party. They took the three seats which had been apparently -reserved for them close to Rob's parents. - -Little Andy Bowles, who arrived late, came into the gym in a state of -high excitement. - -Like most of the other scouts he had come in by the back stairway which -led directly into the gym. He came straight up to Rob. - -"Say," he exclaimed, after he had given the scout salute and -congratulated his leader, "say, who do you think are hanging about -outside?" - -"No idea," rejoined Rob. - -"Why, Hodge Berry and Max Ramsay and some of that bunch. They pretended -not to notice me, but I'm sure they're up to some mischief. I could tell -that by the way they sneaked off when they saw me." - -"I don't see what harm they can do us," rejoined Rob, "although I don't -doubt they'd like to work off some mean trick. Run along and put on your -best uniform, Andy, you're late." - -Everyone of note in Hampton was in the hall by this time, and when -Commodore Wingate arose to make a preliminary address he was warmly -applauded. He dwelt at some length on the new spirit that the Boy Scouts -had brought into Hampton, and explained that while some misinformed -persons appeared to think that the scout movement was a warlike one, it -was in reality a great influence for peace. He reviewed the work of the -Eagles for the past year and enumerated at some length the various -services they had done in the village. These included the clearing up and -beautifying of vacant lots, the aiding of indigent or poor people, many -little acts of kindness and help, and the setting generally of a good -example to the youth of the town and neighborhood. - -"But," he went on to say, after an impressive pause, "it remained for the -well-remembered night of the Academy fire to bring into notice the two -most conspicuous acts of heroism the scouts have yet performed. - -"I doubt if the annals of the Boy Scouts of any country show two more -noble, self-sacrificing acts than those performed on that night by Leader -Rob Blake of the Eagles,"--here such loud applause broke out that the -speaker was compelled to pause for some minutes. When quiet was restored -he went on, "and Merritt Crawford, his able lieutenant." More applause. - -While this was going on Rob was shaking his fist at Merritt indignantly. -Modest as most true heroes, he had, of course, already quietly received -the thanks of the janitor's wife and the man himself for his daring -rescue and hoped that the matter would end there. But this public -acknowledgment was too much for him. As for Merritt, he was chuckling for -a minute, but as his own name was announced he turned a fiery red and -cried out in a voice that was audible to the front rows: - -"Commodore, I thought you were going to leave me out!" - -This caused a great laugh among those who heard it, and Rob felt -revenged. But the worst ordeal for the two boys still was ahead of them. -Above the din of applause that greeted the close of Mr. Wingate's speech, -they heard that gentleman cry for silence. When quiet was restored he -turned around toward the gymnasium door and cried: - -"I now ask Rob Blake and Merritt Crawford to come forward and receive a -slight token of esteem from their fellow townsmen." - -"Go on!" cried the Scouts behind Rob and Merritt, under cover of a -vigorous salvo of hand-clapping. - -There was no use hanging back, and Rob and Merritt, looking very ill at -ease, stepped out before the crowd. If the applause had been loud before -it was terrific then. The hall fairly shook under it. Timid folks glanced -upward at the roof to make sure it was not going to be blown off by -enthusiasm. But at last, from sheer weariness, even the most vigorous -applauders ceased. Then came a cry in a stentorian voice, traced to the -foreman of the Fire Vigilants. - -"Three cheers for Rob Blake and Merritt Crawford!" - -"Second the motion!" came a tempest of cries from all parts of the hall. - -Commodore Wingate drew from his coat tail pockets two velvet boxes. He -opened them and in each there lay, glittering on a bed of purple plush, -two miniature firemen's helmets of solid gold set with diamonds. On the -back of each was inscribed: "From a grateful community to a Boy Scout -hero." Then followed the date, the name of the boy receiving the gift and -the village seal. Stepping forward the Scout Master pinned to the breast -of each lad the gleaming trophies which would ever be among their -proudest possessions. - -In the fresh applause that followed there were a few who did not join. -These were Max Ramsay, Hodge Berry and their cronies, all of whom -cordially disliked the Boy Scouts and hated to see them the idols of the -village. While the applause was still sounding in lusty salvoes they -slipped out with mischievous looks on their faces. Perhaps Andy Bowles' -guess that they were up to some prank designed to work harm to the Boy -Scouts was not so far from the mark. - -To relate in detail all that took place that evening would occupy too -much space. Suffice it to say that the drills and exercises went off with -a snap, and that some of the games played proved full of laughter and -merriment. As the audience filed out, more than one former lukewarm -citizen was heard to remark that the Boy Scout organization was a "mighty -fine thing for lads, and that the Eagles in particular not only shone -themselves, but reflected credit on their home town." - -But with the departure of the crowd, all was not over. For some time, the -boys' gym buzzed with chat and laughter. Naturally, Rob and Merritt were -the centers of attraction, and the two gold, diamond-studded helmets were -handed about till it seemed that they must actually wear out from -constant handling! At last it was too late to delay their departure for -home any longer. When the impromptu meeting did finally break up, -however, every fellow belonging to the Eagles felt deep down in his heart -that their organization, despite criticism and even open enmity, had -proved its right to exist, and, what was more, had even proved its -necessity in raising ideals and standards among the lads of the -community. - -"We'll march out, fellows," declared Rob, "and as each chap's home or -corner is reached he can fall out of the ranks." - -"Good idea," was the cry, and then: - -"Fall in! Fall in!" shouted Merritt. - -"Lights out," was the next order and the pushing of the electric light -switch plunged the place into darkness. - -"March!" and off they went, two by two, each Scout marching as smartly as -a trained veteran. - -Outside, on the landing, it was very dark. The blackness was made, so to -speak, doubly black by the fact that they had just been in a brilliantly -lighted room. - -"Look out for the steps, boys! They're steep!" warned Rob, as his -detachment of young Scouts marched downward. - -Hardly had he spoken when the two lads marching in front, Hiram and Paul, -gave a stumble and a yell. The next instant they rolled down the steep -stairway to the street. Before they could take advantage of the warning, -three more pairs, including Merritt, had likewise executed a bob forward -and gone toppling down the staircase to the sidewalk. They all landed in -a heap. - -"Look out there! The steps have been soaped!" Rob had just time to call -out and save the rest from disaster. - -The light from a street lamp gave a feeble gleam on the struggling group -below. The rest of the boys, huddled for a moment above, by exercising -great care, managed to get over the well-soaped and slippery steps -without coming to grief. One of them was Andy Bowles. - -"I just thought that Max Ramsay and Hodge Berry and their bunch were up -to some tricks when I saw them round here, and I guess I was right, too. -How about it, Rob?" - -"I'm inclined to think you were," responded Bob. "How are you, fellows? -All right?" he asked as the downfallen Scouts picked themselves up. - -"All present and accounted for," declared Merritt, as they all stood up, -vigorously brushing dust and dirt from their trig uniforms, "except for a -few bruises I guess we're all right." - -"Hark!" cried Hiram suddenly, "what's that?" - -From somewhere near by, possibly from some bushes that grew further down -the street came the sound of suppressed giggling and cat-calls. There was -no doubt as to what excited the merriment of the unseen scoffers, nor was -there, in fact, any difficulty in guessing their identity. - -Rob hardly knew whether to laugh or be angry. Others of the Patrol had no -such hesitancy. - -"It's that Max Ramsay crowd," shouted Tubby angrily. "Come out here if -you're not cowards." - -A sound of scuffling and retreating footsteps followed this challenge. - -"There they go," shouted Hiram, "the sneaks!" - -"Let's capture some of them and make them pay dearly for those soapy -stairs!" shouted Paul. - -"What about it, Rob?" asked Merritt anxiously. - -But Rob shook his head. - -"Let them go," he said. "None of us are hurt, and if they are mean enough -to find satisfaction in such tricks, let them." - -"Well, I'll take it out of them for this skinned ankle sooner or later," -declared Tubby, hopping about and nursing the injured member. - -"Same here," came from one or two of the Scouts angrily. "They won't get -away with anything like that." - -"Humph! I've just recollected," said Tubby suddenly. "There's some rule -or other that says Scouts mustn't fight." - -Rob was instantly appealed to by half a dozen anxious voices owned by the -victims of the soapy stairs. - -"Well," he said, "of course no Scout is supposed to engage in fisticuffs -except in actual self-defense; but--well I guess there's a limit." - -"And it's been reached," muttered Tubby vindictively. - -"Fall in!" cried Rob. - -"Humph! I just fell down," grunted Tubby. - -And then, without more discussion of the mean trick that had been played -them, the Scouts marched off. After that glorious evening they all felt -that they could well afford to ignore such contemptible pranks as those -of Max Ramsay and his crowd. - - -As for Rob and Merritt, proud as they felt of the honor that had been -paid them that night, they somehow could not help valuing even more -highly the quiet thanks that had come to them from full hearts before the -public demonstration had been thought of. It is a Scout's duty to do his -work without hope of reward, save that which comes from a sense of work -well done, which, after all, is the best reward and the most enduring -that any boy, or man, either, for that matter, can have. - - - - - CHAPTER XIV. - A NOVEL PROPOSAL. - - -"Well, what do you think of my proposal?" - -Mr. Mainwaring's eyes twinkled as he regarded the three lads seated -opposite him in the library of his home which he had called Ancon Hill, -possibly in remembrance of that other Ancon Hill in the far off Canal -Zone. - -Tubby gulped; Merritt's eyes shone and his face flushed excitedly, but he -couldn't find words just then. - -"Well, Rob, what do _you_ say to transplanting the Boy Scouts, or part of -them, down along the big Ditch?" - -"I--I--that is, we--it's too big--too glorious to just realize it all at -once, isn't it, fellows?" stammered Rob. - -"Pshaw! I thought the motto of your clan was 'Be Prepared'. Now you ought -to be just as much prepared to accept my invitation to go to Panama as -you would be to cook a meal in a given time or light a fire with one -match." - -Mr. Mainwaring regarded the young faces opposite him with a quizzical -look. Then he spoke again. - -"I know just what you fellows are thinking," he said. "You'd like to go, -but----" - -"It's--it's our folks, you see----" Tubby managed to sputter. The others -nodded solemnly. This proposal of Mr. Mainwaring's, that while the -Academy was closed they should go as his guests to the Canal Zone and see -the wonders of that region, both natural and man-made, had fairly taken -them off their feet, as the saying is. - -"We'll come to that part of it later," responded Mr. Mainwaring. "I -shouldn't be surprised," he added with a twinkle in his eyes, "if it -could all be arranged satisfactorily. You see, I'm not going to take you -lads down there to idle. Far from it. Idleness is the worst thing for -boys or men. I've work for you to do. As I told you, this young scamp -Jared, who is really more fool than knave, has skipped out for the -Isthmus. That I have found out as you know. With him went Alverado and -Estrada, the latter having suddenly resigned his diplomatic post at -Washington. A third party went also, who I more than suspect is the -keen-faced young man you told me you had seen in Jared's company at the -barn, at the ball game, and also on the evening Jared took his abrupt -departure. - -"Now, of course, they are on the _qui vive_ on the Isthmus for this -precious outfit who, undoubtedly, mean mischief of some sort. Just what -it is I am not prepared to say, but I can tell you that I have a shrewd -suspicion. Now you boys have plenty of pluck, resource and -enterprise--don't turn red, I'm not in the habit of flattering anybody -and I mean it. You are the only people that I know of that have actually -seen Alverado and who would be able to pick out this miserable, misled -Jared." - -"You want us to do detective work!" gasped Tubby in an awe-struck tone. - -Mr. Mainwaring laughed and threw up his hands. - -"Heaven save the mark! I suspect you of reading dime novels, Master -Tubby. No, there is nothing Old-Sleuth-like about what I would want you -to do; nothing very thrilling or exciting about it. I'd simply want you -to accompany me and maybe point out the men you have seen plotting -together, for the benefit of the Isthmian police; so you see there is no -danger, no glamour, no promise of adventure about it; only a hum-drum -trip, but one that I am sure will prove full of interest." - -Had Mr. Mainwaring possessed a prophetic eye he might not have spoken -exactly as recorded above. But not being blessed with such an organ he, -of course, had no means of knowing into what danger and adventure the Boy -Scouts were destined to be thrust while on the Isthmus. - -"Oh, but we'd like to go!" sighed Rob. - -"It's like a beautiful dream," struck in Merritt with a far-away look in -his eyes. - -"I suppose that there's plenty to eat down that way?" asked Tubby rather -suspiciously. - -The tension was relieved by a hearty laugh from them all. - -"Well, I only asked, you know," remarked Tubby in an injured tone. - -"And now that that's all explained," said Mr. Mainwaring, after the -merriment had subsided, "I may as well tell you that all your parents -know of my wish and are quite willing that you should go, in spite of the -fact that for some weeks they will be deprived of your interesting -society. And----" - -But all discipline was at an end for the nonce. The boys' spirits fairly -broke bounds. They leaped up, joined hands and danced round in a circle. -It was like some impossible, glorious dream coming true; for each of them -had long cherished a desire to see Uncle Sam's wonderful digging -operations which, under the Stars and Stripes, were to join two mighty -oceans. - -In the midst of the excitement the door opened and in came Fred -Mainwaring; but Lucy was not with him, rather to the disappointment of -one of the Scouts. Fred, after the boys had all shaken hands warmly and -indulged in another war dance, announced that his sister had had to leave -suddenly for the West the night before, as her mother, who was stopping -with relatives there, had absolutely forbidden the project of taking her -along. - -It was not till after they had taken their leave and were walking with -Fred down the drive leading to the road back to Hampton that Lucy's -brother seized an opportunity to draw Rob aside. - -"What are you looking so glum about?" he demanded with a twinkle in his -eyes. - -"Who? Me?" rejoined Rob indignantly, "I never felt better in my life." - -But his looks belied him. And, strange to say, Rob's gloom dated from the -moment that Fred had announced Lucy's departure. - -"Say, old fellow," laughed Fred merrily, "if you don't remind me of the -ostrich in the fable! Here,--here's her address,--take it and be happy. -Bless you, my children," and without waiting for an answer, Fred thrust a -bit of paper into Rob's hand and darted off with a merry:-- - -"See you to-morrow. We'll have lots to talk about." - -Rob rejoined his companions, who had walked on some distance ahead. His -gloomy look had vanished like snow in the spring. - -"Isn't it great, glittering, glorious?" cried Merritt as he came up. - -"I simply can't believe it yet," cried Tubby. "I'm afraid I'll wake up -like I do some nights when I'm dreaming about a banquet at which I'm an -honored guest." - -"----and I can always send postcards from the Isthmus," breathed Rob, -which remark did not seem very germane to the conversation. His -companions looked at him in amazement for an instant and then, -comprehending, broke into a roar of laughter, for which Rob chased them -half way back to Hampton, catching Tubby at last and belaboring that -stout youth till he roared for mercy. - -But the fat boy had his revenge. As soon as he was released he sought a -safe refuge and then, holding his staff like a guitar, he rolled his eyes -upward in imitation of a troubadour, and howled at the top of his -voice:-- - - "On a bee-yoot-i-ful night! - With a bee-yoot-i-ful gy-url!" - -Rob didn't know whether to laugh or be angry. - - - - - CHAPTER XV. - OFF FOR THE ISTHMUS. - - -The _S.S. Caribbean_ lay at her dock at the foot of West Twenty-fifth -Street, New York City, with steam up in readiness for her departure for -Colon, which, as every boy knows, is the easterly port of the Canal Zone -and the terminus on that side of the Isthmus of the Panama Railroad. -Everything appeared to be a perfect maze of confusion. Derricks rattled, -steam winches roared and wagons clattered about the dock in every -direction. From the 'scape pipe of the big steamer white wisps of steam -were pouring, while black smoke rolled from the squat, black funnel. At -the foremast flew the Blue Peter, that blue flag with a square white -center that, all the world over, signifies "Sailing day." - -Down Twenty-fourth Street, hurrying with all their might, came three boys -whom, even had they not worn their Scout uniforms, we should have had no -difficulty in recognizing as Rob, Merritt and Tubby. All were laden down -with packages,--things bought at the last moment. The main part of their -equipment was already on board. As we know, their numerous camping -expeditions had provided for them so amply in that way that it had hardly -been necessary to buy anything in that line. Tents, cooking outfits, and -so on, they had long possessed. - -But on board the ship, in the stateroom they were all three to share, -reposed their proudest possessions: three blue-steel automatic revolvers -with their cartridge belts, etc., and three brand new automatic rifles of -heavy caliber. The latter had been the gift of Mr. Mainwaring, while the -revolvers the boys had bought themselves on his recommendation. It was -quite likely, it appeared, that they would explore some of the upper -reaches of the Chagres River, a region infested by big snakes, jaguars -and alligators, and weapons were more or less of a necessity. - -Good-byes had been said early that morning when an admiring, if slightly -envious, cohort of Scouts, with the village band at their heads, had -escorted them to the train for New York. It had been a period of glorious -excitement up to that time, but when the moment came to say the last -good-byes and they had waved and given the Scout cry for the last time, -the three lads felt strangely sober. This supernatural depression of -spirits had endured till they reached New York, where their last shopping -excursion for some time diverted their thoughts and drove away the blues. -So that it was a laughing, merrily chatting trio that came at a brisk -walk down Twenty-fourth Street on its way to meet Mr. Mainwaring and Fred -at the steamer. All felt that their departure for the tropics meant a new -epoch in their lives. As for their friends at home, the Hampton local -paper had devoted a column to the lads' departure, calling them -"Hampton's Boy Scout Pioneers." - -How much they wished that they could have brought all the Eagles with -them to share their anticipated experiences! But that was manifestly -impossible, and so, as the next best thing, Tubby carried a camera and an -ample supply of films with which to make all the pictures he could to be -shown to admiring audiences on their return. - -The water front opposite the sailing place of the West India and South -American ships is a busy spot. Life boils over thereabouts and the boys -felt quite bewildered as they faced the broad street packed with rumbling -wagons and swearing drivers and stevedores that lay between them and the -dock bearing in big white letters the magic words: Panama Steamship -Company. - -They were just about to cross the street when their attention was -suddenly distracted by the sound of some sort of scuffle or argument -going on near at hand. Facing about they were not long in discovering -what the trouble was. Drawn up against the curb was a small peddler's -hand-cart, covered with rosy apples piled high in tempting fashion. -Behind it stood a kindly-looking old woman who just at that moment -appeared to be very much flustered and excited. The cause was soon -apparent. - -Above the quavering voice of the old woman came a loud, blustering one -that the boys were swift to recognize. - -"Max Ramsay! What in the world is he doing here?" - -"And Hodge Berry is with him and two other boys that look like city -fellows," struck in Merritt. "What are they up to?" - -"It's plain enough that they are plaguing that poor old woman," exclaimed -Rob, "and it wouldn't surprise me if they had come down here to see us -off on the steamer and try to make trouble of some kind. I heard they -were staying with Ramsay's cousins in the city till the school was -rebuilt." - -"Well, it's a shame, anyhow," cried Merritt indignantly. - -He had just seen what the Hampton worthies and their friends were up to. -They had amused themselves by plaguing the old woman till she was half -beside herself, and then, while she was berating one of them, the others -would steal some apples. - -"Why, it's downright thievery," cried Rob. - -"That's just what it is. Just what I'd expect from such cads," cried -Merritt, fully as angry. - -"They look like good apples, too," commented Tubby, regarding the fruit -with the eye of an expert in such matters. - -"Well, if you aren't the limit," exclaimed Merritt, giving him a -disgusted look. - -"Haven't I got a right to give my opinion?" asked the fat Scout demurely. - -"Well, of all the mean skunks," cried Rob indignantly, with a darkening -brow. "See, the poor old woman is lame. She's got a crutch there. She -can't get after them and that's why they are so bold." - -"Come on, and stop it," exclaimed Merritt impulsively, "I can't stand for -anything like that." - -"Better get a policeman," suggested Tubby prudently. - -"I don't see one in sight," rejoined Rob; "I guess it's up to us to stop -it." - -"Here's where I get even for that tumble I took, Scout rules or no Scout -rules," muttered Tubby to himself as the three lads advanced. - -Max Ramsay was contentedly munching a big red apple as they approached. -He was too much, engrossed with laughing at the anger of the old woman -and the mean pranks of his friends to notice the trio of determined -looking lads nearing him. He had already swooped down on the stand and -was now trying to divert the old woman's attention from the raids of his -companions. - -"Drop that apple, Max Ramsay!" - -That was the first warning that Max had that the three Scouts from -Hampton were on the scene. He and his companions had, as Rob guessed, -come down to the steamer to make trouble for the boys if they could. But -on the way they had stopped to divert themselves at the old apple woman's -expense. - -Max turned a trifle pale for an instant, but then he bethought himself of -his companions and grew defiant again. - -"As if I'd drop it for you," he said sneeringly. - -Rob's arm flashed out and seized Max's wrist. The next instant the apple -was flying across the street. - -"Ouch!" grunted Max, "what are you trying to do? Break my arm? Hey, -fellows!" - -His companions, their attention thus drawn, rallied to Max's support. But -Rob, crimson with just anger, never noticed them. Nothing made the young -Scout leader more angry than cruelty or injustice to children, the old -and feeble, or dumb animals. His eyes fairly blazed now as he faced Max, -who looked mean and cringing beside him. - -"Now get out of this, you coward," he exclaimed, grabbing Max's shoulder -and giving that worthy a good shove. "Be off and take your friends with -you. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves, treating a poor old woman -this way." - -"Let's give 'em a good punching," muttered Tubby belligerently. - -"That's what I say," chimed in Merritt; but Rob held back his two -fire-eating chums. - -"Oh, we're not scared of the whole bunch of you namby-pamby sissies," -cried Hodge Berry, a hulking lad who, however, took good care to keep out -of reach of Rob's fists. He had once witnessed what they could do and had -no desire for a personal experience. Now Max's two city cousins chimed -in. - -"Why don't you give those toy soldiers a good hiding?" said one. - -"Yes; those Boy Scouts are too dern busy," put in the other, a -pale-faced, pimply lad of about seventeen. - -But despite these brave remarks, neither of them made any effort to back -up Max or Hodge Berry. - -"All right for you. We'll fix you some time," snarled Max. - -"Why not do it now?" inquired Tubby. "You're four to three, that's good -odds." - -"Oh, we could lick you if we wanted to. We'll do it, too, when you get -back from Panama, if you ever do. I hope the 'gators eat you." - -"Thank you," said Rob, laughing in spite of himself; "and as for fighting -you fellows, why I don't much believe in it, but if you don't make -yourselves scarce, I'll give you rowdies a lesson you won't forget." - -"Yah-h-h-h-h!" was all that the apple raiders could think of to say, but -they faded away from the scene in as dignified a manner as they could -muster. - -The three Scouts then bought some apples from the old woman, who poured -out her thanks so profusely that a small crowd began to gather about her -and listen. - -"Come on, fellows," said Rob, "let's get out of this." - -They hurried away, followed by the old woman's "Wurra wurras," and "God -bless yez fer foine byes now, even if ye do wear haythenish clothes." - -When they were out of earshot, Rob turned his attention to his badge, -which he was wearing upside down. Like many other Scouts, he didn't turn -it the right way up till he had lived up to the Scout rules of doing a -daily kind deed. He now turned his badge the right way and so did his -chums, who had adopted this rule also. - -"I'd have felt better if I could have got a good crack at those chaps, -though," said Tubby between bites at his apple. - -Suddenly a steamer's whistle boomed out above the dock-side uproar. - -"Gee whiz, fellows, that's the 'all ashore' whistle. We've got to -hustle!" cried Rob. - -The three Scouts broke into a run, each congratulating himself that he -could present himself before Mr. Mainwaring with an "upturned badge." - - - - - CHAPTER XVI. - SOMETHING ABOUT THE CANAL. - - -"Suppose you tell us what you know about Panama and the canal?" remarked -Tubby to Rob as the three boys perched in the bow of the _Caribbean_, -three days out, watching the flying fish as the vessel's prow sent them -scattering like coveys of birds from big patches of yellow gulf weed. - -"Yes, that's a good idea," supplemented Merritt, "I guess we won't get -much time to study books down there. Mr. Mainwaring said this morning -that, after he had given the work a preliminary look-over, he was going -to hunt for the source of that tributary of the Chagres that he thinks is -responsible for the big floods every rainy season." - -"Well, I don't suppose I know much more about it than you two fellows -do," rejoined Rob modestly, "but I've been reading up on it." - -Here he looked at Tubby, who had done nothing much on the steamer but -consume three huge meals a day, with "snacks" in between, and amuse -himself. One of these amusements had been stuffing some of those -odd-looking pills known as "Pharaoh's Serpents" into the captain's pipe. -Almost every boy can guess what happened when the glowing tobacco reached -the "Serpents" and big, wriggly, writhing things began to climb out of -the pipe bowl. - -"Ach himmel, der sea serpent," yelled the skipper, who was a German. - -"Oh-h-h-h-h-h!" screamed a lot of ladies to whom he happened to be -talking. - -It was just at this juncture that the captain had caught sight of Tubby -doubled up with laughter behind a ventilator. He chased and captured the -fat youth, who then and there received a spanking for which he got no -sympathy, even from his fellow Scouts. Except for spilling "sneezing -powder" in the main dining room at dinner time and burning an old -gentleman's bald head by sun rays concentrated in a magnifying glass, -Tubby had done nothing out of the way since. - -"Fire away. Unload your knowledge," ordered Merritt, luxuriously -stretching out under the awning. - -"All right, here goes. To begin at the beginning, of course you know that -Panama was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1502." - -"Ginger snaps!" interrupted Tubby. "Is there anything, except Coney -Island, that he didn't discover?" - -"Shut up, can't you," cried Merritt indignantly. "Go on, Rob, it's just -the nature of the beast. Never mind him." - -"Well," resumed Rob, "Columbus discovered the Chagres River and sailed up -it. He called the beautiful harbor by which he entered it Porto Bello. -Then came Balboa, who was the first to cross the Isthmus and view the -Pacific. It was about this time that a road was built across and the city -of Panama founded on the Pacific side. It was from Panama that Pizarro -set out to begin his brutal campaign which ended in the practical -extinction of the Incas of Peru." - -"Oh, cut out the history and let's get down to the canal," muttered -Tubby; "I hate history, anyhow." - -"It's my belief that you like nothing but eating," declared Merritt -indignantly. - -"And sleeping," put in Tubby without a smile. - -"The road was fifty miles long and well paved and provided with -substantial bridges, some of which are yet standing although the road is -almost impassable," went on Rob. "It was the war between Mexico and Uncle -Sam in 1846-47 that brought about a change. But in the meantime, I forgot -to tell you that old Panama was sacked by Captain Henry Morgan and his -pirates in 1671, great stores of gold taken and the inhabitants put to -the torture. The city was never rebuilt, but its ruins still stand some -miles from the site of the present city." - -"Well, what happened in the Mexican war?" asked Tubby. - -"I'm coming to that. At that time there were not more than 9,000 miles of -railroad in America, and it was a hard matter to get as far west as -Chicago by rail. - -"Between the East and the Pacific Coast lay great prairies, practically -unexplored. Indians were thickly scattered over this region and very -hostile to the white man. The journey across took months. The lack of a -short route to the Pacific coast set everybody to thinking. Then, in -1849, came the great gold rush to California. Hundreds of miners went by -way of the Isthmus, but there was no railroad and they got sick, and many -of them died on the way across. It became clear that there must be a -railroad and, at last, in 1855, after unheard of difficulties had been -mastered, one was completed with American capital. - -"From the first it paid tremendously, in the space of forty-seven years -making $38,000,000 of clear profit for its projectors. But to build that -forty-eight miles of track had cost 2,000 recorded human lives, five -years of labor, and $8,000,000." - -"First history, then a railroad year book, and now, I suppose, we'll get -down to the canal," grunted Tubby. - -"Yes, that's coming now," smiled Rob. "In the first place, the idea of -building a canal across the narrow strip of land forming the Isthmus had -been a dream even of the early Spaniards. Then a Scotchman founded a -colony which was to grow rich on the products of the Isthmus and also dig -a canal. Disease and failure soon put an end to this enterprise. In fact, -from the earliest days Panama and the Isthmus have always been known as -one of the most unhealthy spots on earth. As you may know, it is only -nine degrees north of the equator, and the rainy season lasts more than -half the year. But nowadays, with modern medicine and modern hygienic -methods, it is quite safe, with reasonable care, to penetrate the jungle. -Mr. Mainwaring told me that," he added. - -"Well, after various schemes had been gotten up and had fallen through, a -French company, backed by the money of almost everyone in France who -could by hook or crook secure stock, in 1882 turned the first shovelful -of earth for a canal. It was to have been a sea-level one, that is, one -without locks, and was projected and engineered by Ferdinand De Lesseps, -the aged builder of the Suez canal. - -"We know now that a sea-level canal would not be feasible on the Isthmus. -It would take too long to build and cost a prohibitive sum, almost double -what a lock canal costs. For seven years digging went on, with fearful -loss of life among the laborers and engineers from yellow fever. Then, in -1899, it was discovered that almost half of the $400,000,000 raised had -been squandered in mismanagement and waste, and by far the larger part -had gone in what we should nowadays call 'graft'. An investigation was -made. Several of the promoters of the canal committed suicide, and De -Lesseps went mad and died in an asylum. Such was the tragic history of -the French era; but brighter days were to come. - -"It was in 1898 when the _Oregon_ made her record run from San Francisco -to join the Atlantic fleet in the West Indies and fight the Spaniards off -Cuba, that Americans began to think that a short cut was needed. With our -acquisition of the Philippines, a 'door' between the Pacific and Atlantic -was declared to be almost a necessity. There was much discussion at -Washington, but finally in 1903 President Roosevelt and Congress decided -that if we could purchase from the French all they had left at Panama and -could, in addition, buy a strip or 'zone' across the Isthmus for canal -building purposes, it would be fitting and right for the United States to -take up the work. - -"After some dickering, the French company, took $40,000,000 for what they -owned, and, in 1904, the Panama Republic, a newly created nation, sold -the United States for $10,000,000 a strip of land ten miles wide and -fifty miles long, which strip of land is now known as the Canal Zone. - -"The first thing that the Americans did after they took hold was to start -a campaign against disease. No canal could be dug while yellow fever had -to be reckoned with. Under the masterly hand of Col. W. C. Gorgas, the -Zone has been cleaned up till disease is almost rarer than in cities of -the north. Mosquitoes have been wiped out, streets paved, filth and -garbage, which used to lie and rot under the hot sun, all swept away, and -good comfortable houses put up for workmen and their bosses. The men who -stand the climate best among the laborers are Jamaican negroes. Hindus, -Italians and Spaniards are also employed for lighter work, but for -'making the dirt fly' the Sambo is the real thing. - -"Anything else you'd like to know?" - -"Well, yes," said Merritt. "Just why is this Chagres River such an -important part of the canal?" - -"Well, it's this way, as I understand it," said Rob. "In the first place, -the canal is fifty miles long,--forty-one miles through the land and nine -miles of channel dredged out in the harbors of Colon and Panama. From -Colon to Bah Bohia the route passes for twelve miles through low, swampy -ground not much above sea level. Then it cuts into the hills and is -practically a more or less shallow ditch as far as a place called -Miraflores, nine miles away. The highest point of land that the canal -must traverse is Gold Hill, at the famous Culebra, where it is 662 feet -above the sea level. - -"But right here occurs a 'saddle' through which the canal must run. This, -at its lowest point, is 312 feet above sea level. Right here is the -notorious Culebra Cut, which is an immense excavation nine miles long -and, in places, more than three hundred feet deep in solid rock,--think -of that! - -"Bad as Culebra has been as an obstacle, however, the Chagres River is -worse. For 23 miles the canal must follow the valley of this river and -cross and recross its bed. The Chagres is an unruly stream. At times it -is small, and then again it swells to tremendous size, sweeping all -before it and causing great floods. To build the canal the problem was to -turn the Chagres into a friend, instead of an enemy, and that, it is -believed, has been done in an unique way. - -"You must now roughly picture a cross section of the canal route as a -flat-topped pyramid. Suppose the top of the pyramid to be hollow and that -through that hollow flows the Chagres River. Well, on one side of your -cup or hollow is the famous Gatun Dam, in the construction of which -2,250,000 barrels of cement have been used. Below the Gatun Dam is a -'flight,' just like a succession of steps of locks. These will be used to -lower vessels from the 'cup' at the top to the Atlantic level,--or to -raise them, as the case may be. - -"On the other end of the cup, on the Pacific end that is, will be another -flight of locks, the Pedro Miguel and Miraflores locks, which will raise -or lower vessels from and to the Pacific. Is that clear? There's a big -cup at the top of our pyramid, and steps, or 'locks,' lead down to the -levels of the oceans on each side." - -"Oh, it's as clear as mud," muttered Tubby, "go on." - -"Now, then, we get to the Chagres and the part it plays," went on Rob -serenely. "That whole 'cup' at the top of our pyramid is actually an -artificial lake of vast size. As a matter of fact, it will be 165 square -miles in area. At Gatun a great dam will hold it in, and at Pedro Miguel -the locks will perform the same office. This lake is the valley of -Chagres, and the Chagres will be relied on to keep it filled. This -immense Gatun Lake, as it is called, is the 'keystone' of the canal. Any -weakness in the Gatun Dam would ruin the whole project. You can see, of -course, why this is so, because the water in that Gatun Lake will be -relied upon to fill the locks which will raise vessels up or down." - -"But suppose the Chagres River cuts up ugly, as you said it does -sometimes?" asked Merritt. - -"Well," said Rob, "I heard Mr. Mainwaring say that the great lake will be -so big that a flood would affect its level no more than a cup of water -poured into a bath tub. The river will merely serve to keep the lake -filled and supply the water needed to work the locks." - -"That's a very good description, Master Rob," said a voice at their -elbows. - -They started and looked up, and there was Mr. Mainwaring himself looking -down at them. - -"We have changed the Chagres from a dangerous enemy into an excellent -friend," he said, "but, as Rob pointed out, the Gatun is unavoidably the -spot at which an enemy who wished to harm us could do almost -irretrievable damage at the expenditure of a few dollars' worth of -dynamite, if," he paused for an instant, "if he knew just where to place -it." - -"Does anyone possess such knowledge?" asked Rob. - -"Yes, anyone possessing a duplicate of my plans would know just how to -set about dealing the canal a fearful blow," was the slow response. - -Rob's pulses beat fast and thick. He caught his breath. Jared had such -duplicate plans, and was in the hands of men who could work on his weak -nature to give them up. He glanced up at Mr. Mainwaring, expecting to see -signs of anxiety on his face. But the engineer was perfectly calm. - -"After all that 'dry history,' as Tubby called it," said he, with a -smile, "let's go and play shuffle board. Fred is waiting for us." - - - - - CHAPTER XVII. - AT OLD PANAMA. - - -The week following the conversation recorded in the last chapter found -the travelers located at the Hotel Grand Central, in Panama City. Colon, -although the Americans have done much to clean it up and make it more -presentable than in former days, does not hold much of interest. Besides, -Mr. Mainwaring's offices were at Panama, which made his presence there a -necessity. - -The boys had passed a busy time sight-seeing in the old city. They had -climbed the Cathedral towers, gazing out over the glittering bay dotted -with small but beautiful islands, where the wealthy Panamans spent the -heated months. They had explored nooks and corners and inspected the -oldest church on the continent. - -On the particular day on which this chapter opens they had planned an -expedition to Old Panama city, which lies about five miles from the -present town. Mr. Mainwaring was busy, but Fred had obtained leave to -accompany the boys, his duties as his father's secretary not being very -onerous. They set out in high spirits along the road leading to the ruins -of the golden city sacked by Morgan and his buccaneers. - -The drive was made in an aged hack, and hardly had the boys left the -outskirts of the town before they were exclaiming over the luxuriant -tropical vegetation and the odd sights that met their eyes on every side. -Once or twice they crossed small streams, and laughed at the sight of -native women pounding clothes on rocks at the water side with big, flat -clubs. - -"Heaven help the buttons!" cried Merritt. "This must be a paradise for -button manufacturers." - -"I guess they don't bother much with them, at least not the natives that -we've passed," chuckled Fred. - -"Oh, look at that bunch of bananas!" cried Tubby presently, as they -passed by a clump of green banana plants laden with fruit. "Let's hop out -and get some." - -But the fruit was green and uneatable. Bananas, as Tubby did not know, -are picked and shipped while green, and grow yellow and ripe on the -voyage north in the holds of the fruit steamers, which are kept carefully -at a uniform temperature. - -"It's odd that we've seen nothing of Jared or his friends," remarked Rob, -as, after the discovery of Tubby's mistake, they drove on again. "Has -your dad notified the police?" - -"Yes, indeed," rejoined Fred Mainwaring, "but nothing has come of it as -yet. Of course, a careful lookout is being kept. Say, fellows," he -exclaimed in a cautious tone, "do you know I believe that some plot is on -foot to injure the great Gatun Dam and delay the opening of the canal? At -least, I'm pretty sure, from things I've heard dad say, that such is the -case." - -"And you think, or rather he thinks, that Jared is mixed up in it?" asked -Tubby breathlessly. - -"That's what. At least he is mixed up in it to this extent, that he is -supplying the plotters with plans of the dam and so on in order that they -can strike their blow at the weakest part of it." - -"Gee whiz! I'd like to get my hands on that Jared just once," exclaimed -Merritt angrily. "What a skunk he is." - -"It's a pity we ever let him get away from Hampton," muttered Merritt. -"Of course, we found out that he and the man with him bought tickets for -New York, but that was only a blind clew at best." - -"Well, we don't actually know that he is on the Zone at all," struck in -Rob; "although all the steamship offices were quizzed, we couldn't find -out that anybody answering Jared's description had taken passage for the -Isthmus." - -"So far as that is concerned," remarked Fred, "dad says that that proves -nothing. He might have shipped from San Francisco or New Orleans, or even -from some Canadian port for some other destination, and then worked his -way up here on a sailing vessel or coasting steamer." - -"And that's just about what he would have done," cried Rob. "Both -Alverado and Estrada have plenty of sympathizers in Bogota who would help -them in any plot against Uncle Sam. But, after all, the whole thing may -be a false alarm." - -"You wouldn't think so if you could have heard what dad said at that -meeting of the Canal heads the other day," rejoined Fred. "Of course I -can't tell you what took place, although I was present in my capacity as -secretary; but from what I heard a strict watch is to be kept and the -guards doubled." - -"If Estrada and Alverado know the country well, it's quite likely that -they aren't in the city at all," struck in Merritt. "The country outside -the actual Canal Zone is a trackless jungle. They may be hiding up in -there some place." - -"That's quite likely, too," rejoined Fred. "I heard dad saying something -about that the other day. By the way, we are going to start up the -Chagres day after to-morrow; won't that be bully? That's my idea of -sport,--following up a tropic river looking for a tributary." - -"What's your dad going to do with the tributary when he finds it?" asked -the practical Tubby. - -"That hasn't been settled yet," was the rejoinder. "Of course, if it -proves to be the branch that feeds the Chagres and causes all the trouble -in flood time, it will be dammed or something so as to make it harmless." - -"Say, don't talk so loud," whispered Rob in a cautious tone, for the boys -from their first low tones had gradually drifted into louder talk, "that -driver is listening to every word we're saying." - -"Just like an inquisitive nigger," growled Fred resentfully. - -"He's not a nigger," declared Rob; "he looks to me more like a -Latin-American of some sort. He may be a fellow countryman of this -Estrada. In that case, I hope he didn't overhear anything." - -"Well, you were talking as loud as any of us," declared Tubby. - -"Yes, that's so. I kind of wish I hadn't." - -"Look!" cried Merritt suddenly. - -He had good reason to exclaim. Ahead of them, rising majestically above -the brilliant-hued tropical greenery, was a vast gray tower, square and -massive, and pierced with square windows. At its summit it was overgrown -with mosses, lichens and many-hued flowers of gorgeous coloring. But for -this, it might have seemed anything but a ruin. - -"The ruined tower of the old cathedral church of St. Augustin!" cried -Rob. - -"And that's all that remains of the city from which Morgan took so much -plunder that it required seventy-five mules and six hundred prisoners to -pack it across the Isthmus to Porto Bello," chimed in Merritt, who, it -will be seen from this remark, had been reading up on Panama. - -Leaving the rig behind them, the four lads made their way to the foot of -the tower. They elected to push their way through a tangle of brush -instead of following the regular footpath. As Tubby said, it seemed more -like coming to a ruin than by strolling up to it on a beaten track. Their -tough khaki uniforms resisted the thorns and brambles valiantly, and they -arrived at the foot of the massive old tower out of breath but undamaged, -except for sundry scratches on their hands. - -They entered the old tower through a tumble-down doorway. The walls, they -noticed as they passed through, were three feet or more thick, which -perhaps accounted for the sturdy piles standing so long after the rest of -the city had vanished. Inside was a crumbled stairway of stone up which -the four Scouts were soon scrambling. They clambered to the very top and -then Rob and Fred drew from their pockets two pennants. One bore the -"totem" of the Eagles; the other was emblazoned with the Patrol emblem of -the Black Wolves. - -"I thought of this just before we left," said Rob, as he drew out the -Eagle flag; "I guess we're the first Boy Scouts on the Isthmus and so -we'll be the first to unfurl our totems above old Panama." - -"But how are you going to make the flag fast?" asked Tubby. - -"See that prickly branch growing right out from the edge of the tower? I -guess I'll make mine fast to that," said Rob, "it'll be as good as a flag -pole." - -"Look out you don't slip," warned Merritt, as Rob made his way over -roughly piled stones that had crumbled from the parapet and gained the -edge of the tower. At that point a staff-like thorn bush raised one bare -arm aloft. As Rob had said, it did indeed make a regular flag pole. - -Balancing himself carefully, the leader of the Eagle Patrol reached out -and peered over the edge. - -"Wow, fellows, but it looks a long way to the ground!" he exclaimed. "If -I ever fell, I'd land with a bump all right." - -Clasping the flag in one hand, he leaned out and laid hold of the upright -branch. There was a sudden cracking sound. The horrified Scouts, who were -watching Rob, saw him make a desperate grab at the wall to recover -himself as the branch snapped. - -But Rob's effort came too late. - -"He's gone!" yelled Tubby, turning as white as a ghost as Rob, without a -sound, plunged over the parapet and out of sight. - -His chums turned sick and faint. They dared not go to the edge to gaze -upon what they knew must lie at the foot of the tower. They simply stood -like figures carved out of wood waiting for the sound of Rob's crashing -fall. - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - BETWEEN EARTH AND SKY. - - -But no such sound came. Instead they heard something that brought them -instantly to the alert. - -"Hey, fellows! Come quick!" - -It was Rob's voice, coming up to them over the edge of that dizzy height. - -In three bounds, careless of the consequences of a false step, they were -on the parapet of the tower where they had last seen Rob, as he reached -out for the treacherous "flag pole." - -"Look, boys! Look! There he is! Hold on, Rob, old fellow. Hold on, for -heaven's sake," cried Merritt. - -Rob, his feet dug into the rough interstices of the old ruinous wall, was -clinging to a stoutly rooted bush that had broken his fall and given him -one second in which to stay his awful plunge into space. But his position -even now was bad enough. - -His face was as white as chalk, and the sweat streamed down it in rivers -as he gazed up at his comrades above. He was fully thirty feet below -them, and they had no rope, no means of saving him from his fearful -position! In the very nature of things his muscles, strong as they were, -were bound to give out before long. It was not in flesh and blood to -endure such a tension long; and then---- But they dared not think of -that. - -It was a moment for quick action and nimble wits. The shrub to which Rob -was clinging appeared to be firmly rooted. In fact, it must have been, to -have withstood the strain of his crashing fall. Then, too, his toes were -driven home into a crack of the wall, relieving to some extent the weight -brought to bear on the shrub. But this could not last indefinitely. - -Suddenly Merritt noticed something. Just above the place where Rob clung -to the wall, a hundred feet above the waving banana fronds, was an -opening. As he saw this a sudden idea struck him. He thought he saw a -way, a desperate way, it is true, but still a way to rescue Rob from his -perilous position. - -"How long can you hold on, Rob?" he called down. - -"Not much longer I'm afraid," came back in a voice that could hardly have -been recognized as Rob's, "can't you get a rope?" - -Merritt shook his head. He knew that a search for such an article would -take too much precious time. - -"No; but you hold on, old chap. Keep up a good heart and we'll get you -out of that, never fear." - -Turning to his companions he hastily explained his plan. An instant later -the three Scouts were rushing down the crazy stone staircase headed for -the opening above Rob. As soon as they reached it Merritt peered out. Rob -was still there, but he looked up appealingly at his chum. Merritt knew -what the look meant. Rob couldn't hold on much longer, but dared not -waste breath in speaking. - -"Now, then, fellows," spoke Merritt, turning to his chums, "what we're -going to do is easy enough if you keep cool; but if you get rattled it -may fail." - -"We'll keep cool all right, Merritt," Fred assured him, though his breath -was coming fast. - -As for Tubby, his countenance did not betray the flicker of a muscle. -Merritt knew he could rely on the fat boy, but of Fred's more emotional -nature he had not been quite so sure. - -Suddenly his eye caught sight of something that would make his task -easier. In the wall of the opening was a big, rusty iron staple. What its -former use had been there was no means of guessing; but Merritt regarded -it with delight. It made the daring thing he was about to attempt a -little more certain of success. - -"Tubby, you just hook your belt through that staple," he ordered, "and -then hang on to Fred's feet for all you are worth. Fred, you lie down -right here,--with your hands just at the edge,--that's right." - -The boys obeyed Merritt's orders, but Tubby looked at him with -apprehension. - -"You'll never do it," he quavered. - -"Nonsense, of course I will, if you fellows carry out your part. It's -nothing more than wall scaling, only we're doing it the other way round." - -When all was ready Tubby was lying flat with his belt hooked through the -iron staple. He had fast hold of Fred's ankles, while the latter's hands -came just to the edge of the opening. Merritt was to form the last link -in this human chain that was to rescue Rob Blake, if such a thing was -possible. - -Merritt had already seen that the bush to which Rob clung was not more -than four feet below the opening. His daring plan was to lower -himself,--with Fred clinging to his ankles,--till he could reach Rob's -hands and help him up to safety. - -Without a word Merritt threw himself on his stomach, after taking off his -coat and hat, and wriggled to the edge. One look at Rob's upturned face -told him that he had no time to lose. Seconds, yes, fractions of seconds, -would count now. - -"Catch hold, Fred!" - -Fred gripped the daring Scout's ankles tightly. - -"Now hang on like grim death." - -Merritt clenched his teeth and slowly wriggled his way over the edge. -Hanging head downward he extended his hands toward the shrub where Rob -was clinging. - -"Hold on for your lives!" he shouted to those above, and then to Rob:-- - -"Let go with one hand and grab my right wrist, Rob." - -For an instant Rob hesitated. He _dared_ not let go. But again came -Merritt's voice. This time it was sharp and imperative. - -"Let go and grab me!" - -Rob's grip with his left was relaxed and he seized Merritt's wrist, -giving it a jerk that almost pulled his arm out of the socket. For an -instant his heart was in his mouth. If the boys above weren't strong -enough to hold them, they would both be dashed downward to the ground -that looked so fearfully far below. But both Tubby and Fred were heavy -youths, and then, too, the belt that was looped through that -accommodating iron staple was an anchor in itself. - -There was a slight give and a sag, but the "human chain" held. - -"Now the other hand," ordered Merritt, drawing a breath of relief. - -Rob obeyed instantly this time. But he was a fairly heavy youth and it -was a good thing that he could take part of the weight off his rescuer's -arms by digging his toes into the cracks of the ruinous tower. Otherwise -this story might have had a different ending. - -"Now, Rob, use me as a ladder. Don't look down for heaven's sake, but -reach up and grab my belt. Use the cracks in the wall like the rungs of a -ladder and clamber up." - -"Let me rest a minute. I'm winded and dizzy," breathed Rob, whose nerve -was badly shaken. - -"Not a minute. Go on now!" - -Merritt spoke sharply purposely. Rob rallied and did as he was told. He -seized Merritt's belt as the other boy hung head downward, and, digging -his toes into the cracks of the wall, he drew himself up till he could, -with his other hand, lay hold of the edge of the opening. After this it -was an easy matter, thanks to the ruinous condition of the wall which -offered plenty of foothold, to clamber to safety. Reaching it, Rob lay -back white and panting. - -But in a few seconds he was able to help his chums haul the courageous -Merritt out of danger. - -It was some time before they felt able to leave the ruined tower, such a -bad shaking up had all their nerves received; but at last a move was -made. Needless to say, the Scout totems were not flung to the breeze that -day. - -"I don't see how we ever did it," exclaimed Fred, as they reached the -ground and Tubby began taking pictures of the tower while the others -looked up at the spot where Rob had clung in such dire peril. - -"I guess 'being prepared,' having good, healthy muscles and all that had -a whole heap to do with it," said Tubby, snapping his shutter; "and now -let's get a move on and get back to dinner, or second breakfast, as they -call it here. I don't know how you fellows feel, but I'm one aching -void." - - - - - CHAPTER XIX. - THE GATUN DAM. - - -The scene changes to a day when the boys had their first view of the -mighty Gatun Dam, a work that, as President Taft said, is "as solid as -the everlasting hills." Picture a vast valley hemmed in by hills heavily -timbered with tropical growth. Across the valley floor the current of the -muddy Chagres slowly serpentines, with workmen's huts clustered along its -sides, and everywhere preparations being made to hem it in, much as the -Liliputians set about harnessing Gulliver, a giant to them. - -The floor of the valley, once a trackless jungle and destined within a -short time from the moment that the Boy Scouts gazed upon it to become a -mighty lake, was crisscrossed in every direction by lines of railroad -along which contractors' engines were puffing and hauling long winding -trains of dirt cars. In places, great steam shovels were at work eating -out whole hillsides, taking great mouthfuls at a time. - -"Like Tubby eating pie," laughed Merritt, as he watched one of them. - -Across the valley floor, the huge dam, a veritable mountain of concrete, -was rising. Busy human ants swarmed everywhere and, at the spot on which -the boys stood, with Mr. Mainwaring and some assistant engineers to -explain things, hundreds of black workmen were working like beavers on -the summit of the great wall. Where they stood the wonderful dam was 100 -feet wide, just one-fourth the length of the steamer on which they had -come to the Isthmus. - -At the base of the dam the width of the gigantic structure is 1,900 feet, -and its massive foundations go down into the earth for many feet more. - -"Just think," exclaimed Rob, aglow with the wonder of it all, "before -long all this valley floor will be a huge inland sea across which vessels -can push their way from Pedro Miguel to Gatun." - -The roar of an excavating machine drowned his comrades' replies, but -their looks showed how deeply they were impressed. - -"It makes you feel like a--a fly speck," exclaimed Tubby, when the uproar -ceased for an instant. - -Up along a line of rails glided a movable steam shovel. On a side track a -busy little locomotive had already bunted a train of flat cars. There was -a loud clatter of chains; two white spouts of steam leaped high above the -shelter which protected the steam shovel's engineer from the burning sun. -Down swung the huge steel dipper. Almost like a hungry human being, -rather like some famished giant, it swung its iron-toothed jaws apart and -bit deep into a bank which had to be moved. In an instant its mouth was -closed again and the receptacle was full of rough, broken material. Big -rocks were among the earth, but that made no difference to this devouring -leviathan. - -"Hi!" shouted a big shining negro man on the flat car. - -The big steam shovel gave a sharp scream of warning, the steam spurted -forth again from the vent pipes and up swung the load. The long arm -slowly reached out above the flat car. A mighty scampering of the negro -loaders followed. - -"Hi!" came the cry of the boss negro again. - -The bottom of the dipper opened. There was a roar of falling rock and -earth and a flat car was filled. Then the process was repeated till the -hillock that was to be removed melted away like a plate of ice cream -before a healthy boy. - -Thus, amid shouting, seeming confusion, the clanging and crash of metal, -the scream of steam whistles, shouted orders and the noise of steam and -the fog of smoke, the work went on,--the mighty job that Uncle Sam, -contractor, is putting through for the benefit of the civilized world. - -Mr. Mainwaring told the boys that there is keen rivalry among the -steam-shovel men. Prizes are given every month for the record amount of -dirt that flies. Each shovel is pushed to the limit of its capacity. In -an eight-hour day one of the steam shovels excavated and loaded on flat -cars 3,500 cubic yards. This means about 160 carloads for the day, or a -carload every three minutes. - -The boys noticed, too, that the negroes, Italians and Spaniards toiled -away at their tasks without appearing to take much interest in their work -beyond keeping just hard enough at it to avoid getting into trouble. But -on the faces of the "gold-men," as the engineers and American officials -are termed, was the stern determination of men animated by a great -purpose. Off duty, the gold-men, so called because they are paid in -American gold and not in Panama coinage, are a joking, jolly lot of men, -who like to play tennis and baseball, and indulge in all sorts of sports. -But on duty, clad in khaki and gaiters, with great sun helmets to keep -off the baleful rays of the tropical sun, they are like changed men. - -The expression the boys noticed on their faces as they hurried about with -blue prints or levels and theodolites was set and stern. They seemed to -be, in a way, instruments of a great destiny. Each bore himself as if he -knew that the work in hand required the best that was in him. - -"It seems to me," said Mr. Mainwaring, "that these great steam shovels -and their crews, the activity and all the purposeful bustle and hustle -down here, represent more fully than anything that I have ever seen the -determined, fearless American spirit that has overridden what appeared to -be impossibilities, and is carrying the Canal through to a triumphant -completion. It's a great thing for a boy to be able to say that he has -seen such a work, and it will be a still greater thing if he takes to -heart the lessons to be learned here on every hand." - -Here he looked at Tubby who, not paying any attention to this -"preachifying," as he mentally termed it, was drinking the milk out of a -cocoanut. The fat boy had become very fond of the cocoanut, which can be -bought on the Isthmus for little or nothing. He had slung several around -his waist and at intervals, amidst the dust and turmoil of the work on -the great dam, he refreshed himself by a copious draught of their cool -contents. - -At the boys' feet, as they stood on the lofty concrete battlement, lay -the cut for the Gatun locks, which will raise and lower vessels -eighty-five feet. There are no such locks anywhere in the world. While -the boys watched, a steady stream of concrete was being poured into giant -moulds for the locks, and rows of arc-light poles, like gaunt trees, -showed that under the glare of electric lights the work was pushed -forward even at night. Not a minute of time was wasted all through that -vast system. They soon had become aware of that. - -While the boys stood there an erect, military-looking man came up to Mr. -Mainwaring, who greeted him with every appearance of respect. The -newcomer was tall, bore an air of authority, and was dressed in a white -military uniform. - -"Colonel," the boys heard Mr. Mainwaring say, after a few minutes' grave -conversation, "I wish to introduce to you my son Fred and his three -chums,--all, as you see, Boy Scouts." - -Tubby hastened to chuck his empty cocoanut shell off the top of the dam -as he saw that a social ceremony was going forward. The shell lit on a -negro's skull far below and bounded off with a loud crack. - -"Mah goodness, dem musquitoes is wusser dan ebber to-day," the negro -remarked to the man shoveling at his side, which would have made Tubby -laugh if he had heard it. - -After a few kind words to the chums, the military-looking man passed on, -stopping every now and then to examine the work with every appearance of -minutest care. - -"Wonder what kind of a boss he is?" remarked Tubby nonchalantly after he -had passed on. "Steam shovel boss, concrete boss, dynamite boss, -engineering boss or surveying boss,--there are other kinds but I forget -'em." - -"Why, you chump," roared Fred, "don't you know who that was?" - -"I didn't catch his name," rejoined Tubby. - -"Well, that wasn't anybody more important than Lieut.-Col. George W. -Goethals, chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission, and known as the -'man who dug the ditch.'" - -"Oh-h-h-h-h-h!" mumbled Tubby, a great light breaking upon him, "I guess -I'll take another cocoanut on that." - -And the fat boy selected a fine specimen from the several that adorned -his belt like scalps hanging round an Indian warrior. - - - - - CHAPTER XX. - A DYNAMITE VOLCANO. - - -After a while, despite the thrilling novelty of the scene and the -significant interest it held for the four American lads, the dust, the -heat, the noise and the confusion and bustle became wearisome, and they -began looking about, boy like, for something new. - -A white man in a duck uniform and pith helmet hastened by in company with -a colored man who looked different from any negro the boys had yet seen. -The man had straight black hair, long and glossy. He wore a small sort of -skull cap and white clothes with odd velvet shoes not unlike those -affected by Chinese. - -"Hullo, Raynor!" shouted Mr. Mainwaring to the white man, as the pair -hustled by along the rampart-like heights of the big dam, "where are you -bound for?" - -The dark man and his companion came to a halt, the former standing in a -respectful attitude and saluting Mr. Mainwaring. - -"We're going to shoot a test hole," was the reply. - -"Do you mind taking these lads along? As you see, they are Boy Scouts, -and anxious to see all that they can." - -"I'll be delighted to. I've a kid brother at home whose letters are full -of the doings of his patrol. Come along, young men. I'll show you -something that will make your eyes open." - -"I'll meet you here in time for dinner," said Mr. Mainwaring. - -"We'll be here," rejoined Tubby, whose eyes had brightened at the mention -of a meal. Although he had devoured the milk and creamy meat of two huge -cocoanuts, the stout youth was still ready for another chance at edibles. - -Mr. Raynor hastened on, beckoning to the boys to follow him. - -"What is a test hole?" asked Rob, as the boys trudged along the top of -the dam beside him. - -"It is a hole blown in the ground so that we can tell what sort of -foundation we are working on," was the reply. - -"Blown in the ground?" asked Tubby with round inquiring eyes. - -"Yes. Dynamited, perhaps I should have said. Ram Chunda there," he -motioned back at the dark man who was trotting along behind, "is the boss -dynamiter. He's going to shoot the hole." - -"Oh, he's a Hindoo?" exclaimed Rob as he heard the name of the dark -satellite. "We thought he was a negro." - -"Oh, no. We couldn't trust negroes with dynamite. Almost all the dynamite -men on the canal are Hindoos. They are not fit for the heavy work; but we -find them reliable and trust-worthy around explosives." - -"What's that?" asked Merritt presently, indicating a small hut painted a -bright red. - -"That's a dynamite hut. See, there are several workmen waiting to have -explosives served out to them." - -"Can anybody get the stuff who wants it?" asked Merritt. - -"No, indeed. That would never do. They have to bring an order signed by -the boss on their particular section." - -Ram Chunda, however, appeared to have his supply of explosives elsewhere -for they did not stop at the dynamite hut but passed on. - -"How much dynamite is stored there?" asked Rob, as they hurried along. - -"Oh, enough to blow the whole dam up, I guess," was the careless reply, -to which the boys did not attach much significance at the time, although -they were to recollect those words with peculiar vividness later. - -Before long they reached a place where ladders were stretched from the -ground to the top of the dam. - -"We'll go down these," announced Mr. Raynor, halting. "Ram, you go first. -You boys can follow. All got steady heads, I hope?" - -"I think so," murmured Fred, with a vivid recollection in his mind of the -scene on the ruined tower of St. Augustin, "two of us have, anyhow." - -The engineer did not, of course, understand the allusion nor, to the joy -of Rob and Merritt, did he ask any explanation. Neither boy liked to -recall those awful moments when they hung suspended in mid-air between -life and death. - -The ladders were long and steep, but the descent was made without -incident. At the base of the dam, however, was a steep sort of embankment -of loose sand and gravel. Tubby, who was behind Ram Chunda, looked down -and saw this, which appeared to offer a secure "jumping off" place. - -With a whoop he jumped from the last ladder while still several feet -above the top of the bank. His feet struck it with a scrunch. But the -loose, shaly stuff was treacherous. With an alarmed yell the fat boy, the -cocoanuts round his belt rattling like castanets, rolled down the bank, -revolving like a barrel. - -The others looked on in some alarm. Suddenly Tubby struck the bottom of -the bank and simultaneously there came a series of sounds like a volley -of musketry. - -Pop! pop! pop! pop! - -"Gracious, it's Tubby," cried Rob, tracing the source of the sounds. - -"Is he blowing up?" demanded Fred Mainwaring in genuine alarm. - -"Sounds like it!" exclaimed Merritt apprehensively. - -The engineer and the Hindoo looked on in amazement. The fat boy continued -to pop loudly. Suddenly, still popping spasmodically, he struggled to his -feet. What a sight he presented! - -He was covered from head to foot with a milky fluid which was flowing -down him and on which the gravel had stuck and plastered him with yellow -mud. - -"Tubby, are you hurt?" yelled Merritt. - -"Bob," shrilled Rob, for once, in his alarm, giving Tubby his real first -name, "what's the trouble? Are you injured?" - -"No, but those cocoanuts have blown up!" shouted Tubby angrily. "One -after another they busted! I thought I was in a battle for a minute." - -"Well, you look as if you'd been through a hard siege," declared Rob, -who, now that his apprehension was over, joined the others in a hearty -laugh and a scramble down the gravel bank. - -"What made 'em bust?" demanded Tubby, ruefully, surveying his drenched -uniform and brushing himself off as best he could. - -As soon as he could speak for laughing the engineer explained. Cocoanuts -in their natural state are shielded by great masses of leaves which keep -their milky contents cool. Tubby, in his greed, had girded himself about -with the succulent nuts and then spent a long morning in the hot sun. -This, combined with his activities, had caused the milk to heat up and -ferment. - -If the fat boy had not taken his tumble down the bank it is not likely -that the nuts would have exploded. But the fall was what proved too much -for the already fermented milk. Like so much gunpowder it had expanded -and blown the "eyes," or thin parts, out of each cocoanut, spraying the -unfortunate Tubby with milk, and making the sharp series of reports that -had so alarmed them. - -Even Ram Chunda's immobile face bore the trace of a smile at Tubby's -disaster. In fact, the boy got no sympathy from anyone. - -"I'll pack no more cocoanuts with me," he was heard to mutter, "they are -as dangerous as Anarchists' bombs and a whole lot messier. Gee, my -uniform's a sight!" - -But as the unanimous verdict seemed to be "Serves you right," Tubby had -few remarks on his disaster to offer for the public benefit. - - - - - CHAPTER XXI. - "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" - - -Ram Chunda approached a small hut painted red like the other dynamite -shed, and came out with his arms laden with what were apparently -cylindrical tin cans. He selected a number of these, handling them with -no more apparent care than if they had been tins of tomatoes, instead of -charges of dynamite. - -"T-t-t-tell him to be a little c-c-c-careful, won't you?" begged Tubby. -"That stuff would blow up worse than cocoanuts if he dropped it." - -"Yes, we'd never know what struck us," said the engineer carelessly, "but -don't worry about Ram, he knows what he's doing." - -He spoke with the indifference of one who has handled high explosives for -years, but the boys' emotions were very different. They eyed Ram Chunda -askance as he stumbled occasionally on a rock or hillock of earth. - -In this manner they walked quite a distance back from the dam to a point -where no tracks or workmen were visible. - -"Right here is where, before long, we are going to build a wing dam to -strengthen the main one," explained the engineer. - -"Then what's the use of blowing it up?" asked Tubby stolidly. The fat boy -was, to tell the truth, in a state of alarm over what was to come. - -"Why, we want to see just what lies underneath before we start to dig a -foundation, otherwise it would be so much wasted labor," was the -response. - -There were already several test holes drilled in the ground, but the -object of dynamiting was to loosen up the soil beneath to ascertain if -there was any substratum of water. - -"Ever see them shoot an oil well?" asked the engineer, as he peered about -looking for a suitable hole to start on. - -The boys shook their heads. They had heard of the operation but had never -had an opportunity to witness such a proceeding. - -"Now is your chance then," said Mr. Raynor. "Ram," calling to the Hindoo, -"we try 'um this fellow number one shot." - -The Hindoo nodded and, carrying his armful of explosives, hurried to his -boss's side. - -"Gee! This is only Number One," muttered Tubby in an alarmed undertone. - -"Don't be a scare-cat, Tubby," laughed Merritt, although his own heart -was beating a bit fast. - -"Scare-cat nothing. I--I guess I'll go home to dinner. Once is quite -enough to be blown up in one morning," quoth the fat youth, "besides, I -promised my mother I wouldn't get into danger." - -"I guess over-eating is the only danger you'll be in," chortled Fred. - -Tubby looked pained but said nothing. With round eyes he began to watch -the proceedings of the Hindoo "dynamite man." - -The latter cautiously lowered into the hole selected several of his tin -cylinders. The rest of the operation, as Mr. Raynor had explained, would -be similar to that of shooting an oil well. That is to say, a heavy -cylindrical iron weight would be dropped on the explosive mass at the -bottom of the hole, causing it to detonate. - -With as much care now as if he were handling eggs, Ram lowered the final -cylinder of dynamite into the hole. Then he attached a long string to the -weight and gave a shout. - -"Get back to a safe distance, boys," cried Mr. Raynor, running toward -them. - -They needed no second warning, but beat a rapid retreat toward the great -concrete rampart of the dam. - -"I'd climb over to the other side if I had the time," Tubby declared, -feeling perhaps that he would be safe enough behind that man-made cliff. - -At last all was in readiness. Some laborers near at hand, glad of any -excuse to drop work, laid down their shovels to see what would happen -when the "Go-devil," as they called it, was set off. - -Mr. Raynor gave a look behind him at Ram who was crouching low at quite a -distance from the hole. - -"All right!" he shouted. - -Ram gave the string a jerk and dropped it. Then he too started sprinting -toward the boys. - -"He's dropped it!" exclaimed Mr. Raynor. "Watch it now!" - -It seemed to the boys as if Ram, swiftly as he ran, would never get to a -place of safety. Their hearts fairly stood in their mouths as they -watched him running like a greyhound. - -Suddenly came a subdued roar. The earth shook. The solid ground trembled -as if it had been a jelly. A second later, from the mouth of the hole -there shot a mighty column of earth, stones and smoke. It was accompanied -by a screaming, whistling sound and then came the detonation of a mighty -roar. Up and up shot the column as if it meant to pierce the blue sky. -The workmen shouted and ran for places of safety. - -Suddenly Mr. Raynor, who had been watching with hawk-like eyes, gave a -sharp, commanding cry: - -"Run, boys! Run for your lives! After me!" - -For an instant they hesitated. Why should they run? There appeared to be -no danger. At the distance that they were from the spouting column it did -not appear possible that they would be in jeopardy from it even when it -collapsed and came crashing to earth. - -"What's the matter?" cried Rob. - -"Don't stop to ask questions. Run! Run! Run, I tell you!" roared the -engineer. - - - - - CHAPTER XXII. - THE BOYS MEET AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE. - - -The boys needed no further urging. Taking to their heels they ran like so -many scared jackrabbits after the engineer. Tubby, his fat, stumpy legs -working like piston rods, was in the lead. - -"I knew something was going to bust," he yelled, as he sprinted along, -"and it has!" - -Suddenly Mr. Raynor, who was heading apparently for a piled-up mass of -rocks, stopped and glanced back. - -"Too late! Duck!" he shouted the next instant. - -Down flopped the boys, but as they threw themselves face downward they -felt as if they were being lifted from the ground by a giant hand and -then slammed down again. It seemed almost as if a heavy weight had been -hurled down on them. - -Then came a terrific, blasting roar and blinding flash as if a huge gun -had been set off quite close to them. - -The fearful concussion and their lack of knowledge of what was happening -scared and shocked them half out of their wits. Gravel and small rocks -fell about them. If it had not been for their broad-brimmed Scout hats, -which protected the back of their heads, they would have been cut and -bruised by the hail of debris. - -"You can get up now," came Mr. Raynor's voice presently, "but I don't -mind saying that that was about as narrow a squeak as I've ever -experienced." - -"It sure _was_ a test hole," muttered Tubby; "it tested me all right and -I don't want any more of it." - -"What on earth happened?" demanded Rob, brushing dirt and dust from his -uniform. - -"That's what I'd like to know," said Fred. - -"I thought the world was coming to an end," declared Merritt. - -"Or a giant cocoanut was blowing up," murmured Tubby. - -At that moment Ram came running up. He looked embarrassed and dabbed at a -small cut on his forehead with a handkerchief. - -"Him hurte you?" he asked rather anxiously, looking askance at Mr. -Raynor. - -"More good luck than thanks to you that we were not all killed," declared -the engineer angrily. "What made you do it, you rascal?" - -"Me very sorry. Ram forget," said the man contritely. - -But his repentance had no effect on the thoroughly angry engineer. He -told the man that he was too grossly careless to work on the dynamite -gang and ordered him to report at his office that night and be assigned -to some other work. - -Tubby nodded sagely as he heard this. He was confirmed, it seemed, in his -opinion that the man had been careless and he felt like telling the -engineer so. But Rob asked a question. - -"You haven't told us yet just what it was that happened?" he said. - -"Yes, what was it?" put in Fred. - -"Oh, nothing to speak of but an explosion of fifteen pounds of dynamite -about as close to us as I'd care to have such a thing happen," said the -engineer grimly. - -"Gee whiz! As bad as that!" exclaimed Merritt looking aghast. "Why we -might all have been----" - -"Hoisted sky-high. Oh, you don't need to tell me that. That careless -fellow Ram left one of his cans of dynamite lying on the ground not far -from the test hole. I didn't notice it and he didn't either, I guess, -till he shot the well. Then just as that column of stones and stuff was -sky-hooting up, I happened to see that can lying there. It gave me a -turn, I tell you. I figured out what would happen if a rock ever hit and -we standing where we were." - -"What would have happened?" asked Tubby innocently, his eyes like two -saucers. - -"Happened! Why we'd all have had through tickets to Kingdom Come, that's -what would have happened." - -"But you haven't told it all," exclaimed Rob, who had just comprehended -something. "Boys, that weight that fell on us was Mr. Raynor's body. He -just shoved us in front of him and shielded us with his own body. He -saved our lives." - -"That's what I call being a real hero," cried Fred. - -"Three cheers and a tiger for Mr. Raynor!" yelled Merritt. - -"Pshaw! You drop that now!" protested the engineer. "I just fell on you -because I couldn't help it, I reckon." - -"We know better than that, don't we, fellows?" cried Rob. - -"You bet we do," was the response given with deep conviction and -unanimity. - -"Well, say no more about it," begged the engineer. "I promised to take -good care of you and I was almost responsible for getting you injured, so -I guess we're quits." - -As Mr. Raynor had to visit other parts of the workings, and also to take -samples of the earth blown up by Ram's unlucky blast, the boys bade him -good-bye soon after. - -"Well, so long," he said. "I hope you'll drop in and see me some time if -you are going to be about here long. I may have something else -interesting to show you." - -The boys said they would. Then up came Ram Chunda, grinning like a -monkey. - -"Me velly solly," he said, "white sahib no be mad. You come see me some -time, eh?" - -"Yes, we'll come and see you when you're in your little casket or else -get our lives insured first, you--you anarchist you!" sputtered Tubby. - -The engineer had advised them not to climb the ladders but to walk along -the foot of the dam till they reached a place where a flight of steps had -been moulded in the concrete. Accordingly, after leaving him they trudged -along at the foot of the gigantic stone cliff, looking up every now and -then to marvel at its height and massiveness. - -They found plenty to look at and were in no hurry. That is, none of them -was in a hurry but Tubby, who was keen to find out if it was not time to -go back to Mr. Mainwaring's bungalow for dinner. - -It was hot work walking, and they paused frequently. At length they came -to a place where a small tree at the foot of the dam afforded a patch of -shade. - -"Let's sit down and rest a while," said Fred. "I'm tuckered out." - -"Wish this was a cocoanut tree," said Tubby as they reclined in the -grateful bit of shade. "I'd climb it and get all you fellows something to -eat." - -"Or blow us up," laughed Fred mischievously. - -"Say, fellows," said Rob presently, "look up above us on the top of the -dam. There's a big concrete mixing machine up there." - -"Hope they don't drop anything down on us," said Fred apprehensively. - -"Not much danger of that, I just saw a man peeking down at us. They would -warn us if we were in danger." - -"I don't know, those niggers are none too careful. Remember that fellow -Ram; he came pretty near ramming us," punned Fred. - -"Look out!" yelled Merritt suddenly. - -But he was too late. A bucket full of liquid cement came spattering down -on them, going all over their uniforms and making them sad sights indeed. -Luckily the stuff was almost as thin as water or they might have been -injured. - -Rob looked up and gave an indignant shout. A mocking face peered over the -edge of the parapet and grinned jeeringly at him. As he saw this -countenance Rob gave a violent start and fairly staggered backward. - -It was the face of Jared Applegate into which he had looked. It was his -hand that had thrown the bucket of liquid cement over them, ruining their -uniforms. - -"Fellows!" shouted Rob in high excitement. - -But Jared's face had vanished as swiftly as it had appeared. - - - - - CHAPTER XXIII. - ALONG THE CHAGRES. - - -"Well, did you ever!! Jared of all people!" - -"What on earth is he doing here?" - -"That's plain enough," was Rob's reply to the last exclamation, which had -proceeded from Tubby following Rob's hasty recital of what he had seen on -the top of the dam. - -"That's plain enough," he repeated. "Jared is a pretty slick sort of -article, or, at any rate, the men with whom he is in league are cunning -and clever. What better place could Jared be, watched as he is, than -holding down a job as a canal worker, bossing some small undertaking? Who -would ever dream of looking for him in such a position?" - -"That's so," agreed Fred, "and then, too, he gets a chance to survey the -ground thoroughly and lay plans for whatever sort of deviltry that gang -is up to. Maybe Alverado and Estrada are working on menial jobs, too, -with the same end in view." - -"Quite likely," replied Rob, "and also that mysterious chap we've seen -with Jared on several occasions. Anyhow, our duty now is plain enough. We -must make all haste back to Mr. Mainwaring and report to him what we have -discovered." - -"Let's get some of this mess cleaned off us first," said the practical -Merritt. "We look more like drowned rats than Scouts, in our present -plight." - -The boys set to work trying to remove the traces of the ducking that had -been given them by the malignant Jared, who had undoubtedly recognized -them. Had they known that he was actually on the lookout for them, they -would have been much astonished. Yet such was the case, as will appear -before long. - -Luckily the mixture of cement that had been doused over them was a very -watery one, the rinsings of a cement bucket, in fact, so that in a short -time the hot sun had dried out most of the traces of their adventure. - -But Mr. Mainwaring greeted them with exclamations of astonishment. - -"What in the world have you lads been up to now," he exclaimed half -laughingly as they rejoined him, "taking a swim with your uniforms on?" - -"Well, we did have an involuntary bath," admitted Rob, and he went on to -tell just what had happened. - -"Jove!" exclaimed Mr. Mainwaring when he had finished, "this is getting -interesting, and perhaps explains many annoying things that have been -happening about here recently. Derrick booms have collapsed without -apparent cause and an investigation has shown that acid has been poured -on the supporting ropes by some malignantly disposed persons. Blasts have -been set off prematurely, narrowly avoiding injury, and the work has been -delayed by many such tricks. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if your friend -Jared and the Latin Americans who are interested in delaying the canal -construction are at the bottom of this. I'll dispatch men at once to get -hold of this chap Jared and we'll make him confess all about it." - -As he spoke there was a sudden crash behind him as a workman, who had -been standing close to him and who must have overheard every word, -dropped a heavy bucket. They all faced round and saw a man shuffling off -rapidly. Something familiar about him struck Rob, but for the life of him -he could not place the man. It was not until later that he recalled where -they had seen him before. He was the man who had driven them to the ruins -of old Panama on that memorable morning, and who must have heard some of -their talk. But what was he doing on the canal work? Was he allied with -the forces that were trying to defeat the completion of the canal? Had he -told the plotters of what he had overheard and warned them that vigilant -retribution was on their trail? - -All these were questions that for the time had to wait. Rob decided not -to say anything just then. After all he might have been mistaken. In the -meantime the searchers sent out after Jared reported that they could not -find him. Undoubtedly after venting his malice on the boys he had made -off. Rob was not mistaken in his identification of the cabman. The fellow -was allied with the plotters by close ties both of nationality and -sentiment. He had been set to driving a hack in Panama so that he might -carry on his spy work without being suspected. It was by chance that the -boys had happened to take his cab. But what he had overheard that day had -caused him to hasten to the dam and inform his confederates, who, as Rob -had guessed, were constantly about there disguised as workmen. - -In that vast enterprise, employing thousands of laborers, it was a simple -enough matter for any able bodied men to obtain employment, and no -questions were asked so long as the laborer proved able to earn his pay. -At dinner time Mr. Mainwaring was unusually silent. There was no question -in his mind now but that there were plotters mingled in among the -workmen. That night orders for extra vigilance in patroling the dam were -issued, and that night, also, Mr. Mainwaring announced that he intended -to start the next day on his search for the troublesome tributary of the -Chagres River which it was his intention to devise a means to control. - -As may be imagined, this was great news to the boys, and they passed an -all but sleepless night in their room in Mr. Mainwaring's bungalow, which -stood in a row of "gold-men's" houses, among which it was the largest and -best finished. - -The boys' equipment had been brought up from Panama with them and was, as -usual, all in readiness for instant transportation. These Boy Scouts -lived up to their "Be Prepared" motto all the time, and to the finest -detail. When their camping equipment had been packed up on the submarine -island everything had been stowed away with military precision so that -they knew, without going through a lot of troublesome overhauling, that -everything, down to their small pocket water filters, was in its right -place. - -A wagon transported their goods and chattels to the landing place on the -Chagres the next morning, right after an early breakfast. Mr. Raynor was -to accompany his chief in the capacity of assistant, and the surveying -instruments and other paraphernalia almost filled one of the odd native -canoes they were to use. Another canoe held the camping outfits. But they -were not to paddle their way laboriously up the swiftly flowing river. - -To the delight of the boys a light draught launch, fitted with powerful -engines and a spidery stern paddle wheel, was to do the towing while they -took it easy. This suited Tubby down to the ground, and Rob's cup of -satisfaction was full to the brim when he learned that he and Merritt -were to alternate as engineers. As we know, both boys were familiar with -the management of gasolene engines, and they gazed with approval at the -fourteen horse-power, twin-cylinder engine of the _Pathfinder_, as the -launch was called. - -Before they left, the chief of the Gatun Guards, as the police that -watched the big dam were called, reported to Mr. Mainwaring that nothing -suspicious had occurred during the night and also that no trace could be -found of the men wanted. This was disappointing, but the boys were so -keyed up with the expectation of the wonders that awaited them in the -tropical forests through which the Chagres wound its way on its higher -reaches, that they gave but scant thought to Jared and the plotters. - -At last all was in readiness; Mr. Mainwaring, who had the steering wheel, -gave the signal to start the engines. - -Rob gave the big fly-wheel a twist against the compression, while Merritt -turned on the gasolene and set the spark. The engine gave a chug and a -snort and the big stern paddle wheel, which gave the boat such an odd -look but was necessary for shoal water navigation, began to beat the -water. - -The boys gave a shout and their patrol cries. From the bow of the -_Pathfinder_, as a compliment to them, fluttered the pennants of the -Eagles and the Black Wolves, the same which it had been designed to plant -at old Panama. At the stern waved Old Glory. Astern towed the two -dugouts, loaded deep down with "duffle." - -Thus started a trip that was to prove one of the most adventurous that -lads ever embarked upon "by flood or field." - - - - - CHAPTER XXIV. - THE TRACKLESS JUNGLE. - - -As they slowly ascended the sluggish, though powerful current of the -muddy Chagres, Mr. Raynor told them something about the object of their -expedition. In the foothills of the Cordillero de Bando, a sort of -backbone of mountains extending throughout the length of the Isthmus, -many small rivers rise, some of which feed the Chagres and contribute to -its floods. The largest of these, a stream known as the Rio Chepalto, -was, in the rainy season, quite a formidable torrent. Mr. Mainwaring's -idea was to construct a dam or dig some sort of a connecting link which -would divert the waters of the Chepalto in flood time into one of the -small rivers that flowed seaward, thus further taming the Chagres. - -The Gatun valley was soon left behind and the Chagres plunged into a -steaming, luxuriant forest. Between banks overgrown in wild profusion -with every sort of tropical growth, its chocolate colored current flowed -silently along. In places, muddy bayous led off from the main stream and -these, the boys were told, were the haunts of crocodiles and alligators. - -Everywhere amidst the luxuriant tangle on the banks were vivid splashes -of color, scarlet, yellow, and blue. These were the flowers of a score of -varieties of tropic shrubs and flowering bushes. They filled the air with -a rank, sweet smell that was almost overpowering. From the tangle, too, -there shot up majestic trees, from whose branches drooped long lianas, or -creepers, some of them thick as a man's thigh. Here was a clump of -brilliantly green and feathery bamboo, there shot up a grove of coco-bola -trees, while once in a while, but this rarely, there loomed in sight a -group of the kings of the tropical forests--a majestic gathering of -towering mahogany trees. - -There were also clumps of banana plants growing to a height of fifteen or -twenty feet, with immense broad leaves often six feet in length. -Curiously enough, the banana bunches appeared to be hanging upside down. -Beyond the fruit extended a stem like a snake, ending in a big blossom -something like a red-brown water lily. There were occasional clumps of -cocoanut trees, too, at which Tubby looked with a strange mixture of awe -and longing. - -Occasionally, through all this brilliant jungle gaily colored parrots or -a flock of screaming macaws would fly, alarmed by the chugging of the -launch. In some of the bayous, pelicans or big blue herons stood like -sentinels on one leg, watching the progress of the invaders. But, -beautiful as it all was, the boys missed the songs of the woodland birds -in the north. Except for the shrieking of the parrots and macaws, or the -occasional sullen splash of some unseen creature plunging into the river, -the vast forests that reached for miles all about them were silent. - -Suddenly the launch came to a stop with a soft bump. The boys looked -rather alarmed. Had they collided with some huge creature that made its -home in the tepid waters of the Chagres? They were soon relieved of any -anxiety on that score. - -"Well, we're aground at last," remarked Mr. Mainwaring in a -matter-of-fact tone. - -"You talk as if you had expected such a thing to happen," said Rob in -some surprise. - -"Yes indeed," rejoined the engineer, "in fact, I'm astonished that it -didn't happen before. The river is full of sand banks, and sometimes it -is impossible to see the channel. I see you've got the engine stopped -already. You had better reverse now and we'll soon get off again." - -"I should think that it would be quicker to go through the forests," -remarked Rob, when without much trouble they "got going" again. - -"It would be almost twice as quick, but nobody knows the paths but the -Indians." - -"Indians!" exclaimed Tubby. "Are there Indians here?" - -He clutched his rifle with a determined look, for of course the boys had -brought their weapons along. - -"Yes indeed, plenty of them, but I guess we won't see any. They are the -San Blas tribe and so small as to be almost pigmies." - -"I know, I've seen pictures of them," cried Rob. "They look something -like Japs only they've got big round heads and long, straight black -hair." - -"That's it," rejoined Mr. Mainwaring; "they're harmless enough unless -their particular territory is invaded. No white man has ever penetrated -far into their country and come back to tell the tale. But they say that -back among the forests and mountains to which they alone know the way are -deposits of emerald and gold of priceless value." - -"I should think somebody would form an expedition and raid the place," -said Tubby in a war-like manner. - -"More easily said than done," Mr. Raynor struck in; "it's been tried, but -fever and poisoned arrows wiped out all but a few poor, half-crazed -wretches who struggled back to civilization more dead than alive." - -"Do they ever come down to this part of the country?" asked Merritt. - -"Only occasionally, when a hunting expedition has led them far afield," -rejoined Mr. Mainwaring. "This Rio Chepalto that we are going to try to -diverge runs back into their country; but where it joins the Chagres is -not forbidden ground. Their territory begins higher up." - -Suddenly there came another soft bump. - -"Aground again!" cried Rob, stopping the engine. "Shall I reverse?" - -"Yes; do so at once," was the order. - -But this time the matter of getting off the sand bank was not so simple. -The two tow ropes attached to the canoe became entangled in the paddle -wheel as the _Pathfinder_ backed up, and they came to a stop. An -investigation showed that it might take some time to get it free. Tubby -was prompt in asking permission to go into the forest to see if he -couldn't bring down some game of some kind. - -"You and Fred will have to go alone then," said Mr. Mainwaring, "and -don't go far from the river. We'll recall you by three blasts on the -whistle. Rob and Merritt will be needed to help us get untangled and to -work the engine." - -"Never mind, we'll bring back some game that will make their eyes bulge," -declared Tubby valiantly. "Come on, Fred." - -"Wait till I shove the landing plank ashore," said Fred, catching hold of -a plank that was used for that purpose. The launch lay quite close to the -shore and the plank, which was ten feet long, was of sufficient length to -form a bridge. - -"Never mind the plank," quoth Tubby, "I'll just step on this old log here -and----" - -"Look out, boy!" came a sharp cry from Mr. Raynor. - -But it was too late. Tubby had already stepped over the side of the -launch. As his foot touched the log a surprising thing happened. What had -seemed a balk of old rotten timber gave a leap that threw Tubby into the -water, and at the same instant a vast pair of jaws, armed with double -rows of gleaming teeth, flashed wide open. The alligator--for that was -what Tubby's "log" was--gave a menacing, hissing sound and a flourish of -its formidable tail. - -The next instant a rifle cracked sharply. The creature gave a roar as a -bullet crashed down its open throat. Rob, seeing Tubby's peril, had -snatched Fred's rifle from him and pumped a bullet into the monster -reptile where it would do the most good. He pumped the repeating -mechanism and two more bullets drove into the 'gator before it sank, -crimsoning the muddy water. They saw no more of it and Mr. Mainwaring -declared that Rob must have killed it. - -Tubby, up to his waist in water, gasped as he beheld his narrow escape -and Rob's prompt action. - -"Gee whiz! This is a funny country," he mumbled, after he had been -lectured for his carelessness. "Cocoanuts explode and old rotten logs -turn into alligators." - -On his promise to be careful and keep well within call, Tubby was allowed -to go on shore with Fred and you may be sure he used the landing plank -this time. The two boys struck off straight into the jungle and then kept -a course that lay parallel to the river bank. All at once Tubby gave a -violent exclamation and almost fell over backward. A lizard, but a lizard -almost as big as himself, had run through the jungle right in front of -him. - -"A Panama water-lizard," declared Fred, who had put in more time studying -the country from books than had Tubby. "It's harmless." - -"It doesn't look so," was Tubby's comment. - -But a more thrilling encounter lay just ahead of them. Hanging from a -tree, and slowly swaying to and fro, was what looked like a beautifully -marked liana or hanging creeper. - -"Oh, what a beauty," exclaimed Fred, stepping forward, but the next -instant he recoiled with a yell of alarm. - -The creeper had emitted a loud, angry hiss and then they saw that it was -no creeper at all, but a brilliantly colored snake, at least fifteen feet -long, that was swinging from a limb around which its tail was coiled. -Tubby echoed Fred's yell of alarm and the next instant both boys took to -their heels in mad flight. The serpent had swiftly and silently begun -writhing its way to the ground. - -"Run for your life!" cried Tubby wildly. "He's after us." - -Stumbling over creepers, falling headlong, and then struggling to their -feet again, and keeping on with their mad rush, the two terrified boys -ran for their lives. Behind them came a thrashing sound as the big snake -made its way after them. - -In their alarm they lost all sense of direction or distance. All they -knew was that the big reptile was pursuing them, and they raced along -without considering anything but escaping from it. It never even occurred -to them to open fire on it with their rifles. - -How far they ran they had no idea. All they knew was that at last, when, -from sheer exhaustion they paused, there was no sound of pursuit. The -vast woods were silent. All at once they had a fresh fright. This time -from overhead. There was a mighty commotion in the tree-tops accompanied -by shrill barks and cries. - -"Gracious, what's coming now?" gasped Tubby. "I wish we were back on the -launch!" - -But it was only a troop of white-faced, long-tailed monkeys swinging by, -traveling along the tree-top high road at almost incredible speed. They -paused as they saw the boys standing there below them. Gathering together -they began to chatter and make a terrible noise. - -Then, making horrible grimaces and yelling angrily, they broke off sticks -and began to pelt the two lads furiously with them. Suddenly Tubby raised -his rifle and fired at them. Instantly they made off, shrieking at the -top of their voices and swinging from limb to limb by means of their long -tails which they used as conveniently as hands. - -The monkeys gone with their bewildering chatter, the boys began to look -about them. They were standing in a spot where the undergrowth was not so -dense, but they could see that they were in the depths of the forest. As -they looked around them the same thought clutched uncomfortably hard at -the heart of each. How far had they come on their wild run to escape the -great serpent? Also, in what direction had their retreat led them? Tubby -was the first to give these disquieting thoughts words. - -"Where are we, Fred?" - -"I--I don't know. Haven't you got your compass?" - -"Yes, but I didn't take any bearings when we left the river." - -"Let's strike out and try to get back. At any rate we'll hear the whistle -before long." - -"That's so. I forgot that. Better sit down here and wait till we hear it, -then. No use wandering about, we might go in a wrong direction." - -But had the boys known it, the launch whistle, not a very powerful one, -was at that very minute blowing repeatedly for them. Their wild dash to -escape from the huge snake had carried them far into the jungle. - -They sat there for a long time, each busied with his own thoughts. At -last Tubby rose. - -"It's funny we don't hear that whistle, Fred," he said, "but I've been -thinking that maybe we ran further than we thought from that beast in the -tree. Now I'm pretty sure the river lies that way," he pointed in a -directly opposite direction. "Let's strike out for it." - -"All right," agreed Fred, whose face had begun to assume an alarmed look. -"S-s-s-s-say, Tubby, you don't think we're lost, do you?" - -Tubby was quick to note the quaver in Fred's voice, and he bravely put on -a careless air. - -"Lost! Not a bit of it. Two Boy Scouts lost in a bit of timber like this? -Not much. Come on, old chap, and we'll be laughing over our scare within -an hour's time." - -But hour after hour went by and still the two lads, now thoroughly -scared, though neither had yet admitted it, plunged along through the -jungle. At last when they reached a small open space, Fred could stand it -no longer. He sank down on a fallen tree trunk and fairly gave way to his -fears. - -"We're lost, Tubby," he moaned, "and it's no use going any further. I -can't, in fact. I'm dead tired out. What on earth shall we do?" - -The fat boy looked at his comrade with alarmed eyes. It was plain that -Fred was on the verge of a nervous collapse. Their position was bad -enough without that. And yet Tubby could find no words to comfort his -companion. What Fred had said was the truth; they were lost in the -trackless jungle, a terrifying situation indeed. From time to time during -their wanderings they had fired their rifles, hoping to hear some -response, but none had come. - -Tubby, however, had, whenever possible, marked the trail either by -barking or blazing a tree with his knife in Indian fashion, or by leaving -grass and stone signs in a manner familiar to all first-class Scouts. -This was now the only crumb of comfort he could offer to Fred. - -"Cheer up. Maybe they'll pick up the trail," he said as hopefully as he -could. - -"But if they don't, we--gracious! Look there!" - -Facing the two lost boys was a party of squat, copper-colored little men -with big round heads and straight black hair. They carried bows and -arrows and spears. Their clothes consisted of old sacking, bits of cloth, -anything in fact that would partially cover them. They evidently formed a -hunting party, for some of them carried wild pigs and one or two had a -deer slung on a branch between them. They had crept up quite silently and -now regarded the interlopers intently. - -For an instant the two white boys stood stock-still, as if turned to -stone. Then by a natural impulse, they turned and started to run. But a -spear whizzed through the air after them, transfixing itself quivering in -a tree just above their heads. - -This brought them to a halt. Weapons they had none, for when they paused -they had laid down their rifles and in their precipitate, startled flight -had forgotten to pick them up again. - -Utterly unnerved by this added sheaf to their bundle of misfortunes, the -two Boy Scouts stood facing the Indians who, they had no doubt, formed a -hunting or scouting party sent out by the San Blas tribes that made their -homes back in the mysterious recesses of the mountains where rose the -headwaters of the Chepalta. - - - - - CHAPTER XXV. - A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS. - - -In the meantime Rob and Merritt, working waist deep in the muddy -shallows, had succeeded, after some rather arduous work, in clearing the -stern wheel of its entangling rope. The line had become twisted in and -out of the shaft in such a way that it was necessary in places to cut it -loose. - -When this had been done, Mr. Mainwaring decided that before blowing the -whistle to summon back the young hunters they would give the machinery a -test. Accordingly, when the canoes had been secured to the shore, Rob -reversed the engine and started it up. - -For a moment it whirled and chugged away, straining to back the launch -off the muddy shallows in which she had grounded. The lightly built craft -trembled under the effort. The engine snorted and puffed as more power -was applied. - -"Hooray! We're afloat once more!" cried Merritt triumphantly, as the -launch was caught in the current and swung free. But at the same instant -came an ominous cracking sound. The engine raced wildly and then stopped -as Rob shut off the power. - -"What's the matter now?" cried Mr. Raynor apprehensively, as the launch -began to drift downstream in a helpless way. - -"Wait a minute. I'll see," cried Rob, and then the next instant, "The -driving chain has snapped!" - -"Throw out the anchor before we drift any more," cried Mr. Mainwaring. - -This was done and then Rob set about making an investigation. As he had -declared, the driving chain, which drove the stern wheel just as a -bicycle sprocket is revolved, had parted in the middle. Undoubtedly the -strain that had been placed on it when they were backing the launch off -had proved too much for its strength. - -They regarded the accident with some dismay. - -"Great Scotland! That means we are stuck," exclaimed Merritt. - -"Unquestionably, unless we can make some repairs," admitted Mr. -Mainwaring. - -"Do you think you can fix it, Rob?" asked Mr. Raynor. - -"I might manage to make a temporary link out of wire," replied Rob, "but -I'm afraid it wouldn't hold long against the current." - -"Isn't there a spare chain in the tool locker?" asked Merritt. - -Mr. Mainwaring shook his head. - -"There's nothing for it but to turn back and get a new link forged," he -said. "Too bad!" - -"It is indeed," agreed Rob. "Shall I make a link out of steel wire? I -guess that would be strong enough to carry us down with the stream if we -go slowly." - -"Yes, do so," was the reply. "Merritt, will you sound the return whistle -for Bob Hopkins and Fred?" - -Merritt pulled the cord connecting with the compressed air whistle and -tugged it lustily. Then he paused and blew again, keeping this up for -some time. No reply had come; but as yet they felt no anxiety. It was -likely that the boys would take some time in returning, and the -possibility of their being out of ear-shot of the whistle did not occur -to any of the party. - -But when an hour had passed and then another dragged its slow length away -without bringing any signs of the absentees, anxiety gave place to alarm -and alarm to genuine fear that harm might have overtaken them. They -looked blankly at each other. For a time no one spoke. - -Suddenly, from a great distance as it seemed, there came the sound of a -rifle shot. - -Had they but known it, the sound was caused by Tubby's shot at the band -of monkeys. Although ignorant of its cause, it made the dismayed little -party's spirits pick up a bit to hear at least some sound of the two -young hunters, even though they knew that they must be some distance off. - -"Raynor," ordered Mr. Mainwaring, "I don't know whether that shot was -merely a signal that they are coming, or a signal of distress. In any -event I am going ashore. Rob, you may come with me if you like. Bring -your rifle. Merritt, you keep guard with Mr. Raynor." - -The engineer merely nodded in answer to his chief's orders. Merritt -looked rather disappointed. He would have liked to accompany the -searchers, but as he knew that was impossible he put the best face -possible on the matter and helped Rob and Mr. Mainwaring to get ashore by -means of the plank. - -Almost instantly the jungle swallowed them up. As they vanished from -sight, Raynor sighed. Merritt looking up saw that he looked distressed. -He ventured to ask him what was the matter. - -"I don't just know why, my boy, but I've got an idea that the lads are in -trouble in the woods yonder," he said. "I don't like the idea of that -distant shot." - -"You--you don't think that there are any Indians off in the forest, do -you?" asked Merritt, turning a shade paler. - -"I don't think anything. I don't want to say anything till I'm sure; but -we're not so far from San Blas country that a wandering hunting party -might not happen along through the forest. They have the jungle -honeycombed with paths known only to themselves." - -"But supposing--just supposing that the boys did fall in with them, would -the Indians do them any harm?" - -"Impossible to say, Merritt. This I do know, however, that the Indians' -minds have been worked on by those who are opposed to the canal until -they have been taught to regard all white men as their enemies. They have -been told that the making of the canal will flood out their hunting -grounds and drive them into remoter parts of the country. Naturally, they -regard white men with suspicion and hatred." - -While this conversation was going on, Mr. Mainwaring, whose face was -sadly troubled, and his young companion, had been pushing their way -through the jungle. Fortunately the trail of Tubby and Fred was pretty -well marked where they had shoved their way through the underbrush. -Finally they came to the spot where the two boys had met with the -serpent. Rob examined the ground with the instinct of a true scout and -skillful trapper. Traces of a sudden stoppage and a precipitate flight -off into the jungle were plainly visible. - -But what had caused the boys to beat such a rapid retreat was by no means -so plain. - -"Can you make out anything, Rob?" asked Mr. Mainwaring, after a pause. - -"No, sir," said Rob perplexedly, "except that something appears to have -frightened them just at this point. You can see by their footmarks in -this soft mud that they were running fast when they made off. And see -here, sir, where one of them fell and scrambled up again, going on as -quickly as before." - -"Jove, you can read all that in those tracks?" - -"That's part of the Boy Scout training, sir," rejoined Rob modestly. - -"It's wonderful! Wonderful! But tell me, can you see the signs of any -wild beasts?" - -"Not one. That's what makes it so mysterious. It is plain that something -was after them and yet there are no tracks." - -"Well, we had better follow up the trail they have left through the -jungle. That is our only course, in fact." - -On and on they pursued the trail, going slowly of necessity. Here they -would lose the trail for a time and then again in a few minutes Rob's -cleverness as a Scout would pick it up again by means of a broken blade -of grass or a creeper that had been brushed aside. Never had the young -leader's well-trained faculties been more on the alert than now as he -followed his chum's trail through the trackless jungle. - -And all the while poor Tubby and Fred were wandering further and further -from them. At length they reached the open space where the boys had -paused a while and Tubby had shot at the monkeys overhead. All at once -Rob darted forward. On the ground he had spied a brass shell. They -examined it and found that it tallied with the caliber of Tubby's rifle, -but beyond this there was no further clue. - -Suddenly Rob gave a cry of delight. He eagerly examined what appeared to -Mr. Mainwaring to be nothing more than a clump of pampas grass slightly -bent over to the left. But Rob's quick eye had caught sight of a band of -grass tied round its top just below the bend. To an ordinary person's eye -this would have meant nothing. But to Rob, trained in scouting, it meant -that the two lads they were pursuing had turned to the left. - -On they went again, never flagging through the hot noonday, but patiently -picking up the trail as they went along. Now a scratch on the bark of a -limb would show Rob the direction, presently some trampled grass or -flowers led him on, again he would stumble on one of Tubby's stone or -grass signs. - -All the time the trail kept getting fresher. Their hopes rose high. - -"We're catching up on them," cried Rob. "It's slow but sure; we're -catching up." - -Presently they stood in the space under the tall trees where Tubby and -Fred had paused and where the San Blas Indians had surprised them. Rob, -like a pointer dog, went rapidly hither and thither, crouched low, -looking for the tiny signs which mean so little to an untrained and so -much to a carefully educated eye. - -Suddenly he gave a sharp cry. It brought Mr. Mainwaring to his side in an -instant. - -"Look, sir! Here in this soft earth! The print of bare feet! Very small -bare feet! What does it mean?" - -"Indians!" exclaimed Mr. Mainwaring, his face working. "The trail ends -here, Rob. Oh, my poor boy! My poor boy!" - -And, quite overcome, Mr. Mainwaring sank down on the same log on which, -had he but known it, his son Fred had collapsed but a short time before. -It was a long time that he sat there with his head buried in his hands, -and when he raised his face Rob saw that it was white and strangely -drawn, but full of determination. - -"What are we to do, sir?" demanded Rob. "I'm afraid that, as you say, -there is no doubt they have been carried off; but luckily, I see no signs -of a struggle. Perhaps there is hope." - -Mr. Mainwaring had said nothing and Rob had not told him of his discovery -of a spear that still stuck in the tree into which it had darted -quivering above Tubby's head. He could not find it in his heart to -increase Mr. Mainwaring's distress, and, agitated as he himself was, Rob -had still thoughtfulness enough not to add to another's burdens. - -Presently he repeated his question. - -"Have you any plan, sir?" - -Mr. Mainwaring sprang to his feet; his eyes had a hard glint in them. - -"Yes, I have a plan," he exclaimed, "the only plan that can save them. We -must return at once, get a powerful force and ransack this forest from -end to end. Perhaps if the Indians learn of this, and learn of it they -will quick enough, they will give the boys up." - -Slowly, each busied with his own thoughts, they made their way back -toward the river. But before they reached it, it began to grow dusk. An -uneasy wind sighed in the tops of the forest trees. But for this a -death-like stillness prevailed. - -"We must hurry. A storm is coming on," said Mr. Mainwaring looking -upward. - -Before long they could catch the glint of the river through the trees. -But here a fresh surprise awaited them. There lay the canoes, just as -they had left them; everything looked the same, but of the launch there -was not a sign! - -They could hardly believe their eyes, but the fact remained that the -_Pathfinder_ had vanished; nor was there any trace of its two occupants. -It was at this moment that Rob noticed that the river seemed to be -flowing more swiftly and that its level had risen. - - - - - CHAPTER XXVI. - THE RUINED CITY. - - -It would have been worse than useless for Tubby or Fred to have attempted -flight, as the stout youth had rightly conjectured. Resistance would have -been equally foolhardy. This would have been so in any case, but any move -against the Indians was now rendered doubly dangerous by the fact that -two of the odd-looking little natives had picked up the two rifles the -boys had so foolishly forgotten and were examining them in a way that -showed that they had knowledge enough of the white man's weapons to use -them, should occasion offer. - -After a vast deal of jabbering in their unknown tongue, two of the -Indians bound Tubby's hands behind his back while the others stood guard -to protect their companions against any sudden move. Then came Fred's -turn. This done, the boys were led across the open space to a clump of -trees from amidst which the Indians had first appeared. - -To Tubby's astonishment he saw that a narrow, but well beaten trail ran -through the jungle from this point. But in what direction it led he was, -of course, ignorant. He guessed, however, that it must be one of the -secret Indian paths to which Mr. Raynor had referred. On either side of -the narrow trail the jungle grew up thick and impenetrable. Two Indians -walked in front, then came the boys, behind marched the other Indians. - -"W-w-w-w-what is going to become of us?" quavered Fred as they moved -along at a swift though steady pace. - -"I don't know. I guess we are bound for some village or other back in the -San Blas country. It's a good sign though that they haven't offered us -any violence." - -Fred could not but agree that this was so. But little more talk was -indulged in between the two captives. It was not a situation that adapted -itself to conversation. Hour after hour they trudged along through the -tropical forest until at last they came upon something startling. - -In front of them, as they rounded a curve in the crooked trail, there -suddenly rose up something that seemed menacingly to dispute their -further passage through the forest. - -There, facing them, was a hideous monster carved out of a white stone or -marble, they could not be sure which. The thing loomed ghastly white -against a background of dark trees. Spots of rank moss grew on its -glaring stone face. Its stumpy hands were folded and tucked up on its -breast; its legs and feet, shaped like a water creature's, were drawn up -under its belly. But it was the awful face with its sinister glare that -gave the boys a start that quivered through their frames. As if in proof -of its antiquity the statue was broken in places and leaned slightly to -one side. Through the cracks in the white stone, great, twisted, gnarled -tree trunks, like serpents, writhed in and out. Altogether it was as -horrible an object to come upon in the depths of a great forest as the -mind could conceive. Small wonder the boys shuddered at it. The Indians, -however, did not appear to regard it with much awe. - -"What an awful looking thing!" shuddered Fred, who had turned pale. - -"Pshaw! It's only an old idol," Tubby scoffed, assuming a bold air for -Fred's comfort. "Lots of 'em in this part of the world. Crackers! Fred, I -shouldn't wonder but what we are coming to one of those ancient cities -that have long been supposed to exist in this part of the world. I -think--Great Caesar! Look there, will you?" - -A wilderness of ruins suddenly opened before them as they topped a small -rise. Everywhere was a confusion of tumbled idols, pillars, blocks of -stone, heavy walls, flights of steps, some whole, some tumbling with -decay, others still upright. Roots, branches and curling vines writhed in -and out of the scene of desolation like great snakes. Here and there -trees shot up from the empty walls of roofless palaces. Their restless -shadows waved mournfully above the ruins. Further back stood a building -that surmounted a sort of platform of white stone. It was reached by a -flight of steps on one side. On the other the walls towered up steep and -slippery. They would not have afforded foothold to a fly. - -The Indians marched the boys up the steps leading to this dismal palace. -From the top of the platform they could see over the ruined city in all -directions. And off to one side was a sight that made Tubby's heart beat -more quickly. He had caught the glint of a river, and on its banks he had -seen three canoes drawn up. If only they could reach that stream they -might still escape. But such a prospect appeared to be remote in the -extreme. - -They were marshaled into the chamber within the walls they had noticed -from below. It was of massive but rude architecture and was roofless, but -the walls sloped inward, making any idea of climbing them out of the -question. From cracks in the walls grew tropic plants and creepers. To -the boys' surprise, once within this place, their hands were untied. But -this in itself was a bad sign so far as hope of escape went. It meant -that the Indians knew there was no hope of their captives getting away. - -Two guards were set to watch them at the door, and then the others left. -The guards took up their station at the door with their wicked-looking -spears all ready for instant action. Tubby, with his ruling passion still -strong--and as a matter of fact he was fearfully hungry and faint after -their long march--eyed longingly some red fruit that grew on one of the -shrubs clinging to the wall. He was about to pluck some when Fred drew -him back. - -"Don't touch those, Tubby, they're not good to eat," he exclaimed. "I -recognize the leaf. It's just like a deadly nightshade leaf at home. I -guess they are a giant variety of that poisonous plant." - -"Phew! I'm glad I didn't touch 'em. Would they kill you?" - -"If you ate many. A few would only put you to sleep. They contain a drug -called bella-donna which is a narcotic." - -Just then one of the natives appeared with two earthenware bowls full of -half raw meat. The boys were hungry or they could not have touched the -stuff. As it was, they ate all they could, but left quite a quantity. As -they ate their guards eyed them in an odd way. It looked as if they were -hungry, too, and would have liked to eat. - -The boys could see out through the door, and, after eating all they -could, they amused themselves by looking over the ruined city. They could -see smoke rising some distance off among the trees, and guessed that the -main camp of the Indians was there. Probably, they guessed--and in this -they were right--the superstitious Indians did not like to camp among the -ruins of the lost race, although they had no objection to jailing their -prisoners there. - -As it grew dusk, the sky clouded over. Thunder began to rumble in the -distance and the wind moaned in a most melancholy way among the trees -that overshadowed the ruins. Far off they could hear the Indians shouting -and singing in a coarse, unmusical way. Seemingly they were celebrating -the success of their chase and capture of the two white boys. - -At any rate, they appeared to forget the two guards utterly. It grew dark -and the men still sat there. They had lighted a small fire outside the -ruined temple, or whatever it had been, and the glow of it revealed their -still and silent figures to the boy captives. One of them took some kind -of cake from his girdle presently and took a bite of it. Then he offered -it to his companion who bit into it hungrily. It was plain that the two -Indians were getting hungry. - -Tubby was about to try to conciliate them by offering them what the boys -had left in their bowls, when he had a sudden inspiration. He went to the -wall and began picking some of the berries Fred had told him not to -touch. Fred, who had fallen into a fitful slumber, did not notice him, -and Tubby proceeded uninterruptedly with what he was about. - -It was about a quarter of an hour later and the rumble of the approaching -storm was growing nearer and nearer when Tubby arose and, picking up the -two bowls, approached the guards. Instantly they sprang to their feet and -presented their spear blades at him. But Tubby, by signs, explained that -he and his companion had not been able to eat all their rations and -wanted to give them the rest. - -As Tubby's shrewd mind had guessed from what he had seen, the two guards -were famished. They saw no harm in taking the meat from the prisoner who -was kind enough to offer it. They grabbed the bowls and in a minute, as -it appeared to the astonished fat boy, they had emptied them. Tubby -regarded the two Indians admiringly. He had never seen edibles disposed -of so swiftly. - -When they had eaten, the guards became stern again. They motioned Tubby -back to the interior of the ruinous structure. The stout boy obeyed and -sank down on the floor apparently composing himself to sleep, but in -reality he was watching the two guards with intent eyes. Suddenly he gave -a grunt of satisfaction. The guards began to nod sleepily. One almost -fell over. He recovered himself, but in an instant he was off to sleep -again; as for his companion, after an ineffectual effort to awaken his -comrade, he too sank into a deep slumber, falling across the threshold of -the place. - -Instantly Tubby was all activity. Quickly he aroused Fred. - -"Wake up! Quick! Don't ask questions. Follow me." - -"Why? What?" began Fred sleepily. - -"Not a word. We've got to move quick. I squeezed the juice of those -berries you told me about into the remains of our supper. The guards ate -it. They're fast asleep. It's up to us to cut and run for those canoes on -the river bank." - -Fred was alert in an instant. As he rose softly to his feet a vivid flash -of lightning illumined his face. Tubby saw that it was set and determined -as became a Black Wolf Scout. He gripped Fred's hand tightly. - -"Whatever happens, keep your nerve," he enjoined. - -Then, hand in hand and on tiptoe, the two boys crept toward the doorway. -As they were stepping over one of the sleeping guards Tubby, by the glow -of the fire, saw that a small bag that the fellow had had tied at his -waist had burst as he fell headlong in his slumber, and that a lot of -odd-looking pebbles lay scattered about near it. Yielding to he knew not -what impulse, he stooped and stuffed a handful of the rocks into the -pocket of his Scout coat. - -It was work to bring the lads' hearts into their mouths, this advance out -upon the open platform with the firelight on them to betray their every -movement. Far off they could catch the glow of the Indians' campfire; but -for all they knew other guards might be about and at any minute they -expected to hear a spear or an arrow whiz by them. But nothing of the -sort happened. They reached the river bank in safety. - -The lightning was now flashing incessantly. By its gleam they saw the -canoes, with their paddles alongside, lying as they had last seen them. -Tubby advanced, and, catching hold of one, turned it over. The next -instant he gave a terrified yell. As he had turned it, there had leaped -from under it, where he had evidently been sleeping, an Indian armed with -a spear. - -Before he could cast it, Tubby ducked low and rushed in on the man like a -young bullock. The little San Blas native went down in the mud with a -splash. Tubby wrested the spear from him and sent it flying. As the -Indian struggled to his feet Fred gave him a blow on the mouth that must -have driven some of his teeth in, to judge by the sound. - -"Quick!" ordered Tubby in a tense undertone, "into the water with those -other canoes now." - -"But we only want one." - -"We don't want 'em to chase us, do we?" exclaimed the fat boy sharply. -"Over with 'em I say." - -Fred shoved the two dugouts off. In a jiffy the current caught them and -they went sailing out of sight. At the same instant there came another -flash of lightning. It showed the river, swollen and angry, racing -furiously along. - -"Can you handle a paddle, Fred?" asked Tubby. - -"Yes; I had a canoe on the Hudson," was the reply. - -"Well, this is going to beat any Hudson you ever saw. There's a storm in -the mountains evidently, and the river is rising every minute. It can't -be helped, though. Take a paddle and shove off." - -Luckily both boys knew something about canoes or the start of that dugout -would likewise have been its finish. But they saved it by skillful, swift -handling from a capsize. The next instant they were in it, being hurled -off at a dizzy pace down the rushing current. Behind them came yells and -savage shouts. Their escape had evidently been discovered, probably when -a change of guards was made. - -"Whoop!" shouted Tubby back defiantly. "We're off on the Chagres Limited, -you shirtless sons of iniquity; it'll take better men than you to catch -us now!" - -The cranky canoe rocked wildly, and then shot off into the darkness, -hurtled along by the sweeping current of an unknown river. - - - - - CHAPTER XXVII. - "BE PREPARED." - - -We must now go back to Mr. Raynor and Merritt whom we left in the launch, -a prey to no very enviable thoughts. As the sound of Rob's and Mr. -Mainwaring's footsteps died away in the forest, they fell to speculating -on the fate of their young comrades. All at once Merritt turned to his -companion with an exclamation. - -"Isn't the river current flowing more swiftly?" he asked. - -Mr. Raynor gazed over the side at the muddy stream. - -"It surely is," he decided. "I shouldn't wonder but there's a storm back -in the mountains." - -As the stream flowed more swiftly and with greater volume Merritt looked -with some anxiety at their anchor rope. It was not a particularly thick -one and the stream was tugging frantically at the launch. Suddenly, -without the slightest warning, there was a sharp snapping sound and the -rope parted. Before they had time to exchange a word, the launch was a -hundred yards down stream. It was almost impossible to turn her about or -direct her course, but accident accomplished for them what they had not -been able to do for themselves. The _Pathfinder_ suddenly struck a sand -bank, gave a giddy sort of yaw and swung round, heading bow on down the -stream. - -The next instant the current which was still rising caught her and shot -her off down stream with her bow pointing in the right direction. Mr. -Raynor grabbed the spokes of the steering wheel before the craft had a -chance to smash into the bank and Merritt set the engine slowly going on -reverse so as to check, as much as possible, the furious speed. He had -grave doubts of the patched-up link holding, but he nursed it along as -carefully as he could. - -It was not till they had gone some distance that either of them had a -chance to speak, and then naturally their first words were about those -they had left behind. What anxieties beset them may be imagined. Two of -their number were lost; the pair that had set out to find them would -return either with or without the castaways, but in any case to find the -launch gone. That it was all as unavoidable as fate made no difference to -the seriousness of the situation. - -The _Pathfinder_, handled with consummate skill by Mr. Raynor, reached -the Gatun settlement that evening, and the news spread like wildfire that -the boys were lost and that Mr. Mainwaring had been left, by force of -circumstances, in the forest. Everyone there appreciated the gravity of -the situation. The river was rising and it might be impossible to ascend -it for a week, even if then. - -From the vivid flashes of lightning visible in the far-off peaks it was -clear that back in the wild Cordillera the storm was raging savagely. The -water continued to rise. After supper Mr. Raynor, in charge during Mr. -Mainwaring's absence, wrote out a telegram to Lieut. Col. Goethals -informing him of what had happened. Merritt, who was aching for something -to do, volunteered to take it to the little telegraph office by the -railroad track; for the head official of the canal was in Colon -inspecting the work there, having left the day before in his private car. - -Mr. Raynor, perhaps seeing that Merritt would feel better with some -employment to take his mind off his worry, readily consented. The Boy -Scout set out at once. As he went he looked back at the distant peaks -several times. The lightning was playing a witches' dance above them, and -he thought with a pang of those near and dear to him who might be -wandering at that very moment among them. - -The operator at the Gatun station was a talkative chap and he chatted to -Merritt while he waited for an open wire. He told him that he had had a -busy evening and grumbled quizzically at his own good nature in trying to -please other people. - -"Why, only half an hour ago," he said, "a chap, a young American, I -guess, was in here and borrowed two of my batteries. Said he was -experimenting. Well, I knew him by sight and I let him have 'em. What's -the result? I've had to charge two more and the line don't work as good." - -Merritt only half listened to the voluble operator's relation of his -troubles. But presently he looked up languidly as the operator said -brusquely: - -"Why, here's the chap coming back now. Well, if he's after any more -batteries he don't get 'em." - -A footfall sounded on the platform outside, the door opened and in came a -man at sight of whom Merritt almost fell off his chair. It was the young -man that he had seen in the barn with Jared and with whom the latter had -driven to the station the night of the fire in Hampton. - -Merritt was sitting back in a corner. For the sake of coolness, there was -only one lamp in the place, a shaded one above the operator's table. A -pile of boxes stood close to Merritt and he slipped in behind them. He -had reasons of his own for not wanting to be seen just then. - -"No more batteries," began the operator truculently as the stranger came -in. But the other laughed. - -"It's not batteries this time," he said with a slightly foreign accent. -"It's a telegram I want to send." - -"Oh, that's different. There's one ahead of you, though." - -"All right; there is no hurry. I'll write mine out now." - -The man sat down and rapidly wrote on a sending blank. He handed it in. -The operator looked at it a minute and then handed it back. - -"Sorry; I can't take it." - -"Why not? I can pay you." - -The man drew out a roll of bills. - -"That's not it. Your message is in cipher and we are not allowed to take -such telegrams in the zone." - -"Whose orders?" - -"Lieut. Col. Goethals and the U. S. Government." - -"Curse them both," ground out the stranger angrily. The operator jumped -to his feet. - -"See here, friend," he said, "I'm an American and I think Goethals is a -mighty fine man, too. See the point? There's the door. Now get! I'm -blamed sorry I lent you those batteries, but I'd rather you didn't return -them than come back." - -Without a word the man turned and half slunk out of the door. As he -passed close by Merritt, the Boy Scout heard him mutter: - -"Yes, and you and all Yankees will be sorrier yet before morning." - -Merritt looked around. There was an open door behind him. Quick as a -flash he slipped through it and the next moment was following the man -through a clump of bananas that grew on each side of the road. Dodging -among the broad leaves Merritt kept his quarry in sight and stuck close -to his heels. The man walked on and then suddenly turned aside from the -main road that led back to the "gold-men's" quarters and headed down into -a sort of wild gully running to the river. - -With Merritt close on his heels and blessing the shrubs that grew at the -path-side, the man, quite unconscious that anyone was on his tracks, kept -on. At length he came to a more or less tumble-down hut not far from the -river bank. - -He paused here a minute and gave three low whistles. In response out came -an old negro. - -"Dis funny time ob night to call?" said the old darky questioningly. - -"This is a _good time of night to call_," said the man with a peculiar -emphasis. To Merritt it sounded as if the words just spoken were a sort -of countersign. At any rate nothing more was said. The old negro admitted -the stranger to the hut and closed the door. - -"Now what sort of work is on foot," muttered Merritt to himself. "What -mischief are those rascals up to? It's all most mysterious. This fellow -whom we've seen with Jared first borrows electric batteries and then -tries to send a cipher message. I can't make it out." - -He stood a moment irresolute as to what course to pursue. Should he go -back and tell Mr. Raynor what he had discovered? But the next minute he -decided not to. After all he had no proof; he would try to peep into the -hut and see what was going on. Cautiously he reconnoitered, completely -circling the hut. But not a gleam of light was visible. - -Bit by bit he crept closer, using the utmost caution. At length he got -close to the rear wall and here, to his huge delight, he found a crack -through which he could peer at what was going on within. What he saw made -his heart leap. Round a table were seated Estrada, Alverado, the strange -man and Jared Applegate. Jared's face was white and frightened but the -others wore a sort of deadly composure. In the background stood the old -darky who had opened the door. On the table was a smoky kerosene lamp. - -But on the table also were some objects that puzzled Merritt. There was a -brass lever, not unlike a telegraph key, and by it an array of batteries -with wires leading from them. The strange man was seated near the brass -key, with which he was toying carelessly, and yet with a certain caution. - -"Be careful," Alverado was warning him, "don't be premature, my dear -Castro; in your eagerness you have already broken two batteries." - -"Yes, but the accommodating station agent replaced them. Ha! ha! if he -had known what they were for! But he wouldn't handle cipher, confound -him!" - -"That was the order of these hated Yankees. But after to-night we shall -triumph over them. One touch of that key in the right direction and----" - -Estrada, who was speaking, spread his hands expressively. The others' -eyes blazed; only Jared cowered and looked badly frightened. - -"Why can't you put it off till I get out of the country?" he begged. - -"So we would have, because of the service you did us in showing us where -to place the--the little matter you know of. But you have been well -rewarded. Why repine? As for putting it off, what time like the present? -Mainwaring is away and those cursed little rats of spies, Boy Scouts, as -you call them, are with him. We are safe." - -But Jared only cowered and quivered the more. As for Alverado, who had -uttered the words just recorded, he lit a fresh cigarette and regarded -the whining youth with scorn. - -Merritt's blood almost froze as he looked on at this strange scene. He -had a quick mind, and from almost the first he had guessed what that -paraphernalia on the table meant, what the "patriots," as they doubtless -called themselves, were waiting for. But the Boy Scout did not wait. He -ran, as if on wings, from that hut in the hollow, his pulses beating like -snare drums and a fearful doubt assailing his mind. - -"Would he be too late?" That was the fear that pounded at Merritt's brain -as he raced along for the "gold-men's" row of houses. At the summit of -the little hill, leading up from the hollow of the hut, he stumbled over -something, something that entangled his foot. He leaned to examine it and -then gave an astonished cry. The next moment he had whipped out his scout -knife and cut his foot loose of the encumbrance. After that for some -reason he went more slowly, but still he ran, ran to summon aid for Uncle -Sam against a gang of foul plotters. - - * * * * * * * * - -Half an hour later the scene in the hut was not much changed, but a tense -silence had fallen over its inmates. On every face was a strained, -anxious look, yet underlaid by an expression of exultation. Jared alone -was missing. In an agony of fear and remorse he had broken from the hut a -short time before. They had not tried to check him. - -"Ready?" said Estrada, who held a watch. He was deadly pale. - -The strange young man by the table shoved back a stray lock of black hair -with long, thin fingers. One hand trembled on that brass key that Merritt -had noticed. - -"Let the invader! the usurper! the tyrant take warning from to-night!" -cried Alverado solemnly in a declamatory tone. - -Suddenly there came a crash outside. The door was carried inward off its -hinges. A crowd of men, in the uniform of the Gatun police, burst into -the room. - -"Seize that man!" cried Mr. Raynor, who was in the lead. He pointed to -the strange young man whose fingers were already pressing the key -downward. - -"Betrayed!" shrieked Alverado as a revolver was knocked upward out of his -hand. - -The police, taking no chances after this, sprang forward toward the man -at the key with leveled weapons. - -"Surrender!" they called out. - -"Not till I've blown Uncle Sam's work to Kingdom Come!" cried the wretch -with a hideous laugh. - -His fingers pressed the key. But no earth-shaking explosion followed. The -tons of dynamite that had been cunningly concealed in a spill-way half a -mile off did not explode. The Gatun Dam was not hoisted skyward and the -work of years ruined. - -There was only a feeble "click," echoed by two more as the handcuffs were -snapped on Alverado and Estrada. - -Mr. Raynor fairly embraced Merritt and the rest crowded round him. - -"If it hadn't been for you, my boy, and your presence of mind in guessing -what that wire was you stumbled across and cutting it, the dam might have -been blown up in accordance with this wretch's desires," he declared, and -then, as the miscreant, who had in vain tried to send the fatal spark to -the dynamite, was made a prisoner, Mr. Raynor raised his voice: - -"Three cheers for the Boy Scouts!" he cried, "and in particular for -Merritt Crawford of the Eagles. Had it not been for his quick wits in -guessing that a plot was on foot when he saw that wretch yonder at the -Gatun station, this might have been a black night for Uncle Sam and the -Panama Canal." - -The cheers were given with right good will. Soon afterward the prisoners, -including the old black man, were marched off to the lock-up maintained -at Gatun for offenders on the canal work, although, it is safe to say, it -never before housed such monsters as the would-be dynamiters of the Gatun -Dam. - -"If only the rest were here and safe," said Merritt to Mr. Raynor late -that night, "I should be perfectly happy. As it is I don't feel as if I -could rest till we are reunited." - - * * * * * * * * - -It was the next day that the entire community, already wild with -excitement over the discovery of the plot against the dam and the capture -of the chief conspirators, was treated to a fresh thrill. Down the river, -which had somewhat subsided, came two canoes. In the first one were Rob -and Mr. Mainwaring. In the second sat Tubby and Fred. How they had met is -soon explained. - -As Tubby had guessed, the river they had seen from the ruins was the -Chepalta. Its swift current had carried them into the Chagres itself and -in course of time they came to the spot where Mr. Mainwaring and Fred, -sadly distressed and worried over the loss of the launch, had decided to -spend the night. They had built a roaring fire to keep off serpents or -wild beasts, and Tubby and Fred, as soon as they saw the blaze, had made -for it. In a few seconds a joyful reunion had taken place. As more sleep -that night was out of the question, they had waited till the first flush -of dawn and then emptied one of the provision canoes. In this Mr. -Mainwaring and Rob seated themselves and they all paddled back to -civilization. - -Their amazement when they heard of what had been taking place at Gatun -during their absence may be, to use a phrase hackneyed but apt, "better -imagined than described." There is no space here to relate all that -followed or to give the details of the trial and sentencing of the -rascally plotters. It was found, for they confessed in hope of immunity, -that the plot was far more widely organized than had been thought. Dozens -of laborers were implicated before the end, and it was the number engaged -that had made it possible for them to elude the vigilance of the Gatun -Guards, secrete so much dynamite and then connect it with wires to the -lonely hut in the hollow. As for the strange young man, it was found that -he had been a chemist specializing on explosives, who had thought to -avenge his country's fancied wrongs by enlisting with the plotters. - -Had it not been for Merritt, who received the personal congratulations of -Col. Goethals and the Commission, there is little doubt but that the -great dam might have been damaged almost beyond hope of reconstruction. -The boy bore his honors modestly, as became a true Scout, and of course -the story did not get to the newspapers, so that he was spared the -embarrassment of being interviewed and lionized. His comrades felt for -him nothing but pride and admiration. - -Those pebbles that Tubby picked up proved to be raw emeralds of great -value and you may be sure that each of his friends was presented with -one. The chums of Lucy Mainwaring, too, have noticed that she now wears a -brooch set with a magnificent emerald, by which she seems to set great -store. Who gave it to her we will leave our readers to guess. - -Jared Applegate managed in some way to evade the drag-net set for him, -and has not been seen or heard of since the night he slipped out of the -hut overcome at the last minute by the thought of the terrible crime he -had committed. - - -I should like to linger with you in this fascinating old land with its -new interests and tell you how the ruined city in which Tubby and Fred -passed such an uncomfortable time was explored and rare treasures of -antiquity found. I should also like to relate more of the adventures that -befell the chums among the "Gold-men" of the Isthmus, but I must content -myself with what has been written and my readers with the prophecy that -the future will be able to recall no more noble achievement than this -that has been the subject of our tale. - -You are assured, however, that the Boy Scouts returned to their studies -and to the States better citizens, better patriots and better Scouts for -the exciting times they spent on Uncle Sam's big ditch--the eighth -wonder, and the greatest of the world. Let every American boy, who gets a -chance, see it. It will strengthen and cement his love for the Stars and -Stripes and for the U. S. A., the country that put the gigantic -enterprise through in spite of almost overwhelming difficulties. - -And now the time has come to say good-bye to the Boy Scouts. So wishing -them well in everything they undertake and hoping that they may ever be -"good scouts and true," the author bids a reluctant adieu to them and to -the readers who have followed the "Eagles" through their many adventures. - - - THE END - - - _SAVE THE WRAPPER!_ - -_If_ you have enjoyed reading about the adventures of the new friends you -have made in this book and would like to read more clean, wholesome -stories of their entertaining experiences, turn to the book jacket--on -the inside of it, a comprehensive list of Burt's fine series of carefully -selected books for young people has been placed for your convenience. - -_Orders for these books, placed with your bookstore or sent to the -Publishers, will receive prompt attention._ - - - BOY SCOUT SERIES - By LIEUT. HOWARD PAYSON - -A lively, interesting series of stories of travel, life in camp, hunting, -hiking, sports and adventure. No boy should miss these tales of -self-reliance, resourcefulness and courage, in which every enjoyment -known to scout activity is accurately depicted. - - Attractively Bound in Cloth. - - THE BOY SCOUTS OF THE EAGLE PATROL - A speed boat race and an old sea captain give the Eagle Patrol a busy - summer. - THE BOY SCOUTS ON THE RANGE - Rob Blake and his friends among the cowboys and Indians in Arizona. - THE BOY SCOUTS AND THE ARMY AIRSHIP - The Hampton Academy boys discover a plot to steal Government airplane - plans. - THE BOY SCOUTS' MOUNTAIN CAMP - The Boy Scouts find a band of "Moonshiners," a lost cave and a hidden - fortune. - THE BOY SCOUTS FOR UNCLE SAM - The trial trip of a new submarine, a strange derelict and a treasure - hunt. - THE BOY SCOUTS AT THE PANAMA CANAL - Hunting and exploring in the tangled forests of Panama. - THE BOY SCOUTS UNDER FIRE IN MEXICO - Searching for General Villa in War-torn Mexico. - THE BOY SCOUTS ON BELGIAN BATTLEFIELDS - Between the lines in Belgium during the World War. - THE BOY SCOUTS WITH THE ALLIES IN FRANCE - Raiding Uhlans, spies, and air-raids in War-wrecked France. - THE BOY SCOUTS AT THE PANAMA-PACIFIC EXPOSITION - The adventures of four scouts at the Exposition in San Francisco. - THE BOY SCOUTS UNDER SEALED ORDERS - The Boy Scouts' exciting experiences while searching for stolen - Government property. - THE BOY SCOUTS' CAMPAIGN FOR PREPAREDNESS - The Eagle Patrol on duty in a Government munition plant. - - - For Sale by All Booksellers, or Sent Postpaid on Receipt of Price by - the Publishers - A. L. BURT COMPANY - 114-120 EAST 23d STREET NEW YORK - - - The Golden Boys Series - - BY L. P. WYMAN, PH.D. - Dean of Pennsylvania Military College. - - -A new series of instructive copyright stories for boys of High School -Age. - - Handsome Cloth Binding. - - PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH - POSTAGE 10c EXTRA - - THE GOLDEN BOYS AND THEIR NEW ELECTRIC CELL - THE GOLDEN BOYS AT THE FORTRESS - THE GOLDEN BOYS IN THE MAINE WOODS - THE GOLDEN BOYS WITH THE LUMBER JACKS - THE GOLDEN BOYS RESCUED BY RADIO - THE GOLDEN BOYS ALONG THE RIVER ALLAGASH - THE GOLDEN BOYS AT THE HAUNTED CAMP - THE GOLDEN BOYS ON THE RIVER DRIVE - THE GOLDEN BOYS SAVE THE CHAMBERLAIN DAM - THE GOLDEN BOYS ON THE TRAIL - -For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers - A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK - - - _The Boy Allies_ - (Registered in the United States Patent Office) - _With the Army_ - - BY CLAIR W. HAYES - - For Boys 12 to 16 Years. - All Cloth Bound Copyright Titles - - -In this series we follow the fortunes of two American lads unable to -leave Europe after war is declared. They meet the soldiers of the Allies, -and decide to cast their lot with them. Their experiences and escapes are -many, and furnish plenty of good, healthy action that every boy loves. - - THE BOY ALLIES AT LIEGE; or, Through Lines of Steel. - THE BOY ALLIES ON THE FIRING LINE; or, Twelve Days' Battle Along the - Marne. - THE BOY ALLIES WITH THE COSSACKS; or, A Wild Dash Over the Carpathians. - THE BOY ALLIES IN THE TRENCHES; or, Midst Shot and Shell Along the - Aisne. - THE BOY ALLIES IN GREAT PERIL; or, With the Italian Army in the Alps. - THE BOY ALLIES IN THE BALKAN CAMPAIGN; or, The Struggle to Save a - Nation. - THE BOY ALLIES ON THE SOMME; or, Courage and Bravery Rewarded. - THE BOY ALLIES AT VERDUN; or, Saving France from the Enemy. - THE BOY ALLIES UNDER THE STARS AND STRIPES; or, Leading the American - Troops to the Firing Line. - THE BOY ALLIES WITH HAIG IN FLANDERS; or, The Fighting Canadians of - Vimy Ridge. - THE BOY ALLIES WITH PERSHING IN FRANCE; or, Over the Top at Chateau - Thierry. - THE BOY ALLIES WITH MARSHAL FOCH; or, The Closing Days of the Great - World War. - -For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers - A. L. BURT COMPANY - 114-128 EAST 23d STREET NEW YORK - - - _The Boy Allies_ - (Registered in the United States Patent Office) - _With the Navy_ - - BY ENSIGN ROBERT L. DRAKE - - For Boys 12 to 16 Years. - All Cloth Bound Copyright Titles - - PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH - Postage 10c Extra - - -Frank Chadwick and Jack Templeton, young American lads, meet each other -in an unusual way soon after the declaration of war. Circumstances place -them on board the British cruiser, "The Sylph," and from there on, they -share adventures with the sailors of the Allies. Ensign Robert L. Drake, -the author, is an experienced naval officer, and he describes admirably -the many exciting adventures of the two boys. - - THE BOY ALLIES ON THE NORTH SEA PATROL; or, Striking the First Blow at - the German Fleet. - THE BOY ALLIES UNDER TWO FLAGS; or, Sweeping the Enemy from the Sea. - THE BOY ALLIES WITH THE FLYING SQUADRON; or, The Naval Raiders of the - Great War. - THE BOY ALLIES WITH THE TERROR OF THE SEA; or, The Last Shot of - Submarine D-16. - THE BOY ALLIES UNDER THE SEA; or, The Vanishing Submarine. - THE BOY ALLIES IN THE BALTIC; or, Through Fields of Ice to Aid the - Czar. - THE BOY ALLIES AT JUTLAND; or, The Greatest Naval Battle of History. - THE BOY ALLIES WITH UNCLE SAM'S CRUISERS; or, Convoying the American - Army Across the Atlantic. - THE BOY ALLIES WITH THE SUBMARINE D-32; or, The Fall of the Russian - Empire. - THE BOY ALLIES WITH THE VICTORIOUS FLEETS; or, The Fall of the German - Navy. - -For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers - A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK - - - The Radio Boys Series - - BY GERALD BRECKENRIDGE - - A new series of copyright titles for boys of all ages. - - Cloth Bound, with Attractive Cover Designs - - PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH - POSTAGE 10c EXTRA - - THE RADIO BOYS ON THE MEXICAN BORDER - THE RADIO BOYS ON SECRET SERVICE DUTY - THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE REVENUE GUARDS - THE RADIO BOYS' SEARCH FOR THE INCA'S TREASURE - THE RADIO BOYS RESCUE THE LOST ALASKA EXPEDITION - THE RADIO BOYS IN DARKEST AFRICA - THE RADIO BOYS SEEK THE LOST ATLANTIS - THE RADIO BOYS WITH THE BORDER PATROL - THE RADIO BOYS AS SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE - -For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers - A L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK - - - The Lakewood Boys Series - - By L. P. WYMAN, Ph. D. - - -A new series of copyright stories for boys of High School Age by the -Author of "The Golden Boys Series." - - Cloth Bound with Attractive Cover Designs. - - PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH - POSTAGE 10c EXTRA - - THE LAKEWOOD BOYS ON THE LAZY S - THE LAKEWOOD BOYS AND THE LOST MINE - THE LAKEWOOD BOYS IN THE FROZEN NORTH - THE LAKEWOOD BOYS AND THE POLO PONIES - THE LAKEWOOD BOYS IN THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS - THE LAKEWOOD BOYS IN MONTANA - THE LAKEWOOD BOYS IN THE AFRICAN JUNGLE - -For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers - A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK - - - Border Boys Series - - By Fremont B. Deering - -Mexican and Canadian Frontier Stories for Boys 12 to 16 Years. - - PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH - POSTAGE 10c EXTRA - - _With Individual Jackets in Colors._ - Cloth Bound - - BORDER BOYS ON THE TRAIL - BORDER BOYS ACROSS THE FRONTIER - BORDER BOYS WITH THE MEXICAN RANGERS - BORDER BOYS WITH THE TEXAS RANGERS - BORDER BOYS IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES - BORDER BOYS ALONG THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER - -For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers - A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK - - - The Ranger Boys Series - - BY CLAUDE H. LA BELLE - -A new series of copyright titles for Boys 12 to 16 years telling of the -adventures of three boys with the Forest Rangers in the state of Maine. - - Handsome Cloth Binding. - - PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH - POSTAGE 10c EXTRA - - THE RANGER BOYS TO THE RESCUE - THE RANGER BOYS FIND THE HERMIT - THE RANGER BOYS AND THE BORDER SMUGGLERS - THE RANGER BOYS OUTWIT THE TIMBER THIEVES - THE RANGER BOYS AND THEIR REWARD - -For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers - A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK - - - FRANK ARMSTRONG SERIES - - By MATTHEW M. COLTON - -Six Exceptional Stories of College Life, Describing Athletics from Start -to Finish. For Boys 10 to 15 Years. - - - PRICE, 50 CENTS EACH - POSTAGE 10c EXTRA - - Cloth Bound - _With Attractive Jackets in Colors._ - - FRANK ARMSTRONG'S VACATION - FRANK ARMSTRONG AT QUEENS - FRANK ARMSTRONG'S SECOND TERM - FRANK ARMSTRONG, DROP KICKER - FRANK ARMSTRONG, CAPTAIN OF THE NINE - FRANK ARMSTRONG AT COLLEGE - -For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers - A. L. BURT COMPANY, 114-120 E. 23d St., NEW YORK - - - - - * * * * * * * * - - - - -Transcriber's note: - ---Obvious typographical errors were corrected without comment. - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOY SCOUTS AT THE PANAMA CANAL*** - - -******* This file should be named 42077.txt or 42077.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/2/0/7/42077 - - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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