e start, so I thought I'd kid a bit. Maybe that's
what this darn sun down here does to a fellow. To be serious though--and
out of order, I guess--anything in Tiger's message that I should know?"

"Just what we told you," Dave replied pleasantly. "Our survey job is
held up until Colonel Welsh arrives. Which will be midnight tonight."

Major Parker looked disappointed. Then he sighed, and grinned.

"Okay," he said, "we'll let it go at that. If he had wanted me to know
anything, he'd have sent me a message, too. Well, as I said, the place
is yours. I've got some paper work to do, so I'll have to leave you for
a spell. Don't hesitate to make yourselves at home. If there is anything
you want, just yell. See you later."

"Yes, sir, and thanks for everything," Dawson said. He and Farmer also
rose as the senior officer got to his feet.

"Think nothing of it," the major said with a wave of his hand. "And have
fun, if you can find any fun around this place." With a smile and a nod,
he went through the mess door.

Freddy looked at Dawson, and Dawson looked right back at him.

"Nice enough chap, isn't he?" the English youth finally broke the
silence.

"Yes, he's okay," Dawson agreed. "I guess he is going bats down here
with nothing to do. That is, nothing in his own line of work. Say,
Freddy?"

"Yes, Dave."

"How about walking down some of this swell meal, huh?" Dave suggested.
"I could do with a walk around. And like Colonel Welsh, I'm not so keen
about four walls."

"A top-hole idea," Freddy Farmer said gravely, and brushed a couple of
crumbs off the skirt of his tunic. "I know just what you mean, old
thing. I've been thinking about it myself. Yes, definitely a top-hole
idea. Let's get along, shall we?"

"Yeah, let's," Dawson murmured, and led the way toward the mess door.

CHAPTER SEVEN

_Blackout_

The setting sun was turning the waters of Paria Gulf between Trinidad
and Venezuela to blood red as Dawson and Farmer strolled along a
footpath that skirted a huge sugar plantation close to the San Fernando
field. As neither had ever set foot on Trinidad before, the many and
strange sights that met their wandering gaze took up all of their
attention, and the thought that was in the back of each youth's mind was
not given utterance for quite some time.

Presently, though, Dawson came to a full stop, took a deep breath, and
squatted down on the ground.

"Let's rest and watch the sunset," he said. "It looks