commented Jim.

"It ought," said Joe gloomily. "But you know the old saying that 'a lie
will go round the world while truth is getting its boots on.'"

Still he felt better, and by the time he got back to the hotel and met the
girls, he had so far regained his usual poise that he could tell them all
about it with some measure of self-control.

"Why, Joe! how could they dare do such a thing as that?" exclaimed Mabel,
her eyes flashing fire.

"It's about the meanest thing I ever heard of!" cried his sister.

"They ought to be sued for libel, don't you know," broke in Reggie. "If
you sued them, Joe, you might get quite heavy damages."

"It's a pity you can't put somebody in jail for it," was Mabel's further
comment.

"Yes, that's what ought to happen!" cried Clara.

Both of the girls were wild with indignation. Although Mabel at one time,
influenced by the arguments of Braxton that Joe was not really bound by a
one-sided contract, had spoken to him about it in a guarded way, Joe had
shown her so clearly his moral obligation that he had convinced her
absolutely. And now she was angry clear through at the blow in the dark
that had been launched against him.

"Who could have done such a contemptible thing?" she cried.

"It must have been that horrid Westland!" exclaimed Clara.

"Maybe," agreed her brother. "I rather hope it was."

"Why?" asked Jim curiously.

"Because," gritted Joe through his teeth, "he's a big fellow and I won't
be ashamed to hit him."

CHAPTER XXV

THE COBRA IN THE ROOM

Ceylon was a land of wonders to the tourists. Here they were in the very
heart of the Orient. Rare flowers and strange plants grew in glorious
profusion, the air was odorous with a thousand scents, and it was hard for
them to realize that at that very moment America might be suffering from
zero weather or swept by blizzards. Here life moved along serenely and
dreamily, lulled by the sound of birds and drone of locusts, wrapped in
the warm folds of eternal summer.

"It's an earthly Eden!" murmured Clara, as she and Jim walked along one of
the main streets of Colombo, followed at a little distance by Joe and
Mabel.

"Yes," replied Jim with a laugh, "and not even the snake is missing."

He pointed to a group of natives and Europeans on the other side of the
street who were gathered about a snake charmer.

"Ugh, the horrid things!" exclaimed Clara with a shudder.

"Let's go over and take a look," suggested Ji