canal will unite the two oceans," spoke the
Spaniard in his formal manner.

"Well, I don't know as you'd call it _bad_ news," said Blake,
slowly. "We've gotten sort of used to being sent to the ends of
the earth on short notice, but what gets me--excuse me for putting
it that way--what surprises me is that this is the first Mr.
Hadley has mentioned Panama to us."

"Is that so?" asked Mr. Alcando. "Why, I understood that you knew
all about his plans."

"No one knows _all_ about Hadley's plans," said Joe in a low
voice. "He makes plans as he goes along and changes them in his
sleep. But this one about Panama is sure a new one to us."

"That's right," chimed in Blake.

"We were speaking of the big ditch shortly before the runaway came
past," went on Blake, "but that was only a coincidence, of course.
We had no idea of going there, and I can't yet understand what Mr.
Hadley refers to when he says we may take you there with us, to
show you some of the inside workings of making moving pictures."

"Did you read the letter all the way through?" Joe asked.

"No, but--"

"Perhaps I can explain," interrupted the Spaniard. "If you will
kindly allow me. I came to New York with an express purpose in
view. That purpose has now suffered--but no matter. I must not
speak of that!" and there seemed to be a return of his queer,
tragic manner.

"I am connected with the Equatorial Railroad Company," he resumed,
after a momentary pause, during which he seemed to regain control
of himself. "Our company has recently decided to have a series of
moving pictures made, showing life in our section of the South
American jungle, and also what we have done in the matter of
railroad transportation, to redeem the jungle, and make it more
fit for habitation.

"As one of the means of interesting the public, and, I may say,
in interesting capitalists, moving pictures were suggested. The
idea was my own, and was adopted, and I was appointed to arrange
the matter. But in order that the right kind of moving pictures
might be obtained, so that they would help the work of our
railroad, I decided I must know something of the details--how the
pictures are made, how the cameras are constructed, how the
pictures are projected--in short all I could learn about the
business I desired to learn.

"My company sent me to New York, and there, on inquiry, I learned
of the Film Theatrical Company. I had letters of introduction, and
I soon met Mr. Hadley. He