y pleasant, could
not truthfully say that they felt for him the comradeship they
might have manifested toward one of their own nationality. He was
polite and considerate toward them--almost too polite at times,
but that came natural to him, perhaps.

He was a little older than Joe and Blake, but he did not take
advantage of that. He seemed to have fully recovered from the
accident, though there was a nervousness in his actions at times
that set the boys to wondering. And, occasionally, Blake or Joe
would catch him surreptitiously looking at them in a strange
manner.

"I wonder what's up?" said Blake to Joe, after one of those
occasions. "He sure does act queer."

"That's what I say," agreed Joe. "It's just as though he were
sorry he had to be under obligations to us, if you can call it
that, for saving his life."

"That's how it impresses me. But perhaps we only imagine it.
Hello, here comes Mr. Baker with the mail! We ought to hear from
New York."

"Hasn't Birdie Lee written yet?" asked Joe.

"Oh, drop that!" warned Blake, his eyes flashing.

There was a letter from Mr. Hadley, in which he conveyed news and
information that made Blake and Joe definitely decide to make the
trip to Panama.

"And take Alcando with us?" asked Joe.

"I suppose so," said Blake, though it could not be said that his
assent was any too cordial.

"Then we'd better tell him, so he'll know it is settled."

"All right. We can ride over on the motor cycle."

A little later, after a quick trip on the "gasoline bicycle," the
moving picture boys were at the only hotel of which Central Falls
boasted. Mr. Alcando was in his room, the clerk informed the boys,
and they were shown up.

"Enter!" called the voice of the Spaniard, as they knocked. "Ah,
it is you, my young friends!" he cried, as he saw them, and
getting up hastily from a table on which were many papers, he
began hastily piling books on top of them.

"For all the world," said Joe, later, "as though he were afraid
we'd see something."

"I am delighted that you have called," the Spaniard said, "and I
hope you bring me good news."

"Yes," said Blake, "we are going--"

As he spoke there came in through the window a puff of air, that
scattered the papers on the table. One, seemingly part of a
letter, was blown to Blake's feet. He picked it up, and, as he
handed it back to Mr. Alcando, the lad could not help seeing part
of a sentence. It read:

"... go to Panama, get all th