sloppy brown uniforms and a variety of
hats. They carried rifles and there were bandoliers of cartridges across
their chests and grenades at their belts.

"Can you see?" Rick whispered.

"Fine," Scotty whispered back.

They sat in the jeep, waiting. Rick kept the motor idling, knowing that
the sound would be inaudible a short distance away.

The troops reached the point the boys had selected. It was a big papaya
about fifty feet beyond the dynamite. Scotty pushed the plunger. The
dynamite exploded.

Rick raced the motor, then shifted into gear. Scotty cut the wires loose
with one flick of his knife and Rick lurched onto the road and fled
toward the hotel as fast as he could accelerate.

Through the rear-view mirror he could see the troops scatter and knew
they had slowed things down for a few minutes at least. The last view he
had was of one man, evidently an officer, trying to rally the troops
again.

Rick rounded the turn leading to the hotel grounds and saw that the
scientists were waiting in the jeeps, ready to roll. He slowed long
enough to yell, "Let's go," then led the way down the road to the front
of the hotel and into Calor.

The next problem was to find a place to stay. Honorario advised staying
away from the big hotels on the beach and suggested a smaller but quite
comfortable hostelry on the outskirts of town. Rick was pleased to see
that it was located right on the water, at the point where the long San
Luz beach began. But he doubted there would be time for swimming.

The Hotel Internationale was comfortable, and more than adequate. The
scientists congratulated each other on being able to get rooms.
Fortunately, as the manager explained, it was not yet full _turista_
time. If they were prepared to double up, two to a room, he could
accommodate them.

Rick and Scotty drew a room on the second floor. The bath was down the
hall, but they didn't mind that. Hartson Brant and Hobart Zircon shared
the largest room, and there was a large porch that could be used as a
meeting place.

The hotel also had a basement room that the manager was glad to turn
over for the equipment--at a slight fee, naturally. But he boggled when
the boys appeared with cases of dynamite on their shoulder.

"Leave it to me," Honorario suggested. "I will find a place that will be
safe."

Rick was glad to leave it to Honorario. He was anxious to get in touch
with Montoya, to explain what had happened. The police station was