ing
about the world's great canals."

"We don't know anything," said Fred. "We heard you talking this
morning, but how much of what you said is true nobody knows, not even
yourself."

"It's all true," retorted Grant. "As I told you I wasn't willing to
start on a trip like this without knowing something about what I was
doing."

"When do you start on that new line?" laughed George.

"It doesn't make any difference," said Grant. "Now the Panama Canal,
for example belongs to the United States, doesn't it?"

"It does," acknowledged Fred.

"Well, now as a future citizen of this country just tell me between
what places that canal extends. If there is one fellow in this crowd
who can give me the right answer I will pay for the dinner for all the
Go Ahead boys."

"Panama," said John promptly.

"Panama what?" retorted Grant sharply.

"Why the Panama Canal is located at the City of Panama," said John
somewhat abashed by the manner of his friend.

"That's good as far as it goes," said Grant, "but I want to know if you
know where the other end of the canal is located."

The three boys looked blankly at one another and for an instant no one
spoke.

"The canal extends between Colon and the City of Panama," said Grant
hastily.

"That's exactly what I was going to say," said George. "You took the
words right out of my mouth. You did it so that you wouldn't have to
pay for the dinner to-morrow. I guess every one of us knows where the
Panama Canal is."

"All right," said Grant. "I'll take your word for it, if you'll tell me
how long it is."

Again there was silence among the Go Ahead boys as they glanced
foolishly at one another.

"Of course every young American is sure to know such simple facts as
that," said Grant condescendingly, "but for my own satisfaction, I am
willing to state that it is exactly fifty and one-half miles long."

"How deep is it?" said Fred sharply.

"It is about forty-one feet," answered Grant promptly. "Of course in
the lakes it is deeper than that and it is from three hundred to six
hundred and forty-nine feet wide. Why, I don't believe," he continued,
"that some American boys I happen to know although they passed right
through it, could tell me how long the Sault Ste. Marie Canal is. I
have a dim suspicion too that they don't know what it connects."

"I know that," said George. "It connects Lake Superior with St. Mary's
River and Lake Huron."

"I'm glad you're right once in your life