l Ducrot.

As some one was sure to take their money, he thought it might as well
go to his mother-in-law elect. The young man in the Panama expressed
the deepest gratitude, and Billy, assuring him he would see him later,
continued to the power-house, still wondering where he had seen him
before.

At the power-house he found seated at his desk a large, bearded stranger
whose derby hat and ready-to-wear clothes showed that he also had but
just arrived on the PRINZ DER NEDERLANDEN.

"You William Barlow?" demanded the stranger. "I understand you been
threatening, unless you get your pay raised, to commit sabotage on these
works?"

"Who the devil are you?" inquired Billy.

The stranger produced an impressive-looking document covered with seals.

"Contract with the president," he said. "I've taken over your job. You
better get out quiet," he advised, "as they've given me a squad of
nigger policemen to see that you do."

"Are you aware that these works are the property of the Wilmot Company?"
asked Billy, "and that if anything went wrong here they'd hold you
responsible?" The stranger smiled complacently.

"I've run plants," he said, "that make these lights look like a stable
lantern on a foggy night."

"In that case," assented Billy, "should anything happen, you'll know
exactly what to do, and I can leave you in charge without feeling the
least anxiety."

"That's just what you can do," the stranger agreed heartily, "and you
can't do it too quick!" From the desk he took Billy's favorite pipe and
loaded it from Billy's tobacco-jar. But when Billy had reached the door
he called to him. "Before you go, son," he said "you might give me a tip
about this climate. I never been in the tropics. It's kind of unhealthy,
ain't it?"

His expression was one of concern.

"If you hope to keep alive," began Billy, "there are two things to
avoid----" The stranger laughed knowingly.

"I got you!" he interrupted. "You're going to tell me to cut out wine
and women."

"I was going to tell you," said Billy, "to cut out hoping to collect any
wages and to avoid every kind of soup."

From the power-house Billy went direct to the palace. His anxiety was
great. Now that Claire had consented to leave Hayti, the loss of his
position did not distress him. But the possible loss of his back pay
would be a catastrophe. He had hardly enough money to take them both
to New York, and after they arrived none with which to keep them alive.
Befor