ything," shouted Vinton, "but reckon that's
her lay. What's she after?"

"Dynamite."

"By thunder!" ejaculated the captain in a low tone of awe.

"Yes, that's just what they'll do, if they can," Billy commented with
one of his irrepressible grins. "They'll buy thunder. You've said
it, Cap! But what'll they use it for?"

Vinton paid not the slightest heed to Billy's poor pun. Instead,
while Alec gave Billy a dig in the ribs, the captain put the same
question to Kelsey.

"Oh, you know they've started another one of those dinky revolutions
in Panama, two generals fighting for the presidency," explained
Kelsey. He no longer was obliged to shout curtailed messages
through his megaphone, but spoke through it in a tone only a few
degrees louder than ordinarily; for the sloop and the steamer
were now almost alongside. "Well, the U.S. and Cuba want to stay
entirely out of the little war game; but one side of the revolution,
the Visteros, are sore at Uncle Sam and trying to make him take
a hand. They've got agents in all the Gulf states, in Cuba and
Hayti, and they're trying to stir up trouble."

What kind o trouble?

"Any old kind. They're not particular as to the brand. It's war
stores they want, and discontented loafers for soldiers of fortune.
And the Visteros are stealing dynamite to threaten the Canal."

"Bosh!" roared Vinton in a loud guffaw. "They couldn't do it! Let
'em try!"

"Yes,---let 'em! But meanwhile, we're out to put the kibosh on this
smuggling. By the way, Vinton, now that you've made your report, you
can turn around again when you've got the wind, and go back up along
the coast. No need to go to Key West now."

"Hum-mp!" grunted Dave. "Waste time, get sick---all for nuthin'!"

"Shut up, you greasy Seminole!" muttered Vinton, and he turned away
scornfully. "All right, we will," he called to the _Petrel_. "What
you goin' to do?"

"First find out if that craft hid anything over there behind that key
where she was lying, and then follow her."

More confabbing of an unimportant and general nature followed
between Vinton and Kelsey and the man in tweeds, who was evidently
the special correspondent of some newspaper. At the end of the
conference, Kelsey called out:

"Well, I guess we'll mosey on, Lem. Goodby and good luck to you.
If you meet any smugglers in the upper 'glades or along the coast,
send word to Tampa; they'll rush a cutter with some of the Gulf police
to the spot.