matter, as
preparations began to leave the port, "that hasn't prevented the crew
from holding an animated confab with those ashore. There has been a
constant jabbering and laughing between our fellows and those others."

"Yes," admitted Frank, "and I've seen several of the crew talking
mysteriously with some of those chaps. I wish now the senor had thought
to indicate which was the secret agent of the revolutionists he saw on
the dock. But all the same I've marked the two fellows I suspect, and
I'm going to keep a close eye on Enrique, and the little fellow with the
quick motions we call 'Cospita,' because he's forever ejaculating like
that."

"And if you find out that they're meddling with the boxes?" asked Andy.

"H'm! I guess it'll be a bad day for Enrique and the jumping-jack,
that's all," laughed his cousin. "But there goes the cable, and it looks
like we might be off at last."

"I'm not sorry, for many things!" declared Andy, with a sigh of positive
relief. "The good senor got me scared by what he said about his
government wanting just such things as our little 'Bug'; and that the
officials might have orders to find some sort of ridiculous excuse for
grabbing it."

"Same here," admitted Frank. "In fact, that bothered me a whole lot more
than the chances of trouble along the river from the boys who want to
get their man seated in the president's chair, where he could hand out
the loaves and the fishes. We can resist them, and be backed by
authority; but if the government officers once took us in we'd have to
give up our job. And that would break your heart, Andy."

"Yes," said the other, drawing a long breath, "I'm afraid it
would. Listen! There goes the whistle. I told the pilot not to make more
fuss than he could help when we drew out."

"Which was quite right. I'm watching that little chap, Cospita. See him
wave his hand to some one ashore? Yes, and that surely looked like a
signal the fellow returned. We are going to have trouble with that boy
yet, Andy."

"Well, that will be bad for Cospita," was all the other remarked; for he
was eagerly watching the growing space between the boat and the shore.

"Look, Frank," he remarked, after a little time had elapsed, "as sure as
you live, there is an officer in uniform just arrived on the dock, and
backed by a squad of soldiers! He seems to be surprised at discovering
that we have gone! Now he beckons, and waves his hat! Listen to him
shouting something in Sp