t
much longer, for he did not feel exhausted; but Andy, who knew him like
a book, had made him promise faithfully, on his word of honor, that he
would arouse him at exactly the time agreed upon.

"Everything lovely, and the goose hangs high!" Frank said, as the other
joined him presently on deck.

"That's good," replied Andy. "And as it is now one o'clock, with no
trouble doing, looks good to me that we'll pull through the night
without a mess."

"You never can tell," observed the careful Frank. "And the only way to
do is to act just as if you felt positive something was bound to crop
up."

"I know it," came the reply, as Andy started to walk up and down a bit,
so as to get the last remnant of drowsiness out of his system.

For an hour he found little trouble in keeping awake. He made frequent
trips to where Felipe stood at his wheel, his keen eyes keeping constant
vigil ahead, in order that he might steer clear of such snags as
threatened to stove a hole in the hull of the steam yacht.

Now and then Andy could see one of the crew moving about; but as some of
them must have duties to perform, even in the night, he did not look
upon this as a suspicious circumstance. Only, he made sure that no one
wandered in the near vicinity of the locked lazerette, where the
precious monoplane lay, securely crated.

In some places the river proved much narrower than in others. And, of
course, it was here they had their greatest trouble. The current was
increased, for one thing. Then the floating objects swept forward with
more speed, so that it required additional dexterity in order to avoid
them.

But old Felipe knew his business well. Andy believed they had made no
mistake in leaving matters fully in his hands.

It was about the end of his second hour that the pilot volunteered some
information that gave Andy more or less uneasiness.

"Just ahead, young senor," he said, when for the fifth time the boy
entered his deck pilot house, "we come to the narrowest place in the
whole river at this section. And there, if anywhere, I expect that they
will be waiting for us."

"Do you mean the revolutionists?" exclaimed Andy, interested instantly.

"No other, senor. If we manage to get past there, all will be well. But
they may be encamped on both shores, and demand that we draw in under
penalty of being fired on," Felipe went on, without removing his
snapping black eyes for even a single second from the ever-moving
panorama of