as the third day in succession when the wind blew
direct from the south, with just a faint turn to the west."

"Splendid!" cried Frank, turning to give his chum a reassuring
nod. "What did I tell you, Andy? The forethought of Senor Carlos has
made our task much easier. There can be little doubt, then, that the hot
air balloon must have started in a region that lies almost due south of
here, possibly with a slant, as he says, toward the south by west
quarter, as a sailor would call it. And now, senor, can you tell us just
where a direct line that way would bring us?"

"First over the lowland and the forests. Then, if you go far enough
amigos, it is the Sierra San Jeronimo mountains you would strike,"
replied the planter.

"Yes, I remember them on the map we have, and that corresponds exactly
with all I had in my mind," Frank observed, his forehead wrinkled with
serious thought.

"What sort of country is it up in those mountains?" asked Andy.

The planter shrugged his shoulders.

"That I am unable to tell you, amigos, since I have never been
there. From all I have heard I believe it is one of the wildest and most
inaccessible regions in all our country. Lofty peaks warn back the most
daring explorer. Few have ever ventured to attempt to go among
them. Some never came back, they say. The superstitious declare those
mountains are filled with evil things. Nothing on earth could tempt one
of my peons to accompany an expedition thither."

"Then it is lucky that we will not need any assistance in our
adventure," remarked Frank. "With an aeroplane one may be independent
of help. And now, Andy, what shall we do? It will take us the better
part of the day to assemble our little flier and get things ready for an
ascent."

"That means another horrible night of waiting before we can make a
start," said Andy, looking quite forlorn.

But he soon understood that it could not be helped. Both boys were
presently hard at work, with the deeply interested planter watching
every move. All the while they conversed and the subject of pretty much
all their talk had more or less to do with the country, the
peculiarities of climate, what sort of weather they might expect to have
and dozens of similar matters.

Doubtless Senor Mendoza would like to hear of things connected with the
great outside world, which he seldom saw anything of, but he realized
that these would keep until after the brave young senors had completed
their task of h