ters of the
river came up to the rim of the native boat and crept in and spread
themselves over the rotten floor. The boys were all glad when the prow
touched the little dock at the lone pueblo where Uncle Sam's flag
snapped in a breeze which was coming over the trees, bringing with it a
musty smell of decaying undergrowth.

Captain Godwin met them at the landing with great hand outstretched. He
was a stout, brown-faced man of fifty, with muscles like iron and a mind
all stuffed and tucked in with the glory of the United States. He was
proud of the service he had passed the greater part of his life in, and
was proud of the record for efficiency he had made. A kindly, bluff,
seasoned old man of war, with soft blue eyes and a hard hand.

"I should have sent the _Manhattan_ after you," he said, after
introductions had been made, "only there's something the matter with her
batteries."

"You bet there is!" laughed Jimmie. "The only battery that never gets
under foot or loses a shoe is at the foot of Broadway, in little old New
York!"

"Hardly at the foot of Broadway," Jack began, but Jimmie interrupted.

"Never mind," he said, "if we know where it is! You go an' fix up this
motor boat of the name of _Manhattan_, an' we'll have a ride."

"The boat will be ready by to-morrow morning," the Captain said, smiling
at the friendly arguments of the two boys. "I presume you have your
instructions?" he added.

"I have them here," Major Ross said, rather sternly, as he took a sealed
packet from his pocket.

"When and where are you to open that packet?" asked the Captain.

"On my arrival at this place," was the dignified reply.

The Major seemed to be of opinion that the Captain was stepping on his
official rights.

"Then we'll go up to the house and you look them over while I see what
can be found to celebrate this auspicious event! I don't often have the
pleasure of meeting four happy, husky, hungry boys fresh from the United
States!"

"You're the goods, all right!" shouted Jimmie. "But how did you guess we
were hungry?"

Captain Godwin laughed and clapped both his broad palms on his knees.

"How did I know?" he roared. "That's a good one! As if the boys weren't
always as hungry as black bears!"

"There are two Black Bears in the party!" Jimmie said.

"And two Wolves!" Jack added.

Captain Godwin looked from face to face in smiling wonder, and the boys
thrust all kinds of Boy Scout signs and words at him.

"I s