his
last trip, and I expect he's landed in a better port than _California_.
What I do next I don't know. Go back to Chagres, maybe. At any rate,
here's his ticket from Panama up to San Francisco." By the flicker of
the storm, now retreating, Captain Crosby was revealed groping across
the floor, and extending a folded paper.

"What's that for?" demanded Mr. Adams.

"You're to take it and use it. Sell it, is my advice. You can get six
hundred or more dollars for it, at Panama."

"I'll take and sell it, if you say so; but I'll send you the money.
Your friend's family ought to have that."

"My mate had no kin alive. I don't want the money, and I know him well
enough to know that he'd want you to have it. Yes, I understand that
you didn't help us out for pay--you or any in your party. This isn't
pay; it's just a little tit for tat. Sell that ticket and divide the
proceeds among you, not omitting the boy. It may tide you over a tight
place, just as you tided us over a tight place. You see, the ticket's
no good to me. And now there's another thing or two, before we part.
You've run a big chance of getting left; and even if you reach Panama
in time for the steamer, you're liable to find her full up ere that.
Here's a note I've written to Captain Flowers, of the _California_.
He's an old ship-mate of mine. I sailed with him before I got my
papers, and we're as close as brothers. He's expecting me, at Panama,
and he'd hold the ship for me, if possible. I've asked him to take
your party on instead, and he'll do so even if he has to give up his
own cabin. My two boatmen will ship with your craft and help your boys
up-river from here to Cruces. There they'll find you the mules to
carry you on to Panama. Without these fellows you might have
difficulty to find any mules, for the crowd in advance probably has
hired every tassel-tail in sight. But I'm known all along the trail
from Chagres to Panama; I've been across time and again, and I have my
lines laid. Now I think you're fixed for a quick passage."

"But, my dear man!" exclaimed Mr. Adams. "This is too much. We can't
accept----"

"It isn't, and you can," retorted the captain, bluntly. "I'm not
inconveniencing myself a particle, whereas your party took a risk. Now
good-bye and good luck to you, gentlemen; and the same to you, my lad.
Here are the documents. You'll find my boatmen with your boatmen in
the morning. There'll not be much time to say go