CHAPTER XIII--HIGH LIFE AT THE CANAL
After the first day at the Canal Zone, not one member of Mr. Dalken'sparty had time in which to plan for anything beyond the Canal. Bill andBob returned late that first night and reported to their companions atthe Barracks that "Beeg Jo" was on board the White Crest; the officerwho had been rescued and carried back to camp on Johann's back duringthe world war was now one of the officers in charge of the American Postat Panama. Thus one can readily understand the result of suchinformation.
All the second day the tourists were entertained by Bill and Bob, andwere shown about the country in touring cars which had been pressed intoservice by the eager youths. Not only did the yacht-party see everythingworth seeing at Colon and Cristobal, but they saw more of the countryround about the Atlantic side of the Canal than most visitors do wholand there.
After dinner that night the entire party was escorted to the Hop atGovernment Headquarters, where dancing formed the programme of theevening's entertainment. The coolness of the air made the dancing allthe more enjoyable, and the visitors declared they had never had such apleasant time.
Before the ladies said good-night to return to the yacht the governmentmen had promised them an aeroplane trip the next morning. Mr. Dalkendemurred somewhat when it was first proposed, but his objections weresoon overruled by the girls who were thrilled at the prospect of goingup in a great army plane.
Finally it was agreed that Mr. Dalken with his two men friends should goup first and test the safety of the plane. If he felt assured that itwas quite safe for younger persons he would consent to their going up.
The entire party made for the field where the hangars of the two 'planeswere to be seen. One 'plane was a small affair which carried but twopassengers, but the other 'plane was a large one with a capacity forseven passengers besides the engineer and his assistant.
The air sail of about twenty minutes was completed and Mr. Dalken landedagain upon terra firma. It was his first flight of any distance orheight, and he had enjoyed it thoroughly. He was enthusiastic in hispraise of the manner in which the 'plane had been handled by theexperienced men.
But a sudden darkness swept over the sky and the natives were seen toscamper off for shelter, while the officers and aeronauts hastened theirguests to the hangars until the squall of rain should be over. It felljust as it had fallen one day at Jamaica; it came down in torrents for afew minutes, then the sun shone forth again in dazzling brightness.
The girls were eager to get into the aeroplane and take their trip, butthe pilot looked troubled and shook his head.
"What is the matter, Bill?" asked his companion.
"I don't like the looks of the sky--we're not through with the squall,I'm thinking."
"I think it would be heaps of fun to be above the clouds when it rainsdown here," ventured Eleanor, coaxingly, to Mr. Dalken.
"You wouldn't say that if you ever went up while a tropical squalltwisted the plane this way and that," remarked Bob, who had heard herspeech.
"I'm afraid we shall have to call it off for today, ladies," announcedthe pilot, with evident regret in his tone.
"Well, then, we shall have all the more to look forward to to-morrow,"returned Polly, pleasantly, but Eleanor was annoyed at the delay.
"I don't see why the nasty old weather had to come just now and spoilall the fun!" pouted she.
"As long as we do not advise taking the ladies up to-day, why not comewith us for a visit to our sugar plantation," suggested Bob.
"What is there to see there?" pouted Eleanor, still angry.
"Well, Bill and I have staked a little cane plantation over there and wehaven't inspected our property for two weeks. We were so busy practicingfor the ball game, and then you came on the scene. If you've nevervisited a sugarcane plantation it will prove to be interesting, I'msure."
As nothing else had been planned to take the place of the aeroplane tripthat day, the girls accepted the offer to inspect the small plantation.
Having traveled swiftly over the rich country where so little farmingwas done because of the exhausting heat, and the prolific crops ofnature-grown fruits and herbs, the two seven-passenger cars came to avery pretty place. Bill and Bob who were driving, turned in to a roughroad more like a country lane, and passed acres of cane sugar. The twoyoung owners pointed with pride to their property, and well they might.
"The man of whom we leased this acreage said he had a yield of from sixto eight tons of sucrose an acre every year. But he had more land thanhe could cultivate, hence he leased us this acreage and agreed to keepan eye on our men and the work, whenever he could. The richness of thesoil and the climate gives the cane grown here an unusual amount ofsaccharine to the acre," Bill explained, as his hearers looked over thevast fields of cane and admired his ambitions.
"Gee, Bill! I don't know but that I'll go in with you boys on sugarraising. I'm sure I'd like it down here," said Jack Baxter. "How aboutit, Ray, want to go fifty-fifty in this?"
Mr. Dalken laughed heartily. "If Ray knows you as well as I do, he'llunderstand that you fall for every new project placed before you. Ifsome one caught you in the right mood and told you that your fortune wasto be had in digging a Canal through South America, from the Pacific tothe Atlantic, you'd agree with them and start in to dig. But you'd gettired of it in a week and shirk the work."
"Why, Dalky, you slander my ideals!" declared Jack.
"Do I? What about Grizzly Slide and your determination to take up miningout on the peaks of the Rockies? Then in New York you went so far as tofurnish an apartment for the sake of studying interior decorating," saidMr. Dalken.
"Oh, no, Dalky!" laughed Eleanor, quickly. "He never furnished thatapartment for the study of furniture, but only for the study of Polly."
As this temporary infatuation of Jack's for Polly had been one of theamusing incidents of the past year, his friends all laughed merrily.
"Well, Mr. Dalken, no need to worry lest Jack buy out a partnershipshare with us, because we haven't anything to sell. We leased theplantation on a basis which forbids any one sinking money in the scheme.If this year's cane turns out well, and we reap any profits, then weshall feel like moneyed men--not now."
As the cars drove on to visit the large plantation of the man who hadleased the small one to the soldier boys, the latter explained that canetook about twelve months to mature; then after the first cutting anothercrop came on; the second crop was called ratoons. Sometimes it waspossible, weather and cane both agreeing, to cut a third crop.
From the plantations Bill and Bob drove their guests to the big millswhere the grinding was done. The cars passed several huge stand-pipeswhich were filled with water from artesian wells. This water was carriedover the plantations in pipes and at regular intervals there was an openflume. Into the conduit the water was emptied daily and this form oftrough carried the necessary moisture down the rows of cane to which itgave the stipulated quantity of water. All this work was regulated byautomatic appliances easily handled and kept in order.
Bob now explained the method of planting cane. "They do not use seed,you know. The stalk is cut into sections of about two feet in length andthese pieces are dropped into furrows and covered with soil."
At the mill the visitors saw great piles of cane: some being cut, somebeing stripped, and some being piled upon great flat trucks all waitingto be taken to the freight cars which would carry them to the boats atPanama or at Colon.
The noise made by the great machines as they crushed, rolled, or pouredthe sugar from the cane, made conversation impossible. Bill next led hisfriends along beside the carrier which constantly moved the cane throughthe trough to feed the crushing machine. At the other side of this greatmachine the sweet juice poured forth in torrents.
The next process was that of pumping the cold juice into hot pans andthen boiling the contents by steam. The skimming and liming work, andfinally the feeding into the drying pans by means of coils of pipes,proved interesting but very tiresome because th
e heat of the mill wassuffocating to the Northerners. Late in the afternoon the cars sped backto Colon and the two young planters were induced to stay to dinner onthe White Crest.
"To-morrow we will take you up in the 'planes and have you enjoy a longride, your last day at our Post," remarked Bob at dinner.
"I feel perfectly safe in permitting the girls to go after having beenup and seeing for myself how careful you boys are," replied Mr. Dalken,graciously.
"I never thought I would enjoy a ride in the air, as I have always felttimid about going up in a 'plane," said Mr. Fabian. "But I am sothrilled by the trial that I want Mrs. Fabian to try it."
"No, thank you, sir! I am quite satisfied with good old Mother Earth,"laughed his wife.
Thus it happened on the following day that the two older ladies in theparty preferred to stay down, but Mrs. Courtney and the girls, togetherwith Jack and Ray, went forth to meet the aviators on the plain wherethe government hangars stood. They had two 'planes waiting and ready forthe sail. A large seven-passenger machine and a smaller one which heldthe pilot and two others.
Into the large 'plane went Mrs. Courtney and Nancy Fabian and RuthAshby, after them went the two young men, Jack and Ray. At last thepilot Bob and his mechanician got in. Bill with Polly and Eleanor got inthe small 'plane.
As the two aeroplanes began to ascend, Mr. Dalken called out: "Don't gofar! And don't remain away more than half an hour!"
Those left behind stood and talked with a few of the army men who hadaccompanied Bill and Ray to the field. But after waiting for half anhour and no signs of returning 'planes could be seen or heard, the mensaid they thought Bill and Bob had descended near Panama in order totreat their company to afternoon tea.
Soon after this Mr. Dalken heard the faint far-off sound of a motor inthe air, but no sight of it could be seen. Finally a speck was visiblein the sky and in a short time the large 'plane descended upon thefield, but not one vestige of the smaller one.
"Why!" exclaimed Bob, after he had assisted the ladies to get out of his'plane. "Aren't the others back yet?"
"No, did you miss them?" asked Mr. Dalken.
"I don't know which direction Bill went. We tried to keep up with them,but that little 'plane is a hum-dinger for speed and it soon outstrippedus. The last we saw of it was when it was speeding over Mirafloreslock--right after that it disappeared and we saw no more of it. I flewover the same place but it was not there."
"I hope nothing happened to them!" ventured Mrs. Courtney anxiously.
Before the group could decide upon any action, the sky suddenly cloudedover again and the rain began to empty the rest of its water upon thesection where the most damage might be done. Hence the aeroplane wasrushed into its hangar and the storm-stayed visitors hurried into theempty hangar usually occupied by the small 'plane.
It was almost six o'clock when the rain ceased and permitted thetourists to return to their vessel. Jack and Ray went to the barrackswith Bob because they were invited guests to dinner that evening.
Seven o'clock rang and darkness began to fall, yet no word had come fromthe absent aviators and every one began to worry over what might havebefallen them.
"If we do not hear from them within the hour I shall go after them. Thetrains will probably run to Panama all night, and I will go there firstand start a general search," said Mr. Dalken.
The rain had ceased entirely now, and the night settled down, but noword or return of the absent girls. Then Mrs. Courtney took Mr. Dalkenaside and made a suggestion.
"Suppose you accompany me to the telegraph station at Colon? From therewe will send out wires to all the small and large stations on the lineof the Canal. We may hear from some one in that way, and should we notget any favorable report you can go on to Panama."
With a few words of explanation the two then left the White Crest andmade their way to the station at Colon. Here they asked many questionsof the telegraph operator and found out that there were many places allalong the Canal where the stranded aviators might have secured shelterduring the storm and also for the night.
But Mrs. Courtney said she would feel better if the messages were sentbroadcast in order to reach some one who would reply. Hence they beganto fill out the blanks for the man to use. Just as they had decided whatto write, the instrument in the office began to click.
"I think this wire is from your two girls; is your name Mr. Dalken, fromthe yacht called the White Crest?" asked the man.
"Yes, yes! what do they say?" exclaimed Mr. Dalken anxiously.
CHAPTER XIV--IN AND ABOUT PANAMA
"Now what do you think of that!" exclaimed Mr. Dalken, after reading themessage he had received from the stranded aviators who had landed beyondthe last lock of the Canal Zone.
Mrs. Courtney took the message and read it to herself, then murmured:"This is disappointing: I did so want to have the girls on board when wewent through the locks."
"Well," sighed Mr. Dalken, "we may as well give orders to the Captain tostart early in the morning and meet the runaways at Panama--as Polly saysin her telegram."
"If only she had told us where they would stop overnight, we could wirethere and tell them to get back here immediately. They should be able touse the railroad, as long as they have been able to get to a telegraphstation," said Mrs. Courtney, a trifle annoyed at such inconsiderationon the girls' part.
"I think we will give them their way this time, and have them miss thegorgeous trip through the Canal. It will serve them good and right!"declared Mr. Dalken, also impatient at such doings.
But the "girls"--meaning Polly and Eleanor--had no cause fordisappointment or impatience. In the first place they did not see howthey were to be held accountable for the aeroplane's engine failing towork just about the time they reached the vast park which borders bothsides of Miraflores Lock. In fact, they considered it an act on the partof Providence that the 'plane had such a wonderful stretch of lawn uponwhich to descend, instead of falling down in Gatun Lake, or upon therocky hills to be seen everywhere around.
Because of an easy conscience, therefore, the two girls enjoyed anunusual dinner at an interesting old Spanish restaurant in Panama; andthen accompanied the young aviator,--who had successfully brought hisdisabled 'plane to the nearby park before mentioned,--to the TivoliHotel, where a professional chaperone agreed to look after them in orderto satisfy Mrs. Courtney's concession to social requirements.
"I think I shall have to be running along, ladies, if I am to have that'plane ready for work in the morning," declared Bill, as they reachedthe hotel verandah.
"And you really think it will take the yacht from five to seven hours tomake the trip through?" asked Polly, anxiously.
"Oh, yes! Even if everything runs smoothly, which it seldom does, youknow, where we have to depend upon native labor to drive the mules andtow the boats. Better allow seven hours, at least, I think."
"And you hope to be here for us at ten?" added Eleanor.
"At ten, unless the engine goes on strike again," laughed Bill.
"Well, then, you hurry along and forbid a strike, while we go to bed.I'm tired with all the day's excitement," said Polly, trying to stifle ayawn.
Thus unceremoniously sent about his business, Bill laughed and liftedhis cap. In another minute he was out of sight down the old cobbledstreet.
Polly and Eleanor found it quite unnecessary to be rocked to sleep thatnight; and it seemed but a few moments after they fell asleep before aknock on the door of their suite roused them to action. It proved to bea message from Bill, left at the hotel in his passing by to havebreakfast. The message told the girls the 'plane was in fine conditionfor their return trip that morning.
The girls dressed hurriedly and then hastened to the diningroom tobreakfast. By nine-thirty they were awaiting their escort who called forthem shortly after they came out upon the wide piazza.
As they passed through the ancient old city of Panama they wereinterested in various sights which Bill pointed out and about which hetold the prev
alent legends.
After they reached the aeroplane, now waiting upon a stretch of sandyfield near the Canal Park, Bill assisted the girls to their places andadvised them to adjust their veils as he proposed making a speedy flightin order to meet the yacht before it had gone very far on its tripthrough the locks.
Soon, thereafter, the girls were looking down upon a bird's-eye view ofthe old Spanish town they had just left. The 'plane followed the courseof the canal, while the aviator pointed out Gatun Lock and the big dam,with the concrete work built on a tremendous scale. The white wallscontrasted beautifully with the sweeps of smooth, green, velvety turfwhich stretched from the canal on both sides to the low foot hills ofthe dark, blue mountains beyond. There were six locks in all, with thecanal between looking like an ordinary stream to the girls in theaeroplane. And the negroes, with their mules working at the locks,appeared like busy, black ants on the earth far below.
The crew on the White Crest caught sight of the aeroplane before Pollyand Eleanor saw the yacht; the captain saluted the fliers with a shrillblast of the siren and attracted Bill's attention. After that the 'planehovered near the vessel as it made its way through the locks and finallycame out into the Bay of Panama.
Bill landed his passengers safely, and conducted them to the pier wherethe White Crest was anchored.
Of course, the girls were scolded well by Mr. Dalken, who said he hadaged twenty years because of them and their escapades, but the laughwhich greeted this statement was not very sympathetic.
Finally Bill reluctantly bid the yachting party goodbye and returned tohis 'plane in order to reach the Atlantic side and the governmentoffices as soon as possible.
The heat during the early part of the afternoon was overpowering, henceone and all agreed to remain on the yacht until the air became cooler.But instead of riding at anchor the yacht circled the Bay in order tofind a breeze.
"Bill told us that whales in the Gulf of Panama were quite a commonsight, but I forgot about it until just now," remarked Polly.
"We'll watch for one to-morrow when we sail away," said Ruth, eagerly.
The sunset that evening was superb but it was difficult to say that, inthe South during that trip, there were any clear evenings without itsbeautiful sunset.
Twilight swept a soft gray mantle up from the sea and covered theshoreline from view before the party went indoors to the saloon; thenMr. Dalken called for the attention of his friends.
"I have been studying this map carefully," began he, waving a memorandumwhich he held in his hand; "and I find that there are very few decentports for us to make between here and Quito. Even Quito must be reachedby landing first at Guayaquil and then taking the railroad inland andclimb to the City of the Equator."
"Is there any special reason for visiting Quito?" asked Jack.
"Why, of course! Don't we all want to visit the city so famous for itsage and antiquities? Remember, Jack, you are a mere outsider on thistrip, and not one of the seekers after wisdom and adventure. Your dayfor dancing and playing the gallant to the young ladies ended when webade goodbye to Palm Beach. Down in the towns of Colombia, Ecuador, Peruand Chile, it will be my turn to lead in the Grand March," declared Mr.Dalken.
"Don't pay any attention to him, Dalky," advised Polly, sending Jack acontemptuous glance for his interruption. "He wants to be heard from inplanning this campaign, but he really does not know a thing about SouthAmerica that he hasn't heard from us!"
At this remark from Polly, Jack folded his arms as if to signify he wasthrough forever with girls, and sat tilted back in his deck chair, butpaying no attention to anything said or done. His associates laughedgoodnaturedly at his expression, then turned their attention to Mr.Dalken once more.
"As I was saying a long time back, we will have to travel to Quito bymeans of a shaky little airline of a railroad--I call it airline becauseit evidently runs on the rim of the clouds, from all I can gather of itsconstruction. But it will prove to be a novel experience for us all,especially so to me, as I prefer to keep on solid earth where railroadsare concerned."
"As your investments prove!" retorted Jack. "I've never known you totake a flier, nor heard of you traveling in the clouds when speculatingin transportation stocks."
The laugh was now at Mr. Dalken's expense, as his friends well knew whatlarge railroad interests he held in North America, but no one was awareof the fact that one of his secret reasons for coming to South Americawas to examine the safety of certain railroad interests offered himthrough a broker who acted for the Valparaiso and North Coast Company--anew enterprise about to be started without delay, in order to link thevarious shipping ports along the shore to the city where thetrans-Andean railroad had its terminus.
"If Jack would only subside for a short time we might be able to hearthe rest of that itinerary," sighed Mr. Fabian. "Thus far I have only afaint idea of the outline of the first leg of the voyage."
"Are there two legs?" exclaimed Jack, instantly. "Oh! where are they? Ihave never seen such a leg, and it will add to my fund of education."
Polly and Eleanor laughed at the play of words, but Nancy felt toomature to laugh at such a childish joke. She said rather jeeringly:"Poor Jack! 'A fool always laughs at his own wit.' Are you not awarethat 'leg' is a nautical term?"
Jack's chair-legs came down hard upon the floor, and he sat bolt uprightas he showed a livelier interest in this sparring match. "Hoh! I may notbe versed in nautical names, but at least I am not guilty of having readthe type from every one of Dalky's tomes on South America. I know ofcertain young ladies who pride themselves on their geography, especiallywhen touring South of the Equator, who lugged those same tomes from theshelves in Dalky's library and now shamelessly preen their feathers ofknowledge."
"Children, if you can't keep quiet and let Mr. Dalken tell us of theproposed trip, you'll have to go to bed!" declared Mrs. Courtney,frowning at Jack and the girls.
"Or we can take our plans and go out on deck where we need not beannoyed by infants' prattle," added Mr. Fabian.
"No, NO! Please don't do that," cried Polly, anxiously. "We'll make Jackkeep quiet, if we have to gag him!"
"Now see that you keep your word, Poll," advised Mrs. Courtney, shakinga finger at the irrepressible Jack.
"Then I'll continue," added Mr. Dalken. "The first port of any sizeshown on my map is Buenventura, in Colombia. Since stopping at Colon,I've heard so much about Colombia and its mediaeval customs and peoplesof the interior, that I half wish we had arranged to land atBarranquilla, which is on the coast of the Caribbean Sea; thence wecould have taken passage on one of the wood-burning river boats thatpoke along the length of the Magdalena River as far as Bogota. From thatplace we would have crossed the Andes _via_ mule-train and arrived atBuenventura to take the yacht from there on down the coast. However, wemay be able to come back by that route--that is, providing the femalesand Jack are sufficiently hardened to mountain-life by the time we havefinished the Amazon River."
Everyone laughed at Jack's disgusted expression at being classed withthe "females" of the party, and Mr. Dalken hastily continued hisharangue lest his ward begin to interrupt again.
"I have been advised to keep away from hotels in the different smalltowns at which we might stop to see the sights. They are miserable andcharge exorbitant rates to tourists. Also, those ports near the Equatorare insufferably hot and with no modern accommodation, such as electricfans, fly-screens, or other conveniences. Luckily we have our hotel withus, and we can always secure rooms on board the yacht, no matter whatundesirable conditions there may be for others not so fortunate.
"In order to have a glimpse of life in the small towns of Colombia, Ithought we might stop at Buenventura, and after doing the place, we cancontinue on to Guayaquil. That is the town where we have to take thesky-line up to Quito, commonly known as the City of the Equator. FromGuayaquil, after we return there, we will cruise on to Paita----"
"Oh, Dalky!" interrupted Polly at this moment. "Aren't we going to stopat any other qua
int towns along the coast? The lady-chaperone at theTivoli said that half the pleasure in touring down the west coast was tobe found in seeing the unusual ports which are seldom visited by thefast steamers. With a yacht, she said, we were free to stop as wepleased, hence she told us to be sure and do so."
"Yes," added Eleanor. "And she told us that many of the finest ruins ofthe Incas, as well as ancient Spanish churches, were to be seen on themountains back of tiny towns on the coast that escape the attention ofthe ordinary tourist."
"Well, she may be right, but as South America is very large, and we hadexpected to visit as many of its states as possible in the time limited,it would not be advisable to do as every stranger suggests. That isexactly why I planned this route which would give us ample scope to turnaside in case of our finding any place or thing we wished to visit. Ofcourse, the main idea in coming to South America, instead of taking thatSouth Sea Island cruise as Mrs. Courtney proposed, was to give theinterior decorators the privilege of visiting the Exposition at Rio deJaneiro. Otherwise----"
"Oh, all right!" interrupted Mr. Fabian. "We know all about it, Dalky!Don't lose time going over the same field again."
"Oh, I'm not at all keen about taking you over the field at all,"retorted Mr. Dalken, quickly. "In fact, I believe I'll let each one ofyou follow your own route and see where it lands you. As for me, I shalluse my private itinerary and sail away to seas unknown--and uncharted,too, if I see a chance of finding any reward for such a voyage."
"I really do believe Dalky is peeved!" exclaimed Polly, causing everyone to laugh heartily at such an absurd idea.
"No, that is not the reason for his thrusting the paper away in hispocket," explained Mr. Ashby, teasingly. "But the truth of the matteris: Dalky came to that part of the itinerary where all those twistedvowels and consonants occur in the names of the towns in Ecuador, Peru,and Chile, and he dared not risk our jeering."
"For the first time in history, you are correct, my wise mind-reader!"retorted Mr. Dalken, midst the shouts of laughter from all sides.
"I don't suppose any one present would dare wager with me, as betting isagainst the law at home. But we are in South America and every one herewagers money on horses, lotteries, and on every possible excuse togamble; therefore, I would like to wager that Dalky fails to follow morethan a third of that itinerary of his."
"No one would take you up on that bet, Fabian, because it is a surething!" exclaimed Mr. Ashby.
Mr. Dalken got up from his chair and stood gazing at his two old friendsas he said: "I never dreamed that you both would take sides against me!But of such ungrateful stuff is the human heart!" Heaving a dreadfulsigh he turned away and walked over to the window of the saloon whichgave him a view of the Harbor, "Hoh!" called he, invitingly. "See whomwe have out there with us!"
Instantly every one sprang up and hurried to the windows. Through thedarkness of the fast-falling night, they could just see the largeoutline of the Peruvian steamer from Panama to Valparaiso.
"I wish we could get close enough to enable us to take a picture of it,"said Polly, wistfully.
"You could never do it! It's too dark," said Nancy.
"If Dalky had the Captain turn the searchlight on full force we mightget a good time exposure of it," suggested Eleanor.
"At least you might try it," agreed Mr. Dalken. "I'll tell the Captainto use the light when he thinks it the proper moment. Then you girls canexperiment with your cameras."
The confusion of the crowded masses on the decks of the Peruvian,combined with the soft-coal and wood-burning engine which created aceaseless bang and clang of its steel parts, was most deafening to humanear-drums; also the darkness which screened the yacht prevented those onthe Peruvian from noticing the smaller craft which rode serenely atanchor not far away.
Suddenly the Captain on the White Crest saluted with the siren as thebig steamer started, and the hoarse blast from the Peruvian as it leftits dock instantly brought all passengers to that side of the steamerwhence the yacht was heard and seen. Many of the passengers of thesteamer had retired, but that made no difference when such a sight as agraceful, private, oceangoing yacht was to be seen so close by.Therefore it was not many minutes before a triple line of heads could beseen along the rail of the rolling Peruvian.
At an unexpected moment the Captain of the White Crest gave the signalfor the powerful searchlight to be thrown on the big southern steamer.And at that signal Polly and Eleanor focussed their cameras, and beganthe time exposure of the pictures.
The searchlight made good on its name that night, for with its blindingglare it not only surprised the rows of heads craned forward in order tosee the dancing yacht, but it also brought out those forms so scantilydressed, or rather undressed, in their nightrobes or pajamas. A dismayedcry rose from those thus caught unawares, and a picture quite differentfrom the one expected was the result.
That night, just before retiring, the girls took one more look at thePeruvian, but it had forged ahead out of the Bay, and away on its voyagedown the coast.
Mr. Dalken had planned to leave Panama the next day, and the Captain hadbeen given orders to that effect; but there were several items ofshopping which the ladies wished to do before leaving for the SouthAmerican trip, hence it was past noon before they returned to the yacht.
After leaving the yacht to do their shopping the ladies found their wayto the principal store of Panama. As they stood outside and gazed at thewindow display, a voice sounded at Polly's ear.
"Well! I thought you all were down off Cape Horn, by this time."
The seven heads turned on the necks of the seven ladies to see who couldbe addressing them in that familiar tone. There stood Ray who had bidthem goodbye the night before.
"I suppose you are wondering what I am doing here, instead of beinginterviewed by the man who has engaged me for work down here," remarkedRay. "I can soon tell you: he will not be in his office until fouro'clock, so that gives me another day off."
"Well, we certainly are glad to see you once more," remarked Mrs.Courtney.
"Yes; now the four girls will attach themselves to you and permit us todo the shopping for them," laughed Mrs. Ashby.
"We can thank the custom of Panama business men for this pleasure,"declared Polly.
"We won't lose time trying to find out who should be thanked for this,but we will get busy and make the most of it," said Ray. Then, as anafter-thought, he said: "By the way, where is Jack?"
"He was afraid to come, because he knew he would have to carry all thebundles," laughed Eleanor.
"Besides," added Polly, "he had to remain with Dalky to attend to somebusiness letters which must be mailed before we start out on thePacific."
"I wish to goodness Bill had not gone back to Colon yesterday. We mighthave had one last jamboree," remarked Ray.
"Not afraid of so many pretty girls, are you?" giggled Eleanor.
"Say! I can stand as many more of this kind of girl," declared Ray,positively. "Can't get too many of your kind."
"After that compliment," said Mrs. Fabian, "we are going to advise thegirls to take care of you this time, instead of you taking care of them.Now, girls, if we go inside the store to do the shopping, will youpromise to be merciful to this one lone young man?"
"We will promise to take him to luncheon and let him eat everything insight," agreed Nancy with a serious face.
"And we also promise to let him pay the check," added Eleanor.
Ray now invited the older ladies to join the party, but they said thatthey had no time for pleasure that day.
And Mrs. Courtney added: "Did you think we three chaperones could be soheartless as to be present when you take your last sad farewell of thesefour sweethearts?"
The young people laughed at the remark, and then Mrs. Ashby warned themto be sure and be back on the yacht by two o'clock.
"Good gracious! two o'clock, mother? You know how slow the service is inPanama and we won't have more than the silver and a napkin served us bythat time," exclaimed
Ruth.
"Better make it three, at any rate," begged Ray.
"Very well; we will return to the White Crest when we finish ourshopping and explain why you are absent from lunch on the yacht,"promised Mrs. Fabian.
"At the same time, tell Dalky that as long as he is saving the cost offour big lunches, he might give us an extra hour's time on shore," saidEleanor.
"We'll do the best we can for you," said Mrs. Courtney; "now run alongand enjoy yourselves."
Ray had been escorted by Bill the previous evening to a quaint oldSpanish coffee-house in Panama, and here he conducted the four girls inorder to give them a treat--not only a treat of Spanish cooking but alsoa treat of old-time life in that old-time city. The service was of thesimplest, but the cooking was of the finest.
As the five young persons had plenty of time in which to enjoythemselves they managed to pass an hour and a half at the table. ThenNancy, glancing at her wrist-watch, remarked: "It is now two o'clock.Don't you think we ought to be going back to the yacht?" Thus reminded,Ray called for the bill and the girls prepared to leave.
A few blocks from the old coffee-house they saw Jack talking anxiouslyto a Panama policeman. He had a slip of paper in his hand and waschecking off certain items which were written on this paper.
"Why, look at Jack!" called Eleanor.
"He looks as if something had happened," said Nancy.
They hurried up to his side, and Ray was about to ask him why he seemedso disturbed, when Jack turned and caught sight of them.
"Well! you're a nice lot of friends for a fellow to have," complainedhe, impatiently.
"It's your own fault, we invited you to come shopping with us," declaredEleanor.
"Shopping, yes! but you never said a word about a good time with Ray,"grumbled Jack. "I bet you planned the whole thing yesterday."
"People who deceive others are always suspicious of everything butthemselves," quoth Nancy.
"Leaving all of that in the past, let's make the most of the present,"advised Ray. "By the way, Jack, what's your list of restaurants for?"
The officer, seeing that the young stranger had found the friends he hadbeen seeking, now walked away. Jack held up the paper which he had beenchecking and showed the girls the name and address of every eating-placein Panama, but not the old coffee-house where they had been lunching.
"See that list?" demanded Jack. "Well, I raced around to every blame oneof them the moment I heard you girls had met Ray."
"How under the sun did you know we were with Ray?" asked Polly, greatlyastonished.
"I'll tell you: you girls and Ray had not turned the corner of thestreet before I came dashing around the other corner to get to the storewhere you said you were all going to shop. Just inside the door I sawMrs. Courtney, and I was thanking my lucky stars that I had not missedyou--and this is the result."
"Why did you want us?" asked Eleanor.
"Because, Captain Blake came on deck and told Dalky something went wrongdown in the engine-room and it might be several hours before we couldstart. At that, I made up my mind to have one more lark on shore, and Ihurried away to find you all."
"Now that you have found us, let us have the lark," laughed Ray.
"But now it is time to go back to the yacht!" growled Jack. "I have beenwasting the two hours hunting for you--I haven't had a thing to eat.Let's go somewhere and keep ourselves from fainting."
"We're far from fainting," laughed Eleanor; "we have been feasting."
"You don't mean it!" was Jack's annoyed reply.
"And what's more," added Polly, "we are supposed to be on board theyacht by three."
"Yeh, I know! Dalky called after me as I left, saying: 'be sure and showup by three, Jack!' and I suppose I will have to go back with an emptyinside." Jack's tone was so plaintive that the girls laughed at him.
Time was passing, however, and Ray had to meet his employer in a shorttime, hence he could not accompany his friends back to the yacht. Jack,being over-eager to get something to eat before going back, it wasfinally decided to step into the first restaurant found and orderluncheon for the famished young man. While seated at the table with him,the girls and Ray could say their final goodbys and be ready to departwith Jack when he had finished eating.
Upon their return to the yacht the girls discovered that they had misseda bit of excitement by their absence. The Captain had discovered smokeissuing from a small store-room back of the engine room and uponinvestigation it was found that crossed electric wires had started asmall fire between the partitions. But this was soon extinguished andquiet reigned once more.
However, this necessary electric work delayed the departure of the WhiteCrest until late in the afternoon, thus it was sun-down when theyfinally got started on their voyage. And here we must leave them tofollow their own inclinations (and the ways of the yacht) down the westcoast. But we shall be able to accompany them on their tour by readingthe next volume, called "Polly in South America."
THE END
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