Part 9 (1/2)
Presently they were deep in conversation. The boys found Senor Jose a very intelligent gentleman indeed. He had spent some years in Was.h.i.+ngton in connection with the emba.s.sy of his government, so that he not only spoke and wrote English well, but had a high opinion of Americans; something that the vast majority of his fellow-countrymen failed to acquire, being possibly fed on stories that may have had their inception in German or English trade sources.
From him Frank extracted all the information he could concerning the wonderful country lying between Magangue and the Isthmus of Panama, covering possibly some three hundred miles. It was little enough. Most of it, he declared was a _terra incognita_, being utterly unknown land.
”But,” continued the obliging senor, ”you will certainly be able to learn more concerning this when you see my fellow-countryman, Senor Mendoza; for all his life has he lived there at Magangue, and surely he must know something of that country to the south.”
”We shall leave here with as little delay as possible,” observed Frank. ”I have sent our purser, Manuel, to comply with the custom duties, and secure us a few supplies. When he comes aboard again we expect to start.”
”It is just as well,” remarked the other, significantly, and seeming to be relieved. ”Because, there is an uneasy feeling in Barranquila just at present. Agents of the revolutionary junta have been here. They are very active. And from secret sources I happen to know that they are aware of the strange cargo you are bringing with you.”
”You must mean our aeroplane, Senor?” remarked Frank, quickly.
”Si, Senor Bird,” the other continued, nodding his head. ”It has become known that the two young Americanos are of the new and wonderful aeronauts, with whom nothing is impossible. And if you remained here any length of time I fear lest even my government might seek to find some excuse for appropriating your little airs.h.i.+p. The talk is all in that direction now. Colombia is ripe to take a forward step, and have an aviation corps.”
”Well,” said Frank, ”under the circ.u.mstances we would seriously object to having our monoplane confiscated now, because upon it we depend wholly in our search. But I thought you were perhaps about to warn us to look out for these revolutionists while pa.s.sing up the river.”
”It would be wise, Senor,” observed the amiable Colombian ex-diplomat. ”They have agents here; and I happen to know that one is even now on the wharf, observing. Possibly he seeks to communicate with some spy who chances to be a member of your crew. So you see, it must pay you to be always on your guard, and prepared!”
CHAPTER X.
NIPPED IN THE BUD.
”There comes Manuel!” remarked Andy, after they had been nearly an hour talking on the deck of the little power boat.
”Yes,” remarked his cousin, who was also on the watch, ”and trailing behind him I can see several native carts containing fruits and new supplies. Manuel surely means that we shall not go hungry while on the river.”
”Then I shall be going, my friends,” said Senor Jose. ”I have told you all I know. I have warned you to beware of the revolutionists along the river bank. I have even given you a hint that to delay longer in Barranquila might endanger your enterprise; since the government is just now very anxious to acquire such wonderful modern agents of warfare, as your aeroplane. It only remains to shake your hands, both, _amigos_, and wish you every good fortune your valor deserves.”
They squeezed the hand of the fine old Colombian gentleman with vigor. Never would Andy forget how he had spoken concerning his interest in the sacred duty that had brought the son of the missing aeronaut to his country.
Frank had given strict orders that none of the crew should go ash.o.r.e, and also that no strangers be permitted to board the craft while they lay there at the old wooden wharf.
”But,” said Andy, when they were speaking about this matter, as preparations began to leave the port, ”that hasn't prevented the crew from holding an animated confab with those ash.o.r.e. There has been a constant jabbering and laughing between our fellows and those others.”
”Yes,” admitted Frank, ”and I've seen several of the crew talking mysteriously with some of those chaps. I wish now the senor had thought to indicate which was the secret agent of the revolutionists he saw on the dock. But all the same I've marked the two fellows I suspect, and I'm going to keep a close eye on Enrique, and the little fellow with the quick motions we call 'Cospita,' because he's forever e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.n.g. like that.”
”And if you find out that they're meddling with the boxes?” asked Andy.
”H'm! I guess it'll be a bad day for Enrique and the jumping-jack, that's all,” laughed his cousin. ”But there goes the cable, and it looks like we might be off at last.”
”I'm not sorry, for many things!” declared Andy, with a sigh of positive relief. ”The good senor got me scared by what he said about his government wanting just such things as our little 'Bug'; and that the officials might have orders to find some sort of ridiculous excuse for grabbing it.”
”Same here,” admitted Frank. ”In fact, that bothered me a whole lot more than the chances of trouble along the river from the boys who want to get their man seated in the president's chair, where he could hand out the loaves and the fishes. We can resist them, and be backed by authority; but if the government officers once took us in we'd have to give up our job. And that would break your heart, Andy.”
”Yes,” said the other, drawing a long breath, ”I'm afraid it would. Listen! There goes the whistle. I told the pilot not to make more fuss than he could help when we drew out.”
”Which was quite right. I'm watching that little chap, Cospita. See him wave his hand to some one ash.o.r.e? Yes, and that surely looked like a signal the fellow returned. We are going to have trouble with that boy yet, Andy.”
”Well, that will be bad for Cospita,” was all the other remarked; for he was eagerly watching the growing s.p.a.ce between the boat and the sh.o.r.e.