Part 21 (1/2)
”You never heard one word of him?” persisted Sam
”Nary a word, sonny I reckon he's either lost in the jungle or a the mountains, or else the natives have taken care of hi to take?” asked Randolph Rover ”I understand there are several”
”He was going to take the Ru breath ”Say, can I sell you any of these old things of mine cheap?”
”Perhaps you can,” said Randolph Rover
”We are bound for the hotel now We will come in later”
”Glad to see you,” and as they left the shopkeeper waved them a pleasant adieu with his hand But he never stirred fro to sell goods,” observed Tos he has to sell they are bound to come to him,” said dick ”His store seems to be the only one of its sort around”
The hotel for which they were bound was several squares away, located in so of a park, with pretty flowers and a fountain It was a two-story affair, with spacious verandas and large roolish and French people
They had just entered the office; and Randolph Rover riting his naht of so room that nearly took away his breath
”Well, I never!”
”What is it, dick?” asked To a newspaper It is Dan Baxter--Dan Baxter, just as sure as you are born!”
CHAPTER XV
CAPTAIN VILLAIRE'S LITTLE PLOT
dick was right: the boy in the reading-rooed in appearance that for the nized him
In the past Baxter had always been used to fine clothing, which he had taken care should be in good repair Now his clothing was dilapidated and his shoes looked as if they were about ready to fall apart
More than this, his face was hollow and careworn, and one eye looked as if it had suffered severe blow of so specimen of humanity, and it was a wonder that he was allowed at the hotel But the truth of thetale of sufferings in the interior and of a delayed re hied!” ular tramp!”
”He's been in hard luck, that's certain,” came from Sam ”I wonder how he drifted out here?”
While Sa Dan Baxter raised his eyes froaze fell upon the three Rover boys he started and the paper fell to the floor, then he got up and strode toward them
”dick Rover!” he cried ”Where did you fellows come from?”
”From Putnaht you here?”
Ordinarily Dan Baxter would have retorted that that was none of dick's business, but noas in thoroughly low spirits, and he answeredin hard luck I went down to New York and one night when I was in a sailors' boarding house I drankI found haied as a sailor?” asked Tom