Part 21 (1/2)

There was, in fact, no longer any reason for haste; therefore Jim slowed down his motor. They cruised slowly across the lagoon, and lay close to its exit. There, with the help of the kit of tools carried aboard, and a strip of tinned iron cut from a biscuit box, our hero effected a temporary repair to the water jacket, soldering the patch into position.

It was a triumphant crew which returned to Colon, for the Major was himself again, and their duty was accomplished.

CHAPTER XII

An American Undertaking

”I never did meet such a fellow as you, Jim Partington,” cried Phineas Barton, when our hero and his comrades turned up at the house situated above the huge dam of Gatun, in progress of building. ”No, never before.

You get introduced to me after a likely enough adventure. Perhaps I ought to say that I was introduced to you; reckon anyway our meeting was as strange as one might imagine, and there was no end of excitement in it. You behaved like a plucky young beggar.”

Jim went very red at once. ”I thought we weren't to hear anything more about that,” he said bluntly. ”That was our agreement.”

But Phineas only grinned at him. ”Agreement or no agreement,” he said seriously, ”there are times when a chap has just got to sit down and listen. Reckon that time is here now, and you're the chap. I was saying, when you interrupted me--ahem!--that you were a beggar for adventures.

You come to my house, do one day's solid work, and then get gallivanting off with an exploration party. Of course, being fired at in the meanwhile and the ruction you had with those rascals down at the hut above Colon is nothing--just a kind of act between supper and breakfast, as it were. Now there's this launch expedition, and there's Tomkins--a surly sort of fellow, who don't often open his mouth, and then not always to be pleasant; there's this policeman, with the Major, his commanding officer, singing your praises down at the club, till the boys are jest jumping to get a grip at you. Time supper's ended to-night you've got to come right along there with me; and, jest remember this, they ain't got an agreement with you.”

Jim was horrified at the suggestion. Though he was American born, and was blessed with an American's average allowance of a.s.surance, the lad was undoubtedly modest when his own actions were in question. He would have given anything to escape from what promised to be an ordeal, and made numerous excuses. But Phineas bore him off in spite of all of them, and Tom and Sam and Ching fell in as a bodyguard in rear, in case his protege should attempt to escape.

”It's not what you owe to yourself,” he said, with a laugh, ”but what you owe to the boys. Remember that they're working here all day, with little chance of getting news but what comes to them at the club. We're steadygoing stagers here on the ca.n.a.l, and it isn't often that a chap like you turns up. When he does he's got to stand the ruction, and guess that's what you've got to do. Don't I jest wish you and I could change places.”

Jim agreed with him heartily, though, as a matter of fact, when he came to face what in his imagination would be an ordeal, he discovered it to be but the pleasantest ceremony. Quiet, earnest men crowded round him to shake his hand; then he was bidden to sit at a table in the centre of his new comrades.

”Yer see,” said Harry, who regarded our hero with an envious expression, ”that 'ere Tomkins ain't the man to talk, while the Major's much too busy; besides, guess his head's much too sore for chatting. You jest get right in at it, and give us the yarn from start to finish.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: ATTACKED BY NATIVES]

Jim did as he was bidden, describing every incident, and drawing a growl from many of his audience when he came to that part of his narrative which dealt with the injury to the engine; for it can well be imagined that amongst those white employees on the huge ca.n.a.l a goodly number were, if not actually engineers by profession, certainly most strongly imbued with a leaning towards it. All may have been said to have had mechanical knowledge, since there were few who did not run a steam navvy, a rock drill, a rail-laying plant, or a lifting derrick of some description.

”Gee whiz! That's hot!” exclaimed one of them, interrupting for a moment. ”One of those muzzle-loading gas barrels chucked a shot right at your motor, did it? And knocked a hole clean through the water jacket?

My, that must have been awkward! Reckon the water pumped up most everywhere, and swamped the ignition. Tell us jest how yer fixed it.”

Jim described exactly what had happened, how he had plugged the water entrance to the pump of his motor, and drained the jackets dry. ”It was a near thing,” he admitted, with a grin. ”I thought I should never get going again; but we mopped the water from the magneto, and reckon we fixed it just in time. Of course I gave her plenty of oil, and all the time I was scared that the motor would become overheated.”

”Excuse me, sir,” said one of the audience, suddenly pressing forward and disclosing himself as one of the officials. ”All the time you were fixing this motor, shots were flying, and I understand that there was a boatload of dark-skinned gentlemen thirsting for the lives of yourself and your comrades, and not forgetting to let you know it either. Reckon many a man would have been too upset to think of extra lubrication, though everyone here who knows a gasolene motor realizes well enough that it was extra lubrication, and that alone, which saved your engine from overheating.”

He looked round at the a.s.sembled audience enquiringly, and was rewarded with many a sharp nod of approval.

”You've got it, siree,” cried one of them. ”You've jest put your finger on the very point I was about to ask.”

”It's as clear as daylight,” went on the official, ”our young friend here saved the whole party by keeping his head well screwed down and his wits about him. If that motor had overheated, as any self-respecting engine might well have been expected to do under the circ.u.mstances, you were all goners. All dead, sir. Wiped out clean by those natives.”

There came a grunt of acquiescence from the audience, while Jim went red to the roots of his hair.

”You don't happen to have got fixed on a special job yet awhile?” asked the official pointedly.

”I'm to take a steam digger away up by Culebra.”

”And you wouldn't change, supposing I was to come forward with an offer?