Part 13 (1/2)
”Well, we're here at last!” exclaimed Joe, as he looked over the side and noticedabout, most of them connected in some manner with the canal construction
”Yes, and now for so pictures--at least within a day or so,” went on Blake ”I' At last we are at Pana pictures!” cried the Spaniard ”How long do you think it will be before I can take soerly
”Oh, within a week or so we'll trust you with a camera,” said Blake
”That is, if you can spare time from your alarlance at his chum
But if Mr Alcando felt any suspicions at the words he did not betray hiestures and exclaimed:
”Oh, the clock He is safe asleep, and will be while I a pictures now!”
In due season Blake, Joe and Mr Alcando found theton Hotel, built by the Panama Railroad for the Government, where they found, transported to a Southern clime, most of the luxuries de like living!” exclai picture ca been put away, they sat on the veranda and watched breaker after breaker sweep in from the Caribbean Sea
”The only trouble is on't be here long enough,” co lime drink, for the weather was quite warm ”We'll have to leave it and take to the Canal or the jungle, to say nothing of standing up to our knees in dirt taking slides”
”Do you--er--really have to get very close to get pictures of the big slides?” asked Mr Alcando, rather nervously, Blake thought
”The nearer the better,” Joe replied ”Re the volcano, and the ground opened right at your feet?”
”I should say I did remember it,” said Blake ”Some picture that!”
”Where was this?” asked the Spaniard
”In earthquake land There were _some_ times there!”
”Ha! Do not think to scareto learnpictures and I a to 'josh' you,” declared Blake ”We'll all have to run some chances But it's all in the day's work, and, after all, it's no hed their pupil ”Well, when do we start?”
”As soon as we can arrange for the govern the Canal,” answered Blake ”We'll have to go in one of the United States vessels, as the Canal isn't officially opened yet
We'll have to make soet started with the fil well”
The week they had to wait until their plans were completed was a pleasant one They lived well at the hotel, and Mr Alcando met some Spaniards and other persons whom he knew, and to who was secured, cameras were loaded with the reels of sensitive filhtcases, so that the exposed reels could be sent to the fil, were taken along
Not only were Blake and Joe without facilities for developing the filatives in hot countries If you have ever tried to develop pictures on a hot day, without an ice water bath, you can understand this And there was just then little ice to be had for such work as photography though soency Blake and Joe were only tocould better be done in New York
”Well, we'll start up the canal to- of their last day in Colon