Part 28 (1/2)
”I'one,” Captain Wiltsey said, as the cabin door closed ”I'd rather tell this to just you boys I've just had a queer warning,” he said
”A warning?” repeated Joe
”Yes, about Gatun Da to be destroyed!”
CHAPTER XXIII
THE FLASHLIGHT
For an instant theof the fateful words spoken by Captain Wiltsey But it needed only a look at his face to tell that he was laboring under great excitement
”The Gatun Daet--”
”Do youin on his chum's words
”No, I don't take any stock in their earthquake theories,” the captain answered ”That's all bosh!+ It's dynamite”
”Dynamite!” cried Joe and Blake in a breath
”Yes, there are rumors, so persistent that they cannot be denied, to the effect that the daht”
”Blown up!” cried Blake and Joe again
”That's the rumor,” continued Captain Wiltsey ”I don't wonder you are astonished I was et you boys to help us out”
”How can we help?” asked Blake ”Not that on't do all we can,”
he added hastily, ”but I should think you'd need Secret Service men, detectives, and all that sort of help”
”We'll have enough of that help,” went on the tug boat commander, as also an employee of the commission that built the Canal
”But we need the peculiar help you boys can give us with your ca up of the da up, if we can help it,” spoke the captain, grioes that far Have you any flashlight powder?”
”Yes,” Blake answered ”Or, if not, we can et But you can't ht”
”Couldn't you if you had a very big flashlight that would last for several ure on that”
”But I don't understand it all,” objected Blake, and Joe, too, looked his wonder Both were seeking a reason why the captain had said he was glad Mr Alcando had gone out to get the caotten