The Moving Picture Boys at Panama; Or, Stirring Adventures Along the Great Canal

by Victor Appleton

  CHAPTER VII

  IN NEW YORK

  "Ah, my letters have taken unto themselves wings,"laughed the Spaniard, as he stooped to pick up the scatteredpapers. "And you have assisted me in saving them," he went on, ashe took the part of the epistle Blake held out to him.

  As he did so Mr. Alcando himself had a glimpse of the words Blakehad thought so strange. The foreigner must have, in a manner,sensed Blake's suspicions, for he said, quickly:

  "That is what it is not to know your wonderful American language.I, myself, have much struggles with it, and so do my friends. Ihad written to one of them, saying I expected to go to Panama, andhe writes in his poor English, that he hopes I do go, and that Iget all the pictures I can, especially big ones."

  He paused for a moment, looking at Blake sharply, the boy thought.Then the Spaniard went on:

  "Only, unfortunately for him, he does not yet know the differencebetween 'guns' and 'ones.' What he meant to say was that he hopedI would get big pictures--big ones, you know. And I hope I do. Isuppose you do take big moving pictures--I mean pictures of bigscenes, do you not?" and he included Joe in the question he asked.

  "Oh, yes, we've taken some pretty big ones," Blake's chumadmitted, as he thought of the time when they had so recently beenin the flooded Mississippi Valley, and when they had risked dangerand death in the jungle, and in earthquake land.

  "Though, I suppose," went on Mr. Alcando, as he folded the part ofa letter Blake had picked up, "I suppose there are big guns atPanama--if one could get pictures of them--eh?" and again helooked sharply at Blake--for what reason our hero could notdetermine.

  "Oh, yes, there are big guns down there," said Joe. "I forgettheir size, and how far they can hurl a projectile. But we're notlikely to get a chance to take any pictures, moving or otherwise,of the defenses. I fancy they are a sort of government secret."

  "I should think so," spoke Blake, and there was a curiousrestraint in his manner, at which Joe wondered.

  "Yes, we probably won't get much chance to see the big guns," wenton the Spaniard. "But I am content if I learn how to become amoving picture operator. I shall write to my friend and tell himthe difference between the word 'one' and 'gun.' He will laughwhen he finds out his mistake; will he not?" and he glanced atBlake.

  "Probably," was the answer. Blake was doing some hard thinkingjust then.

  "But so you have decided to go to the Canal?" asked the Spaniard,when he had collected his scattered papers.

  "Yes, we are going down there," answered Blake, "and as Mr. Hadleywishes you to go along, of course we'll take you with us, andteach you all we know."

  "I hope I shall not be a burden to you, or cause you any trouble,"responded the Spaniard, politely, with a frank and engaging smile.

  "Oh, no, not at all!" returned Joe, cordially. He had taken quitea liking to the chap, and anticipated pleasure in his company.Usually when he and Blake went off on moving picture excursionsthey had some members of the Film Theatrical Company with them, orthey met friends on the way, or at their destination. But neitherC.C. Piper, nor any of the other actors were going to the Canal,so Blake and Joe would have had to go alone had it not been forthe advent of Mr. Alcando.

  "We're very glad to have you with us," added Blake. "How soon canyou be ready to go?"

  "Whenever you are. I can leave to-day, if necessary."

  "There isn't any necessity for such a rush as that," Blake said,with a laugh. "We'll finish out our week's vacation, and then goto New York. Our cameras will need overhauling after the hardservice they got in the flood, and we'll have to stay in New Yorkabout a week to get things in shape. So we'll probably start forthe Canal in about two weeks."

  "That will suit me excellently. I shall be all ready for you,"said the Spaniard.

  "Then I'll write to Mr. Hadley to expect us," Blake added.

  The boys left Mr. Alcando straightening out his papers, andstarted back through the town to the farm.

  "What made you act so funny, Blake, when you picked up that pieceof paper?" asked Joe, when they had alighted from their motorcycle at the Baker homestead a little later.

  "Well, to tell you the truth, Joe, I was a bit suspicious."

  "What about; that gun business?"

  "Yes," and Blake's voice was serious.

  "Buttermilk and corn cakes!" cried Joe with a laugh. "You don'tmean to say you think this fellow is an international spy; do you?Trying to get secrets of the United States fortifications at theCanal?"

  "Well, I don't know as I exactly believe _that_, Joe, and yet itwas strange someone should be writing to him about the big guns."

  "Yes, maybe; but then he explained it all right."

  "You mean he _tried_ to explain it."

  "Oh, well, if you look at it that way, of course you'll besuspicious. But I don't believe anything of the sort. It was justa blunder of someone who didn't know how, trying to write theEnglish language.

  "It's all nonsense to think he's a spy. He came to Mr. Hadley wellrecommended, and you can make up your mind Mr. Hadley wouldn'thave anything to do with him if there was something wrong."

  "Oh, well, I don't exactly say he's a _spy_," returned Blake,almost wavering. "Let it go. Maybe I am wrong."

  "Yes, I think you are," said Joe. "I like that chap, and I thinkwe'll have fine times together."

  "We'll have hard work, that's one thing sure," Blake declared. "Itisn't going to be easy to get good pictures of the big ditch. Andwaiting for one of those Culebra Cut slides is going to be likecamping on the trail of a volcano, I think. You can't tell whenit's going to happen."

  "That's right," agreed Joe with a laugh. "Well, we'll do the bestwe can, old man. And now let's go on a picnic, or something, tofinish out our vacation. We won't get another this year, perhaps."

  "Let's go down and see how they're coming on with the new bridge,where the horse tried to jump over the ravine," suggested Blake,and, a little later they were speeding in that direction.

  The final week of their stay in the country went by quicklyenough, and though the boys appreciated their vacation in thequiet precincts of Central Falls, they were not altogether sorrywhen the time came to leave.

  For, truth to tell, they were very enthusiastic about their movingpicture work, and though they were no fonder of a "grind" than anyreal boys are, they were always ready to go back to the clickingcranks that unwound the strips of celluloid film, which caught onits sensitive surface the impressions of so many wonderful scenes.

  They called at the hotel one evening to tell Mr. Alcando that theywere going to New York the following day, and that he could, if hewished, accompany them. But they found he had already left. Hehad written them a note, however, in which he said he would meetthem in the metropolis at the offices of the moving pictureconcern, and there complete plans for the trip to Panama.

  "Queer he didn't want to go in to New York with us," said Blake.

  "There you go again!" laughed Joe. "Getting suspicious again. Takeit easy, Blake."

  "Well, maybe I am a bit too fussy," admitted his chum.

  Their trip to, and arrival in, New York was unattended by anyincidents worth chronicling, and, taking a car at the GrandCentral Terminal, they were soon on their way to the film studios.

  "Well, well! If it isn't Blake and Joe!" cried C.C. Piper, thegrouchy actor, as he saw them come in. "My, but I am glad to seeyou!" and he shook their hands warmly.

  "Glad something pleases you," said Miss Shay, with a shrug of hershoulders. "You've done nothing but growl ever since thisrehearsal started." Blake and Joe had arrived during anintermission in the taking of the studio scenes of a new drama.

  "Is he as bad as ever?" asked Joe of Mabel Pierce, the new memberof the company.

  "Well, I don't know him very well," she said, with a little blush.

  "He's worse!" declared Nettie Shay. "I wish you'd take him outsomewhere, boys, and find him a good nature. He's a positivebear!"

  "Oh, come now, not as bad as that!" cried Mr. Piper. "I am
glad tosee you boys, though," and really he seemed quite delighted."What's on?" he asked. "Are you going with us to California? We'regoing to do a series of stunts there, I hear."

  "Sorry, but we're not booked to go," said Blake. "I guess it'sPanama and the Canal for us."

  Mr. Piper seemed to undergo a quick and curious change. His face,that had been lighted by a genial smile, became dull and careworn.His manner lost its joyousness.

  "That's too bad!" he exclaimed. "Panama! You're almost sure to beburied alive under one of the big Culebra slides, and we'll neversee you again!"