“What’s the matter?” he demanded.

Shirley explained.

“And hurry,” she added tearfully, “they will lock them up in a dirty old jail.”

The consul was forced to smile.

“Oh, well, I guess it won’t hurt them any,” he replied.

The girls looked at him in astonishment, and Shirley opened her mouth to speak. The consul silenced her with a gesture.

“I’ll get them out, all right,” he assured them.

He looked at his watch and continued.

“It is now ten o’clock. I think I can safely promise to have them back aboard the Yucatan by five o’clock.”