“Good day, yourself!” Jack responded.
He halted, intending to inspect the saucy parrot. But the bent old native woman glared angrily at him and shuffled hurriedly on.
“Guess she didn’t like the way I spoke to her pet,” Jack said with a shrug. “Or was she suspicious of our Explorers’ uniforms?”
At the top of the hill, the four Scouts paused to breathe deeply of the salt air. Willie snapped several pictures of the old mission, and then he and War wandered on.
Left behind, Jack and Ken watched the sea for a while before starting in the direction their companions had taken. In passing the old mission door, Jack impulsively paused to knock.
“No use,” Ken discouraged him. “There’s never any answer.”
But even as he spoke, they heard footsteps. Surprisingly, the massive door swung open and a servant peered out at them.
“Father Francisco see you now,” she informed them in broken English. “Enter!”
“Well, what d’ you know!” Ken murmured startled. “We must have pressed the magic button!”
The servant motioned for the two Scouts to follow her down a tiled corridor. Eventually, they came to a pleasant half-underground library whose long, wide window provided a view of the ocean. On three sides, the walls were lined with books.