“Well, you ought not to let that interfere. Worry won’t do any good.”
In the fast approaching darkness but little could be seen. The boys were sure Aspinwall was a poorly illuminated town, so few lights could be distinguished. They went below and made all necessary preparations for leaving the steamer.
The evening passed quickly. At ten o’clock the boys turned in so as to be on hand bright and early.
And on hand they were. At ten o’clock both stepped out on the dock and walked slowly up the narrow and dirty street.
“Humph! not much of a city,” said Gus. “See the funny houses all on stilts!”
“I suppose they build them that way to keep from getting flooded out when it rains,” laughed Oliver; “or else the sea may occasionally drive in too far.”
“I would not care to see myself living here. My, how muddy it is! I guess they haven’t much of a street-cleaning department.”
From one of the officers of the ship the boys learned that, in order to make connections with the steamer at Panama, they would have to take the train for that port on the following morning.
“That will give us a whole day in this place,” said Oliver. “Come, let us start out on a voyage of discovery.”