"I don't know. There used to be a Nathan Pargloss in the Treasury Department, but he was kicked out on account of some crookedness."
"Then perhaps he is the man, Andy. Perhaps he wants to get square with the United States."
The young captain had struck the nail on the head.
Nathan Pargloss was furious because he had been discharged from a position paying five thousand dollars per year.
He was a dishonest man and for years had been in sympathy with Spain and other foreign nations.
He had sold valuable treasury secrets to foreigners and the discovery of these actions had caused his dismissal.
It was he who had concocted the scheme to blow up two of the canal locks when the new Holland should reach about the middle of the long water-course.
All of the next day Oscar thought of Nathan Pargloss and of what the Spaniards had said.
When the second lock was gained he spoke to the keeper about Pargloss.
"Ha! I heard of him only yesterday!" cried the keeper. "He is around here somewhere."