The boys were at the hotel where he had left them, having declined the repeated offers of hospitality by Mr. Chester, and Tony was with them. A session was at once held in a private room, and Jack Bosworth and Harry Stevens jumped at the chance to load themselves with provisions and travel back to the stone house east of Gamboa. They were given the needed directions and sent away with a note to an officer of the railroad, who, it may be as well to state here, landed them at Gamboa in quick time and without asking any questions.
After the boys had taken their departure Frank Shaw called Ned aside.
“There’s something doing here to-night,” he said. “Mr. Chester came out of the parlor as red as a lobster, about six o’clock, and I guess he had a fight with a couple of Japs, Gostel and another chap I’ve never seen before. They parted courteously, but I could see that Tony’s father was angry clear through. After he had gone back to his camp, or started for it, the Japs got a little crowd of gabbers about them and set off down the road toward Colon. They seemed mighty pleased over something, and I guess they’re going to start something to-night.”
“And the other man, this Col. Van Ellis. Did he come here with Chester?”
“Oh, yes; he was here, but I took good care that he did not see me. I think he went away with Chester. They were both very angry.”
“Angry at the Japanese?”
“Yes; anyway, they disagreed over something. But while the two white men were angry, the Japs seemed pleased. I’ll tell you what I think, Ned. The Japs are up to something the others do not like.”
Ned was beginning to see a great light. Once before, since seeing Gostel, he had studied out the problem of the sincerity of the man, and had reached the conclusion that he was using Chester—perhaps others—for some sinister purpose of his own. Now he thought he saw the plot in its true light. However, he did not communicate his thoughts to the others. Had Gordon been at hand he would have confided the story to him. But Gordon was not at the Tivoli at Ancon and no one seemed to know where he was, so he was obliged to go ahead and exercise his own best judgment.
“What’s doing to-night?” Glen Howard asked, when Ned and Frank returned to the room where the other boys were seated.
“We’re going to Gatun,” was the reply. “We’re going on a special engine, and we’re to leave the tracks in the outskirts and get down to the dam.”