"Why not meet all of us?" demanded Jack, suspiciously.
"Because one of you in conversation with me would create less suspicion than all of you would be likely to do. That is my only reason, señor."
"By the horn of rock—Gibraltar, if you please," exclaimed Professor Jack, "there is a bit of common sense in that. One of us will be here, if we find it convenient."
"Good, señor. Now, as we seem to be attracting attention, it may be well for us to separate. I will be on hand at the appointed time."
A moment later the unknown youth mingled with the motley crew, leaving our friends wondering what their meeting with him portended.
"He seems honest," declared Ronie.
"He must be half Spaniard, and the other is doubtless something worse, if that is possible," said Jack, who confessed that he had no liking for the South American races.
"Shall we accept his proposition?" asked Harrie. "I will confess I am curious to know what he has to tell."
"I do not understand what this disturbance between the countries means," said Ronie. "When foreign nations take a hand in the affair it would seem to show that something more serious than a civil revolt is likely to follow. There could not have been a suspicion of this outside preparation of war in the United States, or Colonel Marchand would have known of it. I do not see how this has gone on under the American eyes."
"It is probably due to the fact that these republics of South America are almost continually at war. Venezuela has had a stormy time of it from the very first. I think one of us had better listen to what this young Venezuelan has to say. He is evidently not in sympathy with the commander of this vessel."