"We don't know anything," said Fred. "We heard you talking this morning, but how much of what you said is true nobody knows, not even yourself."
"It's all true," retorted Grant. "As I told you I wasn't willing to start on a trip like this without knowing something about what I was doing."
"When do you start on that new line?" laughed George.
"It doesn't make any difference," said Grant. "Now the Panama Canal, for example belongs to the United States, doesn't it?"
"It does," acknowledged Fred.
"Well, now as a future citizen of this country just tell me between what places that canal extends. If there is one fellow in this crowd who can give me the right answer I will pay for the dinner for all the Go Ahead boys."
"Panama," said John promptly.
"Panama what?" retorted Grant sharply.
"Why the Panama Canal is located at the City of Panama," said John somewhat abashed by the manner of his friend.
"That's good as far as it goes," said Grant, "but I want to know if you know where the other end of the canal is located."