The Moving Picture Boys at Panama; Or, Stirring Adventures Along the Great Canal

by Victor Appleton

  CHAPTER XXII

  A WARNING

  "What is the matter?" asked Mr. Alcando, as he noted Blake'sintent look. "Is something--?" He did not finish.

  "That sound--in the film-case--" began Blake.

  "Oh, my alarm clock--yes!" exclaimed the Spaniard. "I take it outwith me on my trips. Often, when I have finished taking pictures,I try to do a little work on it. There is one feature I can't seemto perfect, and I hope some day to stumble on it. Without it theclock is a failure. I had it with me to-day, but I could make noprogress--none at all. I think I shall put it away again," andtaking with him the case, from which came that curious tickingnoise, he went to his stateroom.

  Blake shook his head. He did not know what to think.

  "He'll never make a good moving picture operator," he said tohimself. "You've got to give your whole mind to it, and not bemonkeying with inventions when you set out to get views. An alarmclock!

  "Suppose he does perfect it? There are enough on the market now,and I don't believe there's a fortune in any of 'em. He might muchbetter stick to what he set out to learn. Well, it isn't any of mybusiness, I suppose. Joe and I have done all we can."

  Several times after this the Spaniard went off by himself, to makesimple moving picture views with the little camera. But, whetheror not he took along the curious brass-bound box, with the metalprojections, which he said was an alarm clock, was something Blakeor Joe could not discover. For Blake had told Joe of Alcando'sconfession.

  Certainly if Alcando did take his model with him, he did not windit up until leaving the boys, for no ticking sound came from thecase.

  The Canal was now as it had been before the big slide. Vesselswere passing to and fro, though in some parts of the waterway muchfinishing work remained to be done. Blake and Joe took some viewsof this, and also "filmed" the passage of the various ships tomake their pictures of wider appeal when they would be shown atthe Panama Exposition. Mr. Alcando did his share, and, for a timeseemed to show a great interest in his work, so that Blake hadhopes the Spaniard would really become a good operator. Butsomething was always lacking, and it was not altogether effort onthe part of the pupil.

  The time was approaching when Blake and Joe must bring their workto an end. They had accomplished what they set out to do, and wordcame back from New York, where their films had been sent fordevelopment, that they were among the best the boys had evertaken.

  "Well, I will soon be leaving you," said Mr. Alcando to the chums,one day. "I have heard from my railroad firm, and they are anxiousfor me to come back and begin making pictures there."

  "His friends are going to be sadly disappointed in him," thoughtBlake. "It's too bad. He'll make a failure of those views. Well,if he does they may send for Joe and me, and that will be so muchmore business for us, though I'm sorry to see him make a fizzle ofit."

  But Mr. Alcando appeared to have no fears on his own account. Hewas cheerfully optimistic.

  "I shall want several cameras, of different kinds," he said to theboys. "Perhaps you can recommend to me where to get some."

  "Yes," spoke Joe. "We'll help you pick them out if you are goingback to New York."

  "I am not so sure of that," the Spaniard said. "I will know in afew days when I hear from my railroad friends. I expect a lettershortly."

  There was some little delay in getting the pictures Blake wantedof the Gatun Dam. Certain work had to be done, and Blake wanted toshow the complete and finished structure. So he decided to wait.

  About a week after the above conversation with Mr. Alcando, theSpaniard came to the boys, waving an open letter in his hand. Themail had just come in, bringing missives to Blake and Joe. Somewere of a business nature, but for each boy there was an envelope,square and of delicate tint--such stationery as no business manuses. But we need not concern ourselves with that. We all have oursecrets.

  "I have my marching orders," laughed the Spaniard. "I leave youthis week, for my own particular jungle. Now I must arrange to getmy cameras."

  "We'll help you," offered Joe, and then, with the catalogue of amoving picture supply house before them, the boys sat down to planwhat sort of an outfit would best be suited to the needs of Mr.Alcando. He was not limited as to money, it was evident, for hepicked out the most expensive cameras possible to buy.

  "I wish you boys would come and see me, when I get to work takingviews along our railroad line," he said. "It isn't altogether aselfish invitation," he added with a laugh, "for I expect youcould give me good advice, and correct some of my mistakes."

  "I'm afraid we won't get a chance to go to South America," Blakeanswered.

  With a tentative list of what he needed, Mr. Alcando went to writea letter to his railroad officials, asking them to order hisoutfit for him.

  As Blake pushed back his chair, intending to leave the cabin toseek his own stateroom, he saw, on the floor, a piece of paper.Idly he picked it up, and, as he saw it was part of a letter tothe Spaniard he folded it, to hand to him. But, as he did so hecaught sight of a few words on it. And those words made him starein wonder. For Blake read:

  "Stuff is all ready for you. You had better do the job and getaway. There is some fine scenery in Europe."

  Saying nothing to his chum about it, Blake went with the lettertoward the Spaniard's stateroom. He was not in, but Blake put thepaper on a desk, with some others, and came out hastily.

  "I wonder what that meant?" he thought to himself. "That musthave been his orders to come back to Brazil and make the pictures.But if he goes at it that way--just to do the job and get away, hewon't have much success. And to think of going to make films ofEuropean scenery when he isn't really capable of it."

  "Well, some of these foreigners think they know it all when theyhave only a smattering of it," mused Blake. "Though Alcando isn'tas bad that way as lots of others. Well, we've done our best withhim. And how unjust all our suspicions were--Joe's and mine. Iwonder what he really did think he was up to, anyhow?"

  The next day Blake and Joe were busy making many important viewsof the big dam, which held back the waters of the Chagres River,creating Gatun Lake. The Spaniard, too, was busy with hispreparations for leaving. He was away from the boys nearly allday, coming back to the boat, which they made their headquarters,in the evening.

  "Get any pictures?" asked Blake. "If you have we'll pack up yourreel and send it to New York with ours. Where's the little cameraand case?"

  Mr. Alcando stopped short, as though struck.

  "By Jove!" he cried. "I left it out at the dam. I was making someviews there, and used up all the film. Then I got to working on myalarm clock, and forgot all about the camera and film case. I leftthem out there, and my clock, too. I'll go right back and getthem!"

  He turned to leave the cabin, but, as he did so, Captain Wiltseyentered. He paid no attention to the Spaniard, but, addressingBlake and Joe said:

  "Boys, I have a little task for you. Have you any flash-lightpowder?"

  "Flash-light powder? Yes, we have some," Blake said. "But we can'tuse it for moving pictures. It doesn't last long enough."

  "Perhaps it will last long enough for what I want," the captainsaid.

  "If you'll excuse me, I'll go back and get the camera I was socareless as to leave out," spoke Mr. Alcando.

  "I'm glad he's gone," Captain Wiltsey said, as the cabin doorclosed. "I'd rather tell this to just you boys. I've just had aqueer warning," he said.

  "A warning?" repeated Joe.

  "Yes, about Gatun Dam. There's a rumor that it is going to bedestroyed!"