by Roy J. Snell
CHAPTER XII.--ABOARD THE YUCATAN.
The _Tennessee_ returned immediately to Colon, followed by the_Yucatan_, now manned by a crew of American sailors. The run was madequickly, and darkness had just descended when the ships came to anchorand the Willing party made their way ashore and returned to their hotel.
Captain Von Blusen and the members of his crew were immediately turnedover to the Canal Zone authorities, pending orders from Washington.
What was the surprise of Shirley and the others, upon reaching thehotel, to find there others of the passengers who had been set adriftwhen the _Yucatan_ was captured by the German conspirators. They greetedeach other warmly.
"We were picked up by a steamer and just reached here this afternoon,"one of the women passengers explained to Shirley and Mabel. "We hadabout given you up for lost. The rest of us are all here."
"And so is the _Yucatan_," replied Shirley.
In response to exclamations of astonishment, she related the story ofthe recapture of the vessel.
"Then we shall be allowed to continue our trip, I suppose," remarked oneof the passengers.
"Unless the government decides to hold on to the steamer," said another.
But the government did not, and the following day the full crew of the_Yucatan_ was once more aboard the vessel, and it was announced that shewould resume her journey the following morning.
The day was spent by most of the passengers viewing the sights ofinterest in the canal zone and in the city of Colon proper.
A few words concerning the Panama Canal will not be amiss here.
The canal was opened to smaller vessels on August 5, 1914, but theofficial opening did not take place until much later, being attendedwith elaborate ceremonies.
The canal is about fifty miles in length from deep water in theCaribbean Sea to deep water in the Pacific Ocean. It ranges in widthfrom 300 to 1,000 feet with an average bottom width of almost 700 feet.The Gatun dam along its crest is 8,000 feet long.
The construction of the canal is considered one of the greatest feats ofengineering of all time and was accomplished at a tremendous cost. Theland was secured by treaty from Colombia at great expense and resultedin considerable trouble between the United States and the South Americanrepublic.
It is provided by treaties that the canal shall be open to the vesselsof all nations, merchantmen, or ships of war, in times of war as well intimes of peace; but strict rules of neutrality have been provided forthe passage of war vessels.
All this Mr. Willing explained to the others during the day. With thecoming of night, the passengers began to go aboard the _Yucatan_ for theship was to sail at an early hour and it was deemed advisable to beaboard the night before.
Therefore, when Shirley and Mabel arose and went on deck, the _Yucatan_already had started its passage through the canal. The girls stood uponthe upper deck aft and looked about with interest; but after an hour ofthis they grew tired and went down to breakfast.
The passage of the canal would require about ten hours and Shirleyremarked to Mabel that she would be glad when they were on the Pacificand sailing up the coast.
"And so will I," agreed Mabel. "Of course it is nice to see all thesethings, but they don't interest me a whole lot."
"I feel the same way. To tell the truth I shall be glad to get to SanFrancisco. From what I have heard, the Exposition must be beautiful."
"Indeed it must. By the way, I wonder what will be done with HenryBristow--I mean Captain Von Blusen?"
"I don't know," replied Shirley. "However, I suppose he will be taken toWashington."
"He seemed a very nice young man. I wouldn't have thought he was aGerman."
"Well, I suppose there are nice Germans as well as any other kind,"replied Shirley with a laugh. "But I wonder why they took such chances?"
"Orders, I reckon. The Germans have shown great daring and bravery inthis war."
"I should say they have. I wonder if the United States will be drawninto the war."
"My goodness gracious! I hope not! Why, Daddy might have to go."
"Oh I guess not," laughed Shirley. "He is too old for that, except as alast resort."
"But Dick might have to go."
"That's so; but I don't think there will be any war between the UnitedStates and Germany. We could whip them easily."
"I suppose the Germans think they could whip us just as well as webelieve we can whip them."
"But I know we can whip them."
"Well, I'm not so sure. But one thing is certain, we won't have to go towar. That's the advantage of being a girl."
"Oh I don't know," said Shirley, "I believe I would like to go."
"Not for me," declared Mabel. "Still, I might be willing to go as a RedCross nurse."
"That's what I meant," replied Shirley.
Mr. Willing, Colonel Ashton and Dick now joined them, and they discussedrecent happenings.
"You don't suppose there is any chance of Von Blusen getting away, sir?"asked Dick of Mr. Willing.
Mr. Willing looked at him and smiled.
"Afraid he'll come after you?" he asked.
"No, not exactly sir," replied Dick. "I just wondered, that's all."
"I don't think there is. I'm sure I don't want to be on the same shipwith him again. He'll make mischief wherever he is."
But Mr. Willing was to be disappointed in this wish, as it turned outlater.
Noon came and passed and still the big steamship was in the canal; butwith the coming of the supper hour the Pacific ocean became visible inthe distance.
It was the first time that Dick, Shirley or Mabel had seen the Pacific,and they stared ahead for a long time.
"I don't see as it looks any different from the Atlantic," declaredShirley.
"What did you expect?" asked Mabel. "Think you were going to see thename on it?"
"Not exactly. I don't know just what I expected, but I thought it wouldlook different."
The others laughed.
"It might feel a little different in case a big storm came up," saidDick.
"I don't want to be in a storm on any water," declared Shirley withdecision.
"I should say not," Mabel agreed. "A storm is bad enough with lots ofdry land under your feet."
The sun was just disappearing below the horizon when the _Yucatan_ atlast stuck her nose into the waters of the Pacific ocean.
"Well, here we are in the Pacific at last," said Colonel Ashton. "Do youfeel any difference, Shirley?"
"Not a bit," replied the girl with a smile.
Mr. Willing looked at the sky.
"I guess there will be no storm on this trip," he said.
Half an hour later all went below to supper.
They had almost finished a delightful meal when their attention wasattracted by the sound of a scuffle on deck. All rushed hastily up.
There, struggling with a knot of sailors, was a single man. His back wasturned to the girls as they made their way on deck, and at first theydid not recognize him.
He was giving a good account of himself, striking out with such forceand skill as gave evidence of much training in the use of his fists; butthe sailors were too many for him, and he was at last overpowered andthrown to the deck.
Rude hands jerked him to his feet and it was then that Shirley and Mabelobtained their first look at his face.
Shirley started back with a cry of utter amazement. Then a name leapedto her lips, and was repeated by all the passengers within sight.
"Captain Von Blusen!"
"How in the world did he get here?" exclaimed Shirley.
"I can't imagine," declared Mabel, staring with open mouth.
Captain Anderson of the _Yucatan_ now hastened down from the bridge andconfronted the prisoner.
"What are you doing on my ship and how did you get here?" he demandedangrily.
Captain Von Blusen smiled at him.
"I just escaped, that's all," he replied. "You treated me so well beforethat I thought I would take passag
e with you. Besides it was the leastlikely place I would be looked for."
"But how did you escape?" demanded the captain.
"That would be telling," was the reply, and the young man smiledtantalizingly. "However, it will do no harm to say that I have goodfriends in Colon."
"Well, I'll guarantee you won't do any more harm aboard my ship,"declared the captain angrily.
He turned to his first officer. "Have him put in irons!"
"Very good, sir," replied the first officer, and advanced toward theprisoner.
"One moment," said the latter drawing himself up. "I did not come herewith any ill motive," still addressing the captain, "and I desire togive my parole."
"And what good is your parole?" demanded Captain Anderson.
"One gentleman is always ready to accept the word of another gentleman,"said Von Blusen slowly. "I give my word to make no attempt to escape."
The captain hesitated, then waved an arm expressively.
"Very well," he said. "Your parole is accepted."
He returned to the bridge, and the sailors released Von Blusen. Thelatter walked over to where the Willing party were gathered.
"Well, here I am again," he said with a smile.
"I see you are," replied Mabel, and deliberately turned her back on him.
The young man's face became red. He turned on his heel and walked offwithout another word.
