When the party reached El Paso one of the first men they met was Don Miguel, who smiled in a sarcastic manner as he greeted Nestor.
"And so you were released?" the boy asked.
"On orders from Washington," was the reply.
"The case ended when the arms were captured," Nestor said.
"And if they had not been taken?"
"If a raid had actually taken place, you would have been charged with murder," was the quiet reply.
"Only for you," snarled the other, "my plans would have succeeded.""Only for the strange combination of circumstances which brought us both to the Cameron building that night, you should say,"Nestor replied. "It chanced that we appeared on the scene in time to interrupt a murder plot.""It is fate!" Don Miguel said, with a frown. "It was to be.
Why, half the police officers in New York might have visited the suite without seeing anything significant in those letters.
And even if they had found them interesting reading, they would not have been capable of smashing all our plans. At the beginning of the world it was set that you were to be there that night! It is fate!"Don Miguel bowed to the boy and took himself off. The government, fearing international complications, had ordered his release, and the boy was glad of it. The boys were all back in New York in two days, accompanied by Lieutenant Gordon, who was interested in seeing that Nestor received a suitable reward for what he had done. When the check finally came from Washington Nestor was so surprised at its size that he sought the lieutenant, who laughed at him.
"Uncle Sam always pays well," he said, "and he wants a little more of your time!""Wants me?" asked Nestor.
"Well, he asks me to get some keen fellows together and go down to the Canal Zone and look into a bit of treason.""And you want me to go?" cried the boy, almost disbelieving his own ears.
"It is just this way," the lieutenant said. "I want some one with me who can act and act quickly, and who can think on the spur of the moment. Also some one who will not be suspected of being in the secret service of the government.""I see!" cried the boy, his eyes flashing.
"And so," continued the lieutenant, "I was thinking that you might get some of the Black Bears and Wolves we had in Mexico to go down there and look about. Where is little Jimmie? I like the boy.""Fremont has about adopted him!" laughed Nestor. "I guess the boy will have an easy life from this time on.""And Fremont is now the acknowledged heir?"
"Oh, yes. Mr. Cameron is holding the property until he comes of age, but is giving him the income, which is very large, to say nothing of the mine.""Mr. Cameron, of course, knew that Fremont was the heir?""Oh, yes, he knew, and he had statements from Mother Scanlon to prove it. It was all clear for Fremont before the crime was committed. A lucky boy!""Of course he appreciates your efforts in his behalf?""Does he? Why, he wants me to stop working and come and play with him for the remainder of my life! Suppose I take him to Panama if you really want me to go?""I certainly do, and for the reason given," was the reply.
"Get some of the Black Bears and Wolves together and organize an excursion to the Canal Zone. You must not mix with me, or the other secret service men down there, but you must keep us posted as to what you discover.""That will be a picnic," cried Nestor. "What is doing down there?""I don't know much about it myself," was the reply, "except that it is a plot to stop the building of the canal. You'll find out soon enough when you get down there. When can you go?""In three days," was the answer. "Just as soon as I can round up the boys. The folks down there will think a menagerie has struck town when they see all the wild animals creeping in on them.
Say, what would Uncle Sam do if it wasn't for the Boy Scouts of America?" he added, with a laugh.
"Couldn't exist!" smiled the lieutenant.
It is needless to say that the prospect of a trip to Panama, with a little intrigue thrown in, pleased the boys greatly, and in three days they were ready to start, waiting only for orders from Lieutenant Gordon.
THE END.
What they did and what they saw and heard in the Canal Zone will be told in the forthcoming book of this series entitled, "Boy Scouts in the Canal Zone; or Plot Against Uncle Sam."
End
