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THE MOVIE BOYS
IN PERIL
OR}
Strenuous Days Along
The Panama Canal
BY
VICTOR APPLETON
Author of “The Movie Boys in the Wild West,” “The
Movie Boys in the Jungle,” “The Movie
Boys in Earthquake Land,” ete.
Garpen City New York
GARDEN CITY PUBLISHING COMPANY, Inc.
1926
THE FAMOUS MOVIE BOYS
SERIES (as),
BY
VICTOR APPLETON
See back of book for list of titles
COPYRIGHT, 1915, 1926, BY .
GARDEN CITY PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.
THE MOVIE BOYS
IN PERIL
CHAPTER [I
TO THE RESCUE
Wirt# a series of puffs and chugs a big, shiny
motor cycle turned from the road into the grav-
eled drive at the side of a white farmhouse.
Two boys sat on the creaking saddles. The one
at the front handle bars threw forward the clutch
lever, and then turned on the power sharply to
drive the last of the gases out of the twin cylin-
ders.
The motor cycle came to a stop near a shed,
and the two lads, swinging off, looked at each
other for a moment.
“ Some ride, that!’’ observed one. “ You had
her going then, Blake!”
“ Just a little, Joe—yes. It was a nice level
stretch, and I wanted to see what she could do.”
“You didn’t let her out to the full at that; did
your”
I
3 MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA
“ T should say not!” answered the one who had
ridden in front, and guided the steed of steel and
gasoline. ‘ She'll do better than ninety miles an
hour on the level; but J don’t want to ride on her
_ when she’s doing it.”
“Norl. Well, it was a nice little run, all right.
Funny, though, that we didn’t get any mail;
wasn't it?”
“It sure was. I think somebody must be rob-
bing the post-office, for we ought to have had a
letter from Mr. Hadley before this,’ and he
laughed at his own joke.
“Yes,” agreed Joe, “and I ought to have had
ene from —”
He stopped suddenly, and a blush suffused the
tan of his cheeks.
“Might as well say it as think it,’ broke in
Blake with another laugh that showed his white,
even teeth. “ Hasn’t Mabel written to you this
week?”
“ What if she hasn’t? ”’ fired back Joe.
“Oh, nothing. Only —”’
“Only I suppose you are put out because you
haven’t had a postcard from Birdie Lee!” chal-
lenged Joe.
“Oh, well, have it your own way,’ and Blake,
with a shrug of his broad shoulders, began to
wheel the motor cycle into the shed.
TO THE RESCUE |
“No, but it is queer; isn’t it?’’ went on Joe.
“Here we’ve been back from the flood district
over two weeks now, and we haven’t had a line
from Mr. Hadley. He promised to write, too,
and let us know what sort of moving pictures he
might be in line for next. Our vacation will soon
be over, and we don’t want to be idle.”
“ That’s right,” agreed hischum. “ There’s no
money in sitting around, when the film isn’t run-
ning. Oh, well, I suppose Mr. Hadley has been.
so busy that he hasn’t had time to make his
plans. ;
“ Besides,” Blake went on, ‘‘ you know there
was a lot of trouble over the Mississippi flood pic-
tures — reels of film getting lost, and all that —
to say nothing of the dangers our friends ran.
Birdie Lee said she’d never forget what they
suffered.” |
“T don’t blame her. Well, maybe they haven't
got straightened out enough yet to feel like writ-
ing. But it sure is nice here, and I don’t mind if
we stay another week or so,” and he looked up
the pleasant valley, on one side of which was
perched the farmhouse where the two moving
picture boys had been spending their vacation.
“It sure is nice,’ agreed Blake. ‘* And it’s lots
more fun since we got this motor cycle,” for they
had lately invested in the powerful vehicle on
4 MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA
which they had made many trips about the sur-
rounding country.
As Blake went to put the machine in the shed,
which their farmer-landlord had allowed them to
use, Joe turned to glance back along the-road they
had come.
The farmhouse was set up on a little hill, above
the road, and a glimpse of the highway could be
had for a long distance. It was the sight of
something coming along this thoroughfare that
attracted Joe’s attention.
“What are you looking at?” asked Blake, re-
turning after having put away the motor cycle.
“That horse and buggy. Looks to me as
though that horse was feeling his oats, and that
the fellow driving him didn’t know any more
about handling the reins than the law allows.”
“That’s right, Joe. If he doesn’t look out
he'll have an upset, or a runaway.”
The vehicle in question was a light buggy,
drawn by a particularly large and spirited horse.
Seated in the carriage, as the boys could see from
their point of vantage, weretwo men. Who they
were could not be distinguished at that distance,
but the carriage was rapidly coming nearer.
“ There he goes!” suddenly cried Joe.
As his chum spoke Blake saw that one of the
reins had parted, probably because the driver
TO THE RESCUE 5
pulled on it too hard in trying to bring the restive
steed down to a walk.
Once the spirited horse felt that he was no
longer under control, save by one line, which was
worse than none, he sprang forward, and at once
began to gallop, pulling after him the light car-
riage, which swayed from side to side, threatening
every moment to collapse, overturn, or at least be
torn loose from the horse.
“ There he goes!” yelled Joe again.
“I should say so!” agreed Blake. “ There
are going to be some doings soon!”’
This was evident, for the horse was running
away, a fact not only apparent in itself, but
heralded by the looks on the faces of the two
occupants of the carriage, and by their frightened
cries, which the wind easily carried to the watch-
ing Joe Duncan and Blake Stewart.
On the road below them, and past the boys,
swept the swaying carriage in a cloud of dust.
‘As it was momentarily lost to sight behind a
grassy knoll, Blake cried:
“« The broken bridge, Joe!, The broken bridge!
They’re headed right for it!”
“ That’s right!’’ exclaimed his chum. “ How
can we stop them? ”
Once having recognized the danger, the next
thought that came to the minds of Blake and
6 MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA
Joe, trained for emergencies, was how to avert
it. They looked at each other for a second, not
to gain a delay, but to decide on the best possi-
ble plan of saving the imperiled men.
“The broken bridge,’?) murmured Blake again,
“That horse will never be able to make the turn
into the temporary road, going at the speed he
is!”
“No, and he’s probably so frightened that
he'll not try it,’ agreed Joe. ‘ He'll crash right
through the barrier fence, and —’
He did not finish his sentence, but Blake knew
what his chum meant.
About half a mile beyond the farmhouse the
road ran over a bridge that spanned a deep and
rocky ravine. About a week before there had
been an accident. ‘Weakened by the passing of
a heavy traction threshing engine, it had been
broken, and was ruled unsafe by the county au-
thorities.
Accordingly the bridge had been condemned
and partially torn down, a new structure being
planned to replace it. But this new bridge was
not yet in place, though a frail, temporary span,
open only to foot passengers and very light ve-
hicles, had been thrown across the ravine.
The danger, though, was not so much in the
temporary bridge, as in the fact that the tem=—
TO THE RESCUE 7
porary road, connecting with it, left the main
and permanent highway at a sharp curve. Per-
sons knowing of the broken bridge made allow-
ances for this curve, and approached along the
main road carefully, to make the turn safely
into the temporary highway.
But a maddened horse could not be expected
to do this. He would dash along the main road,
and would not make the turn. Or, if he did,
going at the speed of this one, he would most
certainly overturn the carriage.
The main highway was fenced off a short dis-
tance on either side of the broken bridge, but
this barrier was of so frail a nature that it could
not be expected to stop a runaway.
“Hell crash right through it, run out on the
end of the broken bridge and —”
Once more Joe did not finish.
“We've got to do something!” cried Blake.
“Yes, but what?’’ asked Joe.
“We've got to save them!” cried Blake again,
as he thought of the two men in the carriage.
'He had had a glimpse of their faces as the ve-
hicle, drawn by the frenzied horse, swept past
him on the road below. One of the men he
knew to be employed in the only livery stable of
Central Falls, on the outskirts of which he and
Joe were spending their holiday. The other
8 MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA
man was a stranger. Blake had only seen that
he was a young man, rather good-looking, and
of a foreign cast of countenance. Blake had
momentarily put him down for an Italian.
“The motor cycle!” suddenly cried Joe.
“ What? ”’ asked Blake, only half comprehend-
ing.
“We might overtake them on the motor
cycle!” repeated his chum.
A look of understanding came into Blake’s
eyes.
“That’s right!” he cried. ‘ Why didn’t I
think of that before, instead of standing here
mooning? JI wonder if we've got time?”
“We'll make time!” cried Joe grimly. “ Get
her out, and we'll ride for all we're worth. It'll
be a race, Blake!”
“Yes. A race to save a life! Lucky she’s
got plenty of gas and oil in her.”
“Yes, and she hasn’t had a chance to cool
down. Run her out.”
Blake fairly leaped toward the shed where he |
had wheeled the motor cycle. In another in-
stant he and Joe were trundling it down the
gravel walk to the road.
As they reached the highway they contd hear,
growing fainter and fainter, the “ thump-thud,”
of the hoofs of the runaway horse.
TO THE RESCUE 9
Joe held the machine upright while Blake
vaulted to the forward saddle and began to work
the pedals to start the motor. The cylinders
were still hot from the recent run, and at the
first revolution the staccato explosions began.
“Jump up!” yelled Blake in his chum’s ear —
shouting above the rattle and bang of the ex-
haust, for the muffler was open.
Joe sprang to leather, but before he was in
his seat Blake was letting in the friction clutch,
and a moment later, at ever gathering speed,
the shining motor cycle was speeding down the
road to the rescue. Would Joe and Blake be in
time?
CHAPTER II
ON THE BRINK
“ Wuat — what’s your plan, Blake?” yelled
Joe into his chum’s ear, as he sat’ behind him
on the jolting second saddle of the swaying
motor cycle. |
“What do you mean?” demanded Blake,
half turning his head.
“IT mean how are you going to stop that run-
away, or rescue those fellows?’”
“T haven’t thought, yet, but if we can get
ahead of the horse we may be able to stop him
before he gets to the road-barrier or to the dan-
gerous turn.”
“ That’s — right!” panted Joe, the words be-
ing fairly jolted out of him. “ Head him off
=—I see!” : |
“Hold fast!” exclaimed Blake, as the conduc-
tor does when a trolley car goes around a curve.
“Hold fast!” )
‘There was need of the advice, for a little
tutn in the road was just ahead of them and —
10
ON THE BRINK it
Blake intended to take it at almost top speed.
Bumping, swaying, jolting, spitting fire and
smoke, with a rattle, clatter and bang, on rushed
the motor cycle on its errand of rescue.
“Hark!”’’ cried Joe, close to Blake’s ear.
* Listen!”
“Can't, with all this racket!’ yelled back
Blake, for he had opened the throttle to gain
a little increase of power. ‘“ What’s the mat-
rene
“T thought I heard the horse.” 3
“Hearing him won’t do any good,” observed
Blake grimly. “‘ We've got to see him and get
ahead!”
And he turned on a little more gasoline.
While Blake and Joe are thus speeding to the
rescue of the men in the runaway, we will take
a few moments to tell our new readers some-
thing about the boys who are to figure promi-
nently in this story.,
Joe Duncan and Blake Stewart were called
the “Moving Picture Boys,’ for’ an obvious
‘reason, They took moving pictures. With their
‘curious box-like cameras, equipped with the
thousand feet of sensitive celluloid film, and the
operating handle, they had risen from the ranks
of mere helpers to be expert operators. And
now they were qualified to take moving pictures
I2 MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA
of anything from a crowd, shuffling along the
street, to a more complicated scene, such as a
flood, earthquake or volcanic eruption. And,
incidentally, I might mention that they had been
in all three of these last situations.
The first volume of this series is called “The
Movie Boys on Call,” and in that I introduced to
you Blake and Joe.
They worked on adjoining farms, and one
day they saw a company of moving picture
actors and actresses come to a stream, near where
they were, to take a “movie drama.”
Naturally Blake and Joe were interested at
once, and making the acquaintance of Mr. Cal-
vert Hadley, who was in charge of the: taking
of the play, or “ filming it,” as the technical term
has it, the two boys were given an opportunity
to get into the business.
‘They went to New York, and began the study
of how moving pictures are taken, developed
from the films, the positives printed and then,
through the projecting machine, thrown on the
screen more than life size.
The process is an intricate one, and rather
complicated, involving much explanation. As I
have already gone into it in detail in my first book
of this series, I will not repeat it here. Those of
you who wish to know more about the “ movies ”
ON THE BRINK 13
than you can gain by looking at the interesting
pictures in some theater, are respectfully referred
to the initial volume.
Joe and Blake were much interested in the
Film Theatrical Company. My former readers
will well remember some members of that organ-
ization —C. C. Piper, or ‘‘ Gloomy,” as he was
called when not referred to as just “C. C.”’;
Birdie Lee, a pretty, vivacious girl; Mabel Pierce,
a new member of the company ; Henry Robertson,
who played juvenile “leads”; Miss Shay, and
others in whom you are more or less interested.
After various adventures in New York City,
taking films of all sorts of perilous scenes, Joe
and Blake went out West, their adventures there
being told in the volume of that name. They
had their fill of cowboys and Indians, and, in-
cidentally, were in no little danger.
Afterward they went to the Pacific Coast,
thence to the jungle, where many stirring wild
animal scenes were obtained, and afterward they
had many adventures in Earthquake Land.
‘There they were in great danger from tremors
of the earth, and from volcanoes, but good luck,
no less than good management, brought them
home with whole skins, and with their cases filled
with rare films.
Having finished in the land of uncertainty,
14 MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA
the work assigned to them by Mr. Hadley and
his associates, Joe and Blake had gone for their
vacation to the farm of Mr. Hiram Baker, near
Central Falls. But their intention of enjoying a
quiet stay was rudely interrupted.
For not long after they had arrived, and were
resting quietly under a cherry tree in the shade,
Mr. Ringold, with whom they were also as-
sociated in moving picture work, called them up
on the long distance telephone to offer them a
most curious assignment.
This was to go to the flooded Mississippi
Valley, and get moving pictures of the “ Father
of Waters” on one of “his” annual rampages.
Of course Blake and Joe went, and their ad-
ventures in the flood fill the volume immediately
preceding this one.
And now they had returned, anticinanile a
second session of their vacation. They had
brought a motor cycle with which to go about
the pretty country surrounding Central Falls.
“For,” reasoned Blake, “we haven’t much
time left this summer, and if we want to enjoy
ourselves we'll have to hustle. A motor cycle is
the most hustling thing I know of this side of
an automobile, and we can’t afford that yet.”
“Tm with you “for a motor cycle,’ Joe had
said. So one was purchased, jointly.
ON THE BRINK 15
It was on returning from a pleasant ride that
our heroes had seen the runaway with which we
are immediately concerned. They were now
speeding after the maddened horse dragging the
frail carriage, hoping to get ahead of and stop the
animal before it either crashed into the frail bar-
tier, and leaped into the ravine, or upset the
vehicle in trying to make the turn into the tem-
porary road.
“There he is!” suddenly cried Blake. The
motor cycle, bearing the two chums, had made
the curve in the road successfully and was now
straightened up on a long, level stretch. And
yet not so long, either, for not more than a
quarter of a mile ahead was another turn, and
then came the bridge.
“T see him!” answered Joe. “Can you make
tata
“Tm going to!” declared Blake, closing his
lips firmly.
Every little bump and stone in the road seemed
magnified because of the speed at which. they
were moving. But Blake held the long handles
firmly, and, once the curve was passed, he turned
the rubber grip that let a little more gasoline
flow into the carbureter to be vaporized and
sprayed into the cylinders, where the Fleet
spark exploded it with a bang. 3
16 MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA
“We — are — going — some!” panted Joe.
* Got — to!” assented Blake, grimly.
On swayed the thundering, rattling motor
cycle. The carriage top had either been let down,
or some of the supports had broken, and it had
faHen, and the boys could now plainly see the
two men on the seat. They had not jumped,
but they had evidently given up trying to make
the horse stop by pulling on the one rein, for the
animal was speeding straight down the center of
the road.
“We aren’t catching up to him very fast!”
howled Joe into Blake’s ear, and he had to howl
louder than usual, for they were then passing
along a portion of the road densely shaded by
trees. In fact the branches of the trees met over-
head. in a thick arch, and it was like going
through a leafy tunnel.
This top bower of twigs and branches threw
back the noise of the explosions of the motor
cycle, and made an echo, above which it was
almost impossible to make one’s voice heard.
“Look out!” suddenly cried Blake. “ Hold
“fast!”
At first Joe imagined that his chum was going
to make another curve in the road, but none was
at hand. Then, as Blake watched his chum’s
right hand, he saw him slowly turn the moyable
ON THE BRINK wav,
rubber handle that controls the gasoline supply.
Blake was turning on more power, though now
the machine was running at a higher rate than
Joe or Blake had ever traveled before.
With a jump like that of a dog released from
the leash, the motor cycle seemed to spring for-
ward. Indeed Joe must needs hold on, and as
he was not so favorably seated as was his chum,
it became a matter of no little trouble to main-
tain a grip with his legs and hands.
“ We — sure — are — going —some!” mut-
tered Joe. But he did not open his mouth any
more. It was too dangerous at the speed they
had attained. A jolt over a stone, or a bit of
wood, might send his teeth through his tongue
if he parted his jaws. So he kept quiet.
Ahead of them the carriage swayed and
swerved. ‘The horse was.a speedy one, but no
creature of bone, blood, muscles and sinews can
distance a fire-spitting and smoke-eating machine
like a motor cycle. The distance was gradually
being cut down. |
But now, just ahead of them, was the curve,
immediately beyond which was the broken,
bridge, and also the temporary one, shunting off
at a sharp angle from the main highway.
“Look out! Hold on!” once more cried
Blake, speaking in quick tones.
386 = MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA
For a moment Joe wondered at the added cau-
tion, and then he sensed what Blake was about
to do.
To one side of them stretched a level field.
The road made a slight detour about it, just
before meeting the ravine, and by crossing this
field 1t was possible for the boys to reach the
bridge ahead of the swaying carriage. But at
the speed they were now running it was dan-
gerous, and risky in the extreme, to run across
the uneven meadow. Blake, however, evidently
- Was going to chance it.
“Hold fast!” he cried once more, and Joe
had no more than time to take a firmer grip on
the bar in front of him, and to cling with his
legs to the foot supports and saddle, than they
were off the road, and into the green field. The
fence had been taken down to allow for the stor-
age of bridge-building material in the meadow.
“Now we'll get him!” cried Blake, but he
spoke too soon. For the motor cycle had not
gone ten feet into the uneven field, jolting, sway-
ing and all but throwing off the moving picture
boys, than the sound of the explosions suddenly
ceased, and the machine began to slacken speed.
With a quickness that was added to by the
rough nature of the, ground, the motor cycle
slowed up and stopped.
ON THE BRINK 19
“ What’s the matter?” cried Joe, putting down
his feet to support the machine. |
““Something’s busted— gasoline pipe, _ I
guess!” cried Blake. “Come on! We've got
to run for it!” |
The accident had occurred only a short dis-
tance from the road. Together the two chums,
leaping clear of the motor cycle, made for it on
the run.
But they were too late. They had a glimpse
of the runaway horse dashing straight at the
fence barrier.
The next moment there was a splintering
crash, and he was through it.
Onl) cried Blake.
The thunder of the horse’s hoofs on what was
left of the wooden approach to the broken bridge
drowned his words.
Then the animal, with a leap, disappeared over
the jagged edges of the planks.. The boys ex-
pected to see the carriage and the two occupants
follow, but to their intense surprise, the vehicle
swayed to one side, caught somehow on one of
the king beams of the bridge and hung there.
“Come on!” cried Blake, increasing his
speed ; “ we've got a chance of saving them yet!”
CHAPTER Il
A SURPRISE
THEY reached—only just in time—the
broken and collapsed carriage with its two front
wheels mere twisted and splintered spokes. The
moving picture boys reached it, and with strong
and capable hands pulled it back from the brink
of the ravine, over which it hung. In the depths
below the horse lay, very still and quiet.
“Pull back!” directed Blake, but Joe needed
no urging. the commander said. “ Well, now
we'll start.” |
If either Blake or Joe felt any surprise over
_ the hurried visit, at the last minute, of Mr. Al-
_ cando’s friend, they said nothing to each other
about it. Besides, they had other matters to.
think of just then, since now their real moving —
picture work was about to begin.
In a short time they were moving away from
the pier, up the harbor and toward’ the wonder-
i ies (aside from the ee. ak a the great
ful locks and dam that form the amazing fea-
aun Better get our cameras bse hada’ ie we,
(Blake? ” suggested Joeman |
“TJ think so,” agreed his ae tf Now, Mr. ‘
‘Alcando, if you want to pick up agly points, you
- ean watch us, A little later we'll let you erin
- the crank yourself.” |
I might explain, briefly, that moving pictures
are taken not by pressing a switch, or a rubber
bulb, such as that which works a camera shutter,
but by the continuous action of a crank, or han-
dle, attached to the camera. Pressing a bulb
‘does well enough for taking a single picture,
but when a series, on a long celluloid strip, are
needed, as in the case for the “ movies,” an en-
tirely different arrangement, ootttiaie pene
necessary. : |
_ The sensitive celluloid din must move ‘cone
tinuously, in a somewhat jerky fashion, inside —
we the dark SS camera, and behind the lens.
aha ‘closing the shutter, moving the film and z
| that i 1s mecessary. ; Ne aa
of he w moving pictures are pede but much be . oi)
bout the’ Panama Canal. As to the ence i se
levine nek Bieiake that oe in a great volume — 4 ee
could I hope to do it justice. And in a story ae
(such as this is intended to be), I am afraid YOU ws
would think I was trying to give you pretty dry
reading if I gave you too many facts and fig-
$es,."
CoN course many on you have read of the Candee |
the newspapers—the controversy over the
hoice of the route, the discussion as to whether
_seaslevel or a lock canal was best, and many —
other points, especially whether the Gatun Dam
would be able to hold back the waters of the
Chagres River. _
_ With all that T have eine to do i in this boots.
but I hope you will pardon just a little reference
on the Canal, especially the lock features, since
Joe and Blake had a part in at least filming those , Tie ea
wonderful structures. age
‘ You know Prete are two kinds of canals, those
aed ;
Bn
Fy
if ies
im hill. One is to build it and let the water in to
| ,the crest of the hill, and down the other side to
Nalled, That is, there are built a series of basins
There are two ways of ee) a canal over
the foot of the hill, and then to raise vessels over —
where the canal again starts, by means of in-
clined planes, or marine railways. )
_ The other method is by “ locks,” as fie are
with powerful, water-tight gates dividing them. —
Boys who live along canals well know how locks
work. a
A boat comes along ahae it ‘reaches the place
where the lock is. It is floated into a basin, or
section, of the waterway, and a gate is closed be-
hind it. Then, from that part of the canal which
is higher than that part where the boat then is,
water is admitted into the basin, until the boat
rise$ to the level of the higher part of the canal.
Then the higher gate is opened, and ae vessel
floats out on the eae level. It eee ne hill, *
so to speak.
_ By reversing the process. it can ane eo < cove!
“pill ” Of course there must be heavy gates to
pereyent the higher level waters from Pee ee
_ those of the lower level. |
ALONG THE CANAL 101
lantic side of the Isthmus, must rise eighty-five
feet to get to the level of Gatun Lake, which
forms a large part of the Canal. Then, when
the Pacific end is approached, the vessel must
go down eighty-five feet again, first in one step
of thirty and a third feet, and then in two steps,
or locks, aggregating fifty-four and two-thirds
feet. So you see the series of locks at either
end of the great Canal exactly balance one an-
other, the distance at each end being eighty-five
feet.
It is just like going up stairs at one end of
a long board walk and down again at the other
_ end, only the steps are of water, and not wood.
The tug bearing Blake, Joe and Mr. Alcando.
‘was now steaming over toward Toro Point break-
water, which I have before alluded to. This was
built to make a good harbor at Colon, where vio-
lent storms often occur. |
“T want to get some pictures of the break-
water,” Blake had said, since he and his chum
were to present, in reels, a story of a complete
trip through the Canal, and the breakwater was
really the starting point. It extends out into the
Caribbean Sea eleven thousand feet. ~
“And you are taking pictures now?” asked
Mr. Alcando, as Blake and Joe set up a camera
in the bow of the boat.
Woe
MOVING PICTURE ie
© That's
we'll give you lesson nae nen ‘one,
clicking away at the handles | (309) a a
“TJ will gladly come!” exclaimed the Spanineth y
_ and soon he was deep i in the es of the busi- i
aiess.|. * ee Bay
There was not much jay My the brealewabeey
a as the boys were anxious to get to the Canal
4
-
proper, and into the big locks. - _A little later their
_ tug was steaming along the great ditch, five hun-
_ dred feet wide, and over forty feet deep, which e
leads directly to the locks. This ditch, or start
of the Canal proper, is about seven miles. Tong, :
and at various eal of interest rata the way =
al
Canal!
ing: on and Jearning “ points.”
gral t as S what uy are. ’ the capi n aye
g fhe: :
a
CHAPTER XII
ALMOST AN ACCIDENT
_ “Wuat’s that big, long affair, jutting om so
far from the locks?” asked Blake, when the tug
had approached nearer.
“ That’s the central pier,” the captain informed
him. “It’s a sort of guide wall, to protect the
locks. You know there are three locks at this
end; or, rather, six, two series of three each.
And each lock has several gates. One great dan-
ger will be that powerful vessels may ram these
gates and damage them, and, to prevent this, very,
elaborate precautions are observed. You'll soon
see. We'll have to tie up to this wall, or we'll
run into the first protection, which is a big steel
chain. You can see it just ahead there.”
Joe and Blake, who had gotten all the pictures
they wanted of the approach to the lock, stopped
grinding away at the handle of the camera long
enough to look at the chain.
These chains, for there are several of them,
each designed to protect some lock gate, consist
103
“104 MOVING PICTURE BOYS ar PANAiA
of His ate of steel ives ches thick, “They
stretch across the locks, and any vessel that does
not stop at the moment it should, before reach- ::
ing this chain, will ram its prow into it.
“ But I’m not taking any such chances,” Cap
tain Watson informed the boys. ‘‘I don’t want
to be censured, which nae happen, ae I don’ tr
‘want to injure my boat.” J
“What would happen if you did hit the chain? Ne
asked Blake. They had started off again, afted |
the necessary permission to enter the locks had —
been signaled to them. Once more Blake and —
Joe were taking pictures, ae the chain in f
position. a
“Well, if I happened to be in command of a a
_ big vessel, say the size of the Olympic, and I en :
the chain at a speed of a mile and a half an
hour, and I had a full load on, the chain would —
stop me within about seventy feet and prevent me
from ramming the lock gate.” Ra s.
“ But how does it do it?” asked Joe. 0
“By means of machinery,’ the captain in-
formed him. “Each end of the chain fender
- goes about a drum, which winds and unwinds by
hydraulic power. Once a ship hits the chain its |
vend will gradually slacken, but it takes a pres-
sure e of one hundred tons to make the chain begin
Pa. i.
ALMOST AN ACCIDENT IOS
two hundred and fifty tons, before it will break,
But before that happens the vessel will have
stopped.”
“ But we are not going to strike the chain, I
take it,’ put in Mr. Alcando.
“Indeed we are not,” the captain assured him.
“ There, it is being lowered now.”
As he spoke the boys saw the immense steel-
linked fender sink down helow the surface of the
water. ‘
“Where does it go?” asked Blake.
“It sinks down in a groove in the bottom of
the lock,” the captain explained. “ It takes about
one minute to lower the chain, and as long to
raise it.”
“Well, I’ve got that!’’ Blake exclaimed as the
handle of his camera ceased clicking. He had
sufficient views of the giant fender. As the tug
went on Captain Watson explained to the boys
that even though a vessel should manage to break
the chain, which was almost beyond the bounds
of possibility, there was the first, or safety gate
of the lock. And though a vessel might crash
through the chain, and also the first gate, owing
to failure to stop in the lock, there would be a
second gate, which would almost certainly bring
the craft to a stop.
But even the most remote possibility has been
th 106 MOVING PICTURE Bors aT PANAMA
henpit of by the makers a the great Chaat: ‘audi
should all the lock-gates be torn away, and the
impounded waters of Gatun Lake start to rush
out, there are emergency dams that can be put
into place to stop the flood.
‘These emergency dams can n be swung into pies
‘in two minutes by means of electrical machinery, —
but should that fail, they can be put into place by 2
hand in about thirty minutes. uf a
“So you see the Canal is pretty well. pro- 5
tected,” remarked Captain Watson, as he pre-
pared to send his tug across the place where the a
chain had been, and so inte the a of fe three it
~ Jock basins. ee me
“Say! This is great!” cried Blake, as. he
4
i.
,
gas
through. 3 Sha pene ie
Now the tug no longer rigs 2 ae a own.
steam, nor had it been since coming alongside the
” wall of the central pier. For all vessels must ie
ALMOST AN ACCIDENT 107,
“Why, those locomotives in back are making
fast to us with wire hawsers. I don’t see how
they can push with those.”
“They're not going to,” explained Captain
Watson. “Those in the stern are for holding
back, to provide for an emergency in case those
in front pull us too fast.”
“Those who built the Canal seem to have
thought of everything,’ spoke Blake with much
enthusiasm.
“You'll think so, after you’ve seen some more
of-the wonders,” the tug captain went on with
a smile. “Better get your cameras ready,” he
advised, “ they’ll be opening and closing the gates
for us now, and that ought to make good pic-
tures, especially when we are closed in the lock,
and water begins to enter.”
“How does it come in?” asked Joe. ‘“ Over
the top?”
“No, indeed. They don’t use the waterfall
effect,” answered Blake, who had been reading a
book about the Canal. “It comes in from the
bottom; doesn’t it, Captain Watson?”
“Yes, through valves that are opened and
closed by electricity. In fact everything about the
lock is done by electricity, though in case of emer-
gency hand power can be used. The water fills
the lock through openings in the floor, and the
108 MOVING PICTURE BOYS 4 AT PANAMA a
water itself comes from Gatun Tike : ‘There, the ‘
gate is opening!”’ ,
The boys saw what cenied to be two solid
walls of steel slowly separated, by an unseen
power, as the leaves of a book might open. ta
fact the gates of the locks are called “leaves.”
Slowly they swung back out of the way, into dev
pressions in the side walls of the locks, sear to
receive them, ny
“Here we go! ” cried the captain, the tug oe q
gan to move slowly under the pull of the electric —
locomotives on the concrete wall above them. |
“ Start your cameras, boys!” —
Blake and Joe needed no urging. Already the»
handles were clicking, and thousands of pictures, —
showing a boat actually going through the locks |
of the Panama Canal, were being taken on the |
long strip of sensitive film. Le SNS NE
“Oh, it is wonderful!” exclaimed Mr. AL ,
- cando. “Do you think —I mean, would it be
possible for me to —” : TE
To take some pictures? Of course!” ex- 7
claimed Blake, generously. “ sae grind this |
ue tied a while, Ae tired.”
%
% " S mee at what speed to turn the handle,
Hace seis eC AN must be taken at just
ALMOST AN ACCIDENT 109
speed, and reproduced on the screen at the same
rate, or the vision produced is grotesque. Per-
sons and animals seem to run instead of walk.
But the new pupil, with a little coaching from
Blake, did very well.
“Now the gates will be closed,” said the tug
captain, “and the water will come in to raise us
to the level of the next higher lock. We have
to go through this process three times at this end
of the Canal, and three times at the other. Watch
them let in the water.”
The big gates were not yet fully closed when
something happened that nearly put an end to the
_ trip of the moving picture boys to Panama.
For suddenly their tug, instead of moving for-
ward toward the front end of the lock, began go-
ing backward, toward the slowly-closing lock
gates.
“What's up? ” cried Blake.
“We're going backward!” shouted Joe.
“Yes, the stern locomotives are pulling us
back, and the front ones seem to have let go!”
Captain Watson said. ‘“‘ We'll be between the
lock gates in another minute. Hello, up there!”
he yelled, looking toward the top of the lock wall.
What's the matter? ”’
Slowly the tug approached the closing tek
gates. If she once got between them, moving
Gliese |
oe “This is terrible!” cried Mr. Aleando. a
pictures.”
“ You'll be in tighter places than this,” said
CHAPTER XHI
IN THE JUNGLE
“Wuat will we do with the cameras, Blake?
The films, too, they will all be spoiled — we
haven’t enough waterproof cases!”’ cried Joe to
his chum, as the boat, through some accident or
failure, backed nearer and nearer to the closing
steel gates.
“ Will we really have to jump overboard?” *
asked the Spaniard. “‘I am not a very excellent
swimmer.” :
But Blake, at whom these questions seemed
directed, did not have to answer them. For, after
a series of confused shouts on the top of the con-
crete wall above them the movement of the boat,
as well as the slow motion of the lock gates,
ceased. It was just in time, for the rudder of
the tug was not more than a few feet away from
the jaws of steel. |
“Youre all right now,” a man called down to
those on the tug, from the wall over their heads.
“Something went wrong with the towing locoe-
motives. There’s no more danger.”
iil
i a ANS anyhow? ”
© Well, all of our snact ae isn’t working a
smoothly as well have it later,” |
engineer explained. “Some of our signals
went wrong as you were being towed through, ;
and you went backward instead of forward
sae it took a minute or so to sep. the lock eae i
in relief, and Mr. Alcando. ee to breathe. b
easier. A little later the tug was again urged
forward toward the front lock ene
the yeaa As Blake had said, ity was ike a sig
- swimming tank. »
“Now we'll. go up,”
tg j
_a short strip of film, Joe, I guess.” eg
The tug did not occupy a whole section of the pany
k, for they are built to accommodate vessels a_ ie
uisand feet long. To economize time in filling mls
such a great tank as that would be the locks are Sole
divided by aes into small tanks for small
It tales just forty-six gates for all the locks,”
lained Captain Watson, while Blake and Joe
were getting their camera in position, and the
‘men at the locks were closing certain water valves.
: g opening others. Z Each lock has two leaves, —
a es, es six hundred tons each, eighty feet a |
sixty-five. feet wide and seven feet thick,” ob- ;
rved ee ;
ie aiinped the sie. | sal
‘comes the water!” cried the pene
“f hissing and gurgling sound, and mil-_
: . i a of bubbles Me to shot o on rahe aartaee
the limpid fluid in which floated the Nama. The |
water came in from below, through the sevent
openings in the floor of each lock, being ac
mitted by means of pipes and culverts from the
upper level.
As the water hissed, boiled and bubbled vihile
it flowed in Blake took moving pictures. of it.
Slowly the Nama rose. Higher and higher ; she
went until finally she was raised as high as that
section of the lock would lift her. She went up
at the rate of two feet a minute, though Captai
Watson explained that when there was need of
cs hurry the rate could be three feet a minute.
__ “ And we have two more e locks to g0 trough? ”
ee ~ asked Joe.
eh Be Wes, two more here at Gatun, and three.
IN THE JUNGLE | IIs
7 phase of the Canal, since the next scenes would
be but a repetition of the process in the following
two locks that would lift the Nama to the level of
Gatun Lake.
“But I tell you what we could do,” Blake said
to his chum.
“'What’s that— swim the rest of the way,”
asked Joe, “and have Mr. Alcando make pictures
of us?”
“No, we've had enough ‘of water lately. But
we could get out on top of the lock walls, and
take pictures of the tug going through the lock.
‘That would be different.”
“So it would!” cried Joe. “ We'll do it!”
They easily obtained permission to do this, and
soon, with their cameras, and accompanied by
Mr. Alcando, they were on the concrete wall.
From that vantage point they watched the open-
ing of the lock gates, which admitted the Nama
into the next basin. There she was shut up, by
the closing of the gates behind her, and raised to
the second level. The boys succeeded in getting
some good pictures at this point and others, also,
when the tug was released from the third or final
lock, and steamed out into Gatun Lake. There
was now before her thirty-two miles of clear
water before reaching Muiraflores.
“ Better come aboard, boys,” advised Captain
Ww atson, ‘ ‘and I’ r take you eee to 0 Gatun D |
~ Wou’ll want views of that.” —
“We sure will!” cried Blake. a
“Tsn’t it all wonderful!” exclaimed Joo we w
_ Iwas deeply impressed by all he saw. aes
“Tt is, indeed!” agreed the Spaniard. “ You
nation is a powerful and great one. it is ae
-mendous achievement.” _ |
Aboard the tug they went around towne thell
_ great dam that is really the key to the Panama ¢
Canal. For without this dam there would be no—
Gatun Lake, which holds back the waters of the 7
Chagres River, making a big lake eighty-five fe
above the level of the ocean. It is this lake th
A makes possible the operation of a lock can
IN THE JUNGLE Ii7
It’s a mile and a half long, half a mile thick at
the base, three hundred feet through at the water-
line, and on top a third of that.”
“ How high is it?” asked Joe, who always
liked to know just how big or how little an ob-
ject was. He had a great head for figures.
“It’s one hundred and five feet high,” the cap-
tain informed him, “and it contains enough con-
crete so that if it were loaded into two-horse
wagons it would make a procession over three
times around the earth.”
“Catch me! I’m going to faint!” cried Blake,
staggered at the immensity of the figure.
“That dam is indeed the key to the whole
lock,’ murmured Mr. Alcando, as he looked at
the wonderful piece of engineering. ‘If it were
to break — the Canal would be ruined.”
“Yes, ruined, or at least destroyed for many,
years,’ said Captain Watson solemnly. “ But it
is impossible for the dam to break of itself. No
waters that could come into the lake could tear it
away, for every provision has been made ae
floods. They would be harmless.”’
“What about an earthquake?” asked Joe.
“ve read that the engineers feared them.”
“They don’t now,” said the captain. “ There
was some talk, at first, of an earthquake, or a
volcanic eruption, destroying the dam, but Pan-
wet ama hae not een es, ee a tiger ea
Bes quake i in so long that the danger need not be con
| sidered. And there are no volcanoes near enough -
to do any harm. It is true, there might be a
slight earthquake shock, but the dam would stand
‘ oie The only thing that might conAne S it.
‘would be a blast of dynamite.” eu
_ “Dynamite!” quickly exclaimed Mr. Alcanaaa
~ © And who would dare to explode oamatee at the
Mam 2 nig
“TI don’t he wae Ot do it, but ; some -
) the enemies of the United States might. (
- someone who fancied the Canal nae eo “a
a him, ” the captain went on, iG
eee
wee
“ That is hard to answer,” “went on. “ithe tug
| commander. “T know that we are taking gre at
ae Pog thou to petite the eee
IN THE JUNGLE rg
ing no chances. Well, have you pietures
enough ? ”
“I think so,” answered Blake. ‘“‘ When we
come back we'll stop off here and get some views
from below the dam, showing the spillway.”
“Yes, that ought to be interesting,’ the cap-
tain agreed.
The tug now steamed on her way out into Gatun
Lake, and there a series of excellent views were
obtained for the moving picture cameras. Mr.
Alcando was allowed to do his part. He was
rapidly learning what the boys could teach him.
“Of course it could never happen,” the Span-
fard said, when the cameras had been put away,
for the views to be obtained then were of too
much sameness to attract Joe or Blake, “it would
never happen, and I hope it never does; but if it
did it would make a wonderful picture; would it
not?’’ he asked. .
“What are you talking about?” asked Blake.
* The Gatun Dam,” was the answer. ‘‘ If ever
it was blown up by dynamite it would make a won-
derful scene.”
“Too wonderful,” said Joe grimly. “It
would be a terrible crime against civilization to
destroy this great canal.”
“Yes, it would be a great crime,’’ agreed the
ai
MOVING 8 PICTURE 2 Bs YS AT PAN MA
" e Bpaaiard in a tow voice. A little later he oul
‘remained on dene ae a
ee Queer sort ofa chap; is isn t he?? oi said Jo
into the interior. So if you’ re going —” va
_ “T think we had better £0; bet t you? i asked
Blake of his chum. .
“ Surely, yes. (We might Say some fine ri
tures. They'll go well with the Canal, anyhow
really a sort of part of the series we're taking.”
SATE right, then, rit leave youd in the age
the avian said.
ee the boys to Ain certain scenes they oan
ie _ the tug reached Gamboa, where gee aan
pe a as into the interior.
CHAPTER XIV;
IN DIRE PERIL
A sMALL launch had been provided for the use
of Blake and Joe in going into the jungle, the
first part of their trip being along the Chagres
River. The tug on which they had come thus far
was not suitable.
Accordingly they had transferred what baggage
they needed to the launch, and with their moving
picture cameras, with shelter tents, food, supplies
and some West Indian negroes as helpers, they
_ were prepared to enjoy life as much as possible
in the jungle of the Isthmus.
“You boys don’t seem to mind what you do
to get pictures,” commented Mr. Alcando, as they
sat in the launch, going up the stream, the ex-
istence of which made possible Gatun Lake.
“No, you get so you'll do almost anything to
get a good film,” agreed Blake.
“This is easy compared to some of the things
we've done,’ Joe remarked. “ You'll become
just as fascinated with it as we are, Mr. Al-
cando.”
I2r
ay 122° ‘MOVING PICTURE BC
it
ui “T Rane so,” he on “ t fon 1 will tara |
- penetrate into a much wilder jungle than this i |
I take the views our company wants. Perhaps.
NY can induce you to come to South America and
_ make films for us in case : I can’t do it,’ he con-
cluded. a ear
_ “ Well, we’re in the ‘pee ’ remarked Blake
with a smile. ““ But you'll get so you can take
for yourself just as good pictures as we can.” a
“ Do you really think so?” asked has Spaniard,
eaperly eho: « Bats 5
“I'm sure of it,” Blake ae Reese ic
The little suspicions both he se Tot aa en-
tertained of their companion seemed to have van-—
ished. Certainly he neither did r nor said pebais
te as his great friends. ‘i,
the Trey accident.
s cause. malaria he yellow fever, ‘among
things. ; But, thanks to 0 the z | |
IN DIRE PERIL : 123
ican sanitary engineers the mosquitoes are greatly
lessened in the canal zone.
“And now for some real jungle life!” cried
Blake the next day, as the little party set off into
the forest, a group of laborers with machetes go-
ing ahead to clear the way.
For several miles nothing worth “ filming ” was
seen, and Blake and Joe were beginning to feel
that perhaps they had had their trouble for noth-
ing. Now and then they came to little clearings
in the thick jungle, where a native had chopped
down the brush and trees to make a place for his
palm-thatched and mud-floored hut. A few of
them clustered about formed a village. Life was
very simple in the jungle of Panama.
“Oh, Blake, look!” suddenly cried Joe, as they
were walking along a native path. ‘“ What queer
insects. They are like leaves.”
The boys and Mr. Alcando saw what seemed to
be a procession of green leaves making its way
through the jungle. |
“Those are real leaves the ants carry,” ex-
plained the guide, who spoke very good English.
“They are called leaf-cutting ants, and each one
of them is really carrying a leaf he has cut from
some tree.”
On closer inspection the boys saw that this was
so. Each ant carried on its back a triangular
“ perce. was that. ae eS was ie with. th
x my thin edge forward, SO it uous not blow in th
wind.
“What do they do way ’em?” sees Jo
Eat ’em, or make houses of ’em?” vit
“Neither,” replied the guide. “The snes put
the leaves away until they are covered with a
fungus growth. It is this fungus that the ants
eat, and when it has all been taken from the
leaves they are brought out of the ant home
and a fresh lot of leaves are brought 1s: Thes
ants are bringing in a fresh lot now, you see.”
“How odd!” exclaimed Blake..
Ao et a picture of this, Joe.”
“We sure must!” agreed his churn.
“But how can you take moving pictures re)
such small things as ants?” asked Mr. Alc
“We'll put on an enlarging lens, and get
~ camera close to them,” explained Blake, who ha
had experience in taking several films af this so
_ for the use of schools and colleges. ey,
_ A halt was called while the camera was Cee d
sng procession, ; carrying “the” ee Ww
“ looked like ee sails over their backs, the fi
IN DIRE PERIL 125
on the screen, in moving picture theaters from
Maine to California. |
“Well, that was worth getting,” said Blake,
as they put away the camera, and went on again. ,
“TI wonder what we'll see next?”
“Have you any wild beasts in these jungles?”
asked Mr. Alcando of the Indian guide.
“Well, not many. We have some deer,
though this is not the best time to see them.
And once in a while you'll see a —’
*“What’s that?’ suddenly interrupted Blake,
pointing through the thick growth of trees. “TI
saw some animal moving then. Maybe it was
adeer. I'd like to get a picture of it.”’
There was a movement in the underbrush, and
a shouting among the native carriers.
-“Come on!” cried Joe, dashing ahead with a
camera.
“Better wait,” advised Mr. ‘Alcando. “It
might be something dangerous.”
“It’s only some tapirs, I think,” the guide said.
“ They are harmless.”
“Then we'll film them,” decided Blake,
though the mere fact of harm or danger being
absent did not influence him.
Both he and Joe had taken pictures of dan-
gerous wild animals in Africa, and had stood at
the camera, calmly turning the handle, when it
i ecined as though doa was on its way tow:
them in horrible form. Had occasion demanded
it now they would have gone on and obtained.
the pictures. But there ee no it cee from
the tapirs. i a
The pictures obtained ee were not ve
satisfactory.. The light was poor, for the jungle
was dense there, and the tapirs took fright al-
most at first, so the resultant film, as Blake and
Joe learned later, when it was developed, w
hardly worth the trouble they took. Still,
showed one feature of the Panama jungle.
All about the boys was a wonderful and dense.
caren There were many beautiful orchids to”
‘be seen, hanging from trees as though they reall
' grew, as their name indicates, i in the air. Blak
and Joe took views of some of the most Ddeau
ful. There was one, known as the “Ho
Ghost ” which only blooms twice a year, and.
when the petals slowly open there is. seen inside
them something which resembles a dove.
“* Let's. get some pictures” of the next. a
" millage we come to,” suggested | Blake, ‘as the:
: ‘went on after pote the Great and t
x Sale
* All right, that See to go 0 good as ite
a a type 0 of life BG aaa a aes ,
IN DIRE PERIL 127
a stop in the next settlement, or “ clearing,” as it
more properly should be called.
At first the native Indians were timid about
posing for their pictures, but the guide of the boys’
party explained, and soon they were as eager as.
children to be snapped and filmed.
“This is the simple life, all right,’ remarked
_ Blake, as they looked at the collection of huts.
“Gourds and cocoanut shells for kitchen uten-
sils,
That was all, really, the black housekeeper had.
But she did not seem to feel the need of more.
The Panama Indians are very lazy. If one has
sufficient land to raise a few beans, plantains and
yams, and can catch a few fish, his wants are
supplied. He burns some charcoal for fuel, and
tests the remainder of the time.
* That is, when he doesn’t go out to get some
fresh meat for the table,’ explained the guide.
“Meat? Where can he get meat in the jungle,
unless he spears a tapir?”’ asked Blake.
“There’s the iguana,’ the guide said, with 4
laugh.
“Do they eat them?” cried Joe, for several
times in the trip through the jungles he had
jumped aside at a sight of the big lizards, which
are almost as large as cats. They are probably
18
the aolicet! creatures in cles ie we except t 1
“ ' horned toad and the rhinoceros.
| “Eat them! I should say they did!” cried
the guide. “Come over here.”
He led the way toward a hut and there the hove
saw a most repulsive, and, to them, cruel sight.
There were several of the big iguanas, or lizards,
‘with their short legs twisted and crossed over
their backs. And, to keep the legs in this posi-
_ tion the sharp claw of one foot was thrust through
the fleshy part of another foot. The tail of ac |
- iguana had been cut off.
“What in the eee do they do that for? "
ry asked Blake.
_ “That’s how they fatten the iguanas,” ‘ta
guide said.“ The natives catch them alive, and
a to keep them from crawling off they fasten their
legs in that manner. And, as the tail isn vt fae
to eat, they chop that off.”
aia it s cruel!” cried Joe.
ER Yes, but the Indians don’t mean it 50,”
hs guide went on.
ean ; practice. ce d a anything - ee ou
ay
IN DIRE PERIL 129
work ; but this plan seems to them to be the easiest,
so they keep it up.”
“Is iguana really good eating?’’ asked Joe.
“Yes, it tastes like chicken,’ the guide in-
formed them. “But few white persons can
bring themselves to eat it.”
** Id rather have the fruits,” said Mr. Alcando.
‘The boys had eaten two of the jungle variety.
One was the mamaei, which was about as large
as a peach, and the other the sapodilla, fruit of
the color of a plum. ‘The seeds are in a jelly-
like mass.
You eat them and on t have to be afraid of
appendicitis,” said the Spaniard with a laugh.
Several views were taken in the jungle “ vil-
lage,” as Joe called it, and then they went farther
on into the deep woods.
“Whew! It’s hot!” exclaimed Joe, as they
stopped to pitch a camp for dinner. “I’m go-
ing to have a‘swim.’’ ‘They were near a good-
sized stream.
“Tm with you,” said Blake, and the boys
were soon splashing away in the water, which
was cool and pleasant.
*‘ Aren’t you coming in?” called Blake to Mr.
‘Alcando, who was on. shore.
“ Yes, I think I will join you,” he replied. He
130 MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA
had begun to undress, when Blake, who had —
swum half-way across the stream, gave a sudden ©
cry. 7
“Joe! Joe!” he shouted. “I’m taken with ©
a cramp, and there is an alligator after me. ©
Help!” j
CHAPTER XV-;
IN CULEBRA CUT
Jor sprang to his feet at the sound of his
chum’s voice. He had come ashore, after splash-
ing around in the water, and, for the moment,
Blake was alone in the river.
As Joe looked he saw a black, ugly snout, and
back of it a glistening, black and knobby body,
moving along after Blake, who was making
frantic efforts to get out of the way.
“Tm coming, Blake! I’m coming!” cried
Joe, as he ran to the edge of the stream, with
the intention of plunging in.
“You will be too late,” declared Mr. Alcando.
“The alligator will have him before you reach
him. Oh, that I was a good swimmer, or that
I had a weapon.”
But. Joe did not stay to hear what he said.
But one idea was in his mind, that of rescuing
his chum from peril. That he might not be in
time never occurred to him. 3
Blake gave a gurgling cry, threw up his hands,
131
{>
ey excitedly in. |
No, not yet. I’ guess maybe he sank to an
the alligator,” said the guide, an educated Indian
named Ramo. “TI wonder if I can stop him with
one shot?” he went on, taking up a powerfu
rifle that had been megs with the camp cap
cement.
_ Blake had last Hees chested:
“It’s my only chance!” muttered. Ramo.
«T hope the boy stays under water.” ce
As he spoke the guide raised the rifle, too 4:
es but careful aim, and fired. There was, n
was a commotion in the water. Amid a smoth
of foam, bright red showed. a
“You hit him, Ramo!” cried the - Spania
“ You hit him!” 3
“TI guess I did,” the Indian answered.
| where is Blake?”
IN CULEBRA CUT 133
{ralian crawl stroke, which takes one through
the water at such speed. Just what Joe could
do when he reached his chum he did not stop to
think. Certainly the two wouid have been no
niatch for the big alligator.
But the monster had met his match in the
steel-jacketed mushrooming bullet. It had struck
true and after a death struggle the horrid crea-
ture sank beneath the surface just as Blake shot
up, having stayed under as long as he could.
“All right, Blake! Here you are! I’m with
you!” cried Joe, changing his course to bring
himself to his chum. “ Are you all right?”
“Yes, except for this cramp. The alligator
didn’t get near enough to do any damage. But
where is he?”
“Ramo shot him,” answered Joe, for he had
seen the creature sink to its death. “ You’re
all right now. Put your hand on my shoulder,
and Pll tow you in.” :
“Guess you'll have to. I can’t seem to swim.
I dived down when I saw how near the beast
was getting, thinking I might fool him. I hated
to come up, but I had to,” Blake panted.
“Well, you’re all right now,” Joe assured him, —
“but it was a close call. How did it happen?”
“17m sure I don’t know,” said Blake, still out
of breath from trying to swim under water. “If
b
never have gone so far from shore.”
When it headed for me I thought it was funny,
a water shallow enough to wade in, “ but if it hadn’ t
ey different story to tell.”
134. MOVING PICTURE Boy,
Pe known there were alligators in Has river Te
“That’s right,” agreed Joe, looking around as
_ though to make sure no more of the creatures -
were in sight. :
He saw none. On the shore stood Ramo, the
guide, with ready rifle. |
“Feel better now?” asked Joe.
“Yes, the cramp seems to be leaving me. I
think I went in swimming too soon after eating
those plantains,” for they had been given some
of the yellow bananas by a native when they
_ stopped at his hut for some water. “ They up-
set me,’ Blake explained. “I was swimming .
about, waiting for you to come back and join me, —
_ when I saw what I thought was a log in the water. —
-and then, when I saw what it was, I realized I’d :
better be getting back to shore. I tried, but was —
(asa ts with a fierce ee You heard me Wea in. Le |
time.” See
rat €ossale responded Joe, as he and Blake reached
. been for Ramo’s gun — well, there might. be a
: Shaw t forget it. 2
“Oh, it wasn’t anything to pop over an alliga-
2 tor that way,” Ramo returned. “I’ve often done Rae:
it for sport. Though I will admit I was a bit ae
"nervous this time, for fear of hitting you”
“J wish I had been the one to shoot it,’ said
the Spaniard. | bya
_ “Why?” asked Joe, as he sat down on the
arm sandy bank of the stream to rest. hie ena ae
_ “Why, then I should have repaid, ina smal}
measure, the debt I am under to you boys foe
saving my life. I shall never forget that.” Be
7 ys. “Jt wasn’t anything,” Silat Blake quickly, —
c T: mean, what we did for you.” ae
fae It meant a see deal — to me, ’ returned the
in i tone. “ Perhaps I shall soon be able: to a ee
out no matter. Are there many alligators i in this .
4 stream? ” he asked of Ramo. re
“Oh, yes, more or less, just as there are in
ost of the Panaman rivers. But I never knew
one to be so bold as to attack any one in daylight.
nue Say take dogs, pigs, or somes Hee
a
No one else felt like going | in 1 swimming jus |
_ then, and the two boys dressed. Blake had fully
recovered from the Bee: that had so net
been his undoing. | | i
For a week longer he lived in tite single .
_ moving from place to place, camping in different —
locations and enjoying as much as they could the
_ life in the wild. Blake and Joe made some good
moving picture films, Mr, Alcando helping them,
cameras. .
But the views, of course, were not as soothe as
_ those the boys had obtained when in the African
jungle. These of the Panama wilds, however,
i - were of value in the series of ine
“Well, we ‘ll soon be jalfoat again,
93
remarked
IN CULEBRA CUT 137,
towered a high hill through which had been dug
a great gash.
“Culebra Cut!” cried Blake, as he saw, in the
distance Gold Hill, the highest point. “ We must
get some pictures of this, Joe.”
“That’s right, so we must. Whew! It is a
big cut all right!” he went on. “No wonder
they said it was harder work here than at the
Gatun Dam. And it’s here where those big slides
have been?”
“Yes, and there may be again,” said Blake.
“TI hope not!” exclaimed Captain Watson.
“ They are not only dangerous, but they do ter-
rible damage to the Canal and the machinery.
We want no more slides.”
“But some are predicted,” Blake remarked.
“Yes, I know they say they come every so
often. But now it would take a pretty big one
to do much damage. We have nearly tamed
Culebra.”
“Tf there came a big slide here it would block
the Canal,” observed Mr. Alcando, speculatively.
“Yes, but what would cause a slide?’”’ asked
the captain.
“Dynamite could do it,’ was the low-voiced
answer,
“Dynamite? Yes, but that is guarded
against,’ the commander said. ‘“ We are taking
138 MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA
no chances. Now, boys, you get a good view of
Culebra,” and he pointed ahead. Blake and Joe
were soon busy with their cameras, making dif-
ferent sets of views.
“Hand me that other roll of film; will you,'
please?’ asked Blake of the Spaniard, who was
helping them. “ Mine is used up.”
As Mr. Alcando passed over the box he mut-
tered, though possibly he was unaware of it:
“Yes, dynamite here, or at the dam, would
do the work.”
“What — what’s that?” cried Blake, in sur-
prise.
CHAPTER XVI
THE COLLISION
Jupeine by Mr. Alcando’s manner no one
would have thought he had said anything out of
the ordinary. But both Blake and Joe had heard
his low-voiced words, and both stared aghast
at him.
“What's that you said?” asked Blake, won-
dering whether he had caught the words aright.
“ Dynamite!’’ exclaimed Joe, and then Blake
knew he had made no mistake.
Somewhat to the surprise of himself and his
chum the Spaniard smiled.
“TI was speaking in the abstract, of course,”
he said. “I have a habit of speaking aloud
when I think. I merely remarked that a charge
of dynamite, here in Culebra Cut, or at Gatun
Dam, would so damage the Cong that it might
be out of business for years.”
“You don’t mean to say that you know of any
one who would do such a thing!”’ cried Blake,
holding the box of unexposed film that the Spani-
ard had given him.
139
ise Of course not, my one (abe Ke I was see
ing in the abstract, I tell you. It occurred to
me how easy it would be for some enemy to so
_ place a charge of explosive. I don’t see why the —
Canal is not better ee You Americans are ;
too trusting!” | i
~“ What’s that?” asked Captain Watson, com- 4
ing up at this juncture. | ee
“‘T was merely speaking to the boys about ey
easy it would be to put a charge of dynamite here
in the cut, or at the dam, and damage the Canal,”
explained Mr. Alcando. “TI believe they thought
I meant to do it,” he added with a laugh, as he
glanced at the serious faces of the two moving
_ picture boys. |
OA Weblo ters 1 ee stammered Blakes
Somewhat to his own surprise he did find himself
_ harboring new suspicions against Mr. Alcando,
but they had never before taken this form. As
for Joe, he blushed to recall that he had, in the ‘
A * past, also been somewhat suspicious of the Spani-
a But now the man’s frank manner of ee
oe Dyan eh!” evel the captain. -
- Gust like to see any one try it. This canal i :
rca
better guarded than you think, my eres eS
- helo ered moore at ee other, ee
THE COLLISION I4I
“Oh, I have no doubt that is so,” was the quick
response. ‘“‘ But it seems such a simple matter
for one to do a great damage to it. Possibly the
indifference to guarding it is but seeming only.”
“That's what it is!” went on Captain Wat-
son. “Dynamite! Huh! Id like to see some-
one try it!” He meant, of course, that he would
mot like to see this done, but that was his sar-
castic manner of speaking.
“ What do you think of him, anyhow?” asked
Joe of Blake a little later when they were putting
away their cameras, having taken all the views
they wanted.
“TI don’t know what to say, Joe,’ was the slow
answer. “I did think there was something queer
about Alcando, but I guess I was wrong. It
gave me a shock, though, to hear him speak so
about the Canal.” |
“The same here. But he’s a nice chap just
the same, and he certainly shows an interest in
moving pictures.”
“That's right. We're getting some good ones,
C5 eae ,
The work in Culebra Cut, though nearly fin-
ished, was still in such a state of progress that
many interesting films could be made of it, and
this the boys proposed to do, arranging to stay,
tat MOVING PICTURE BOYS 1 PAN M
a week or more at the place. which? more “th
any other, had made trouble for the canal build
ers. : |
“Well, it ee is a vate piece of work!
exclaimed Blake, as he and Joe, with Mr. Al-—
~-cando and Captain Watson, went to the top of
Gold Hill one day. They were on the hisheces
point of the small mountain through which ie f
cut had to be dug.
“Tt is a wonderful piece of work,” the cap
tain said, as Blake and Joe packed up the cameras
they had been using. ‘ Think of it —a cut nine
miles long, with an average depth of one hun-
_ dred and twenty feet, and in some places the
sides are five hundred feet above the bottom,
_ which is, at no point, less than three hundre
feet in width. A big pile of dirt had to be take
out of here, boys.” ae aa
“Yes, and more dirt will have to be,” said M
Alcando. |
“What do you mean?” asked ne tug com
mander quickly, and rather sharply.
; “I mean that nae are poe to ove
are they not?” : 7
“Yes, worse luck 1? growled the captai
an hues oT here have been two or three small ones
ce the past few wenn: and the worst of it i th
THE COLLISION 143
“Yes, that’s what I meant,” the Spaniard went
on.
“And it’s what we heard,” spoke Blake.
“We expect to get some moving pictures of a
big slide if one occurs.”
“Not that we want it to,’ explained Joe
quickly.
“T understand,” the captain went on with a
smile. ‘‘ But if it is going to happen you want
to be here.”
“ Exactly,’ Blake said. “We want to show
the people what a slide in Culebra looks like,
and what it means, in hard work, to get rid of
it.”
“Well, it’s hard work all right,” the captain
admitted, “though now that the water is in, and
we can use scows and dredges, instead of rail-
road cars, we can get rid of the dirt easier.
You boys should have been here when the cut
was being dug, before the water was let in.”
““T wish we had been,’ Blake said. ‘* We
could have gotten some dandy pictures.”
“That's what you could,” went on the cap-
tain. “It was like looking at a lot of ants
through a magnifying glass. Big mouthfuls of
dirt were being bitten out of the hill by steam
shovels, loaded on to cars and the trains of cars
were pulled twelve miles away to the dumping
minute or so, the puffing ce engines, the tootin )
of whistles, the creaking of derricks and steam ~
shovels — why it was something worth seeing!”
“Sorry we missed it,” Joe said. “ But
maybe we'll get some pictures just as good.”
-. “Tt won’t be anything like that — not even ae
cee s a big slide,” the captain said, shaking his
head doubtfully. | |
Though the Canal was practically finished, and
open to some vessels, there was much that yet
Pica, - remained to be done upon it, and this work Blake
i ie and Joe, with Mr. Alcando to. help them at the
cameras, filmed each day. Reel after reel of
the sensitive celluloid was exposed, packed in)
light-tight boxes and sent North for develop:
ment and printing. At times when they re- —
mained in Culebra Cut, wie ae did for tw i
Mr. Alcando was 5 ane Ae exp a
sti a ies Picture c camera, and Ste he ,
THE COLLISION . 145
“I wonder how our films are coming out?”
asked Blake one day, after a fresh supply of
reels had been received. “ We haven’t heard
whether Mr. Hadley likes our work or not?”
“Hard to tell,” Joe responded. But they
knew a few days later, for a letter came prais-
ing most highly the work of the boys and, in-
cidentally, that of Mr. Alcando.
“You are doing fine!” Mr. Hadley wrote.
“Keep it up. The pictures will make a sensa-
tion. Don’t forget to film the slide if one oc-
curs.”’
“Of course we'll get that,” Joe said, as he
looked up at the frowning sides of Culebra Cut.
“Only it doesn’t s¢éem as if one was going to
happen while we’re here.”
“TI hope it never does,” declared Captain Wat-
son, solemnly.
As the boys wanted to make pictures along the
whole length of the Canal, they decided to go on
through the Pedro Miguel and Miraflores locks,
to the Pacific Ocean, thus making a complete trip,
and then come back to Culebra. Of course no one
could tell when a slide would occur, and they
had to take chances of filming it.
Their trip to Pedro Miguel was devoid of in-
cident. At those locks, instead of “ going up
stairs” they went down, the level gradually fall-
Pe 6 MOVING PICTURE Bors. ar PANAMA ;
Ry A: ing so their boat came nearer to dhe surtaes of
a the Pacific. A mile and a half farther on os
would reach Miraflores.
The tug had approached the central: pier, to
which it was tied, awaiting the services of the
electrical locomotives, when back of them came
a steamer, one of the first foreign vessels f ;
apply to make the trip through the Isthmus.
aH “That fellow is coming a little too close to :
me for comfort,” Captain Watson observed as —
iB he watched the approaching vessel. alee
_ Blake and Joe, who were standing near the
commander at the pilot house, saw Mr. Alcando
: 3 come up the companionway and stand on deck,
We __ staring at the big steamer. A little breeze, ‘suc-
ceeding a dead calm, ruffled a flag at the stern
of the steamer, and the boys saw the Brazilia
colors flutter in the wind. At the same moment
| one on the steamer’s deck. ;
204. Look out: where youre on x ‘eae
eS yelled es Watson.
CHAPTER XVII
THE EMERGENCY DAM
Tue crashing and splintering of wood, the
grinding of one vessel against the other at the
concrete pier, the shrill tooting of the whistles,
and the confused shouts of the respective cap-
tains of the craft made a din out of which it
seemed order would never come.
“If I could only get this on a film!” said Joe
to himself during a calm moment. But the cam-
eras were below in the cabin, and the tug was
now careened at such an angle that it was risky
to cross the decks. Besides Joe must think of
saving himself, for it looked as though the tug
would be crushed and sunk.
“Pull us out of here!” yelled Captain Wat-
son to the man on the lock wall in charge of the
electrical towing locomotives. “ Pull us out!”
That seemed one way out of the trouble, for
the Nama was being crushed between the Bra-
zilian steamer and the wall. But the order had
come too late, for now the tug was wedged in,
and no power could move her without ‘tearing
147
. M8
/ her to pieces, until the pressure of the big steam
‘was removed. | ee
D techines did not follow Captain Weronst or:
- ders.
“ Over’ this way!” cred Blake to his chum
-and to Mr. Alcando, who were standing amid :
ships. Joe was at the bow, and because that
was narrower than the main portion of the ‘tug,
it had not yet been Pub irate to the ae pres-
sure.
But there was no need of Joe or the others, me
including Captain Watson, changing their posi
tions. The Brazilian ship now began drawing —
away, aided by her own engines, and by the tow
ropes extending from the other side of the lock
wall. The Nama, which had been partly lifted
; up in the air, as a vessel in He Arctic Ocean » is
; slowly in ey water. avis
Pon, SAG sinking!” cried Blake. |
- eras—our films, Joe!™ : oe,
“Ves, we must save them'! 1” his cute shou dog
“Tl help!” offered the Spaniard. ae Are we 4
done sinking?” aan
“WOE: courset”? shouted ‘Crain. Ww
he af “ ‘How cee arene Mec aft r be
THE EMERGENCY. DAM 149
squeezed in that kind of a cider press? We'll
go to the bottom sure!”
“Leave the boat!” yelled one of the men on
top of the lock wall. “ We're going to tow you
out of the way, so when you sink you won't
block the lock!”
“Let’s get out our stuff!” Blake ad again,
and realizing, but hardly understanding, what
was happening, the boys rushed below to saye
what they could.
Fortunately it was the opening of many seams,
caused by the crushing process, rather than any
great hole stove in her, that had brought about
the end of the Nama. She began to sink slowly
at the pier, and there was time for the removal
of most of the articles of value belonging to the
boys and Mr. Alcando.
Hastily the cameras, the boxes of exposed and
unexposed film, were hoisted out, and then when
all had been saved that could be quickly put
ashore, the tug was slowly towed out of the way,
where it could sink and not be a menace to navi-
gation, and without blocking the locks. —
“Poor Nama,’ murmured Captain Watson.
** To go down like that, and not your own fault,
either,’ and he looked over with no very friendly
eyes toward the Brazilian steamer, which had
suffered no damage more than to her paint.
1 MOVING PICTURE Bos AT PANAMA
‘ | af You can raise her again, ’ suggested one of
a Vs.) athe: tock mer. -
Yes, but she’ll never be the same, sees sit
fully complained her atte ee “Never the —
same! ” ; sat Au
“ How did it ihe y paked Blake, or ss.
there a misunderstanding in signals? ”
- “Must have been something like that,” eon ’
tain Watson answered. “That vessel ought to ‘
Ne have stayed tied up on her own side of the lock.
oe Instead she came over here under her own steam
a and crashed into me. I’m going to demand an
investigation. Do you know anyone on board |
her?” he asked quickly of the Spaniard. ee
ss saw you waving to someone.” Fae
UO AVN Ca Why, yes, the captain is a distant relative of |
mine,” was the somewhat unexpected answer.
‘“T did not know he was going to take his vessel
through the Canal, though. I was surprised to.
-see him. But I am sure you will find that oe a
tain Martail will give you every explanation.”
_ “T don’t want explanations —I want satise :
_ faction! ” growled the tug Pat, | a
eye Chere | goes tue Nama,” called Blake, ein
» ing to the tug. :
39
in the water, but she did not sink altogether fom
aU siene as she was towed toward ‘the ‘shore, a
ISI
could be more easily reached for repairs.
ia
¥
‘
j
‘
a
4
;
3
y
:
y
a
Y
é
‘
fi
‘
¢
é
.
|
N!
—
y
“Tt was a narrow escape,” Joe said. ‘ What
_ ‘are we to do now, Blake? Too bad we didn’t
get some moving pictures of that accident.”
if
cas
Lan
et
Dos
+
F
4
;
“Well, maybe it’s a good thing we didn’t,”
returned his chum. ‘‘ The Canal is supposed to
be so safe, and free from the chance of acci-
dents, that it might injure its reputation if a
picture of a collision like that were shown.
Maybe it’s just as well.”
“ Better,” agreed Captain Watson. ‘As you
say, the Canal is supposed to be free from acci-
dents. And, when everything gets working
smoothly, there will be none to speak of. Some
of the electrical controlling devices are not yet
in place. If they had been that vessel never
— could have collided with us.”
ee
~
a
_ “T should think her captain would know bet-
ter than to signal for her to proceed under her
own power in the Canal lock,” spoke Joe.
_ “Possibly there was some error in transmit-
ting signals on board,” suggested Mr. Alcando.
And later they learned that this was, indeed, the
case; or at least that was the reason assigned by |
the Brazilian commander for the accident. His
vessel got beyond control.
“ Well, it’s lucky she didn’t ram the gates, and —
152 “MOVING PICTURE Bors 4’
nae ont a flood of water,” ‘said Jor | to Blake
little after the occurrence. aN
“ Yes, if that had happened Wed shave hadi to
Bake pictures whether we wanted to or not.
- But I wonder what we are going to do fora boat, ;
now?”
- However, that. question was ‘easily settled, for
Miiere were other Government vessels to be had,
_ and Blake, Joe and Mr. Alcando, with their cam-
-eras, films and other possessions, were soon,
- transferred, to continue their trip, in the Bohio,
which was the name of the new vessel. The |
_ Nama was left for the wrecking crew. oa
“Well, this isn’t exactly the quiet life we a
Nackert for in the canal zone; is it, Blake?” asked |
aes that night as he and his chum were putting
their new stateroom to rights,
“Hardly. Things have begun to happeee and
I’ve noticed, Joe, that, once they begin, they keep
up. I think we are in for something.” hi
~ “Do you mean a big slide in Culebra Cut? or
Ms “Well, that may be only part of it. I hav
i we’ re on the eve > of something big”
oa ie for instance —” Bee
THE EMERGENCY DAM 153
tured. “Do you know, Blake, I’ve wondered
several times whether that one to-day was not
done on purpose.”
Blake stared at his chum, and then, to Joe’s
surprise replied:
“ And I’ve been thinking the same thing.”
“You haver” Joe exclaimed. “Now If
say 578?
“ Hush!” cautioned Blake quickly, “ he’s com-
ing!”
The door of their stateroom opened, and Mr.
Alcando entered. He had a room across the
corridor. :
“Am I intruding?” he asked. “If I am—”
* Not at all.. Come in,” answered Blake, with
a meaning look at his chum.
“I wanted to ask you something about mak-
ing double exposures on the same film,” the
Spaniard went on. ‘‘ You know what I mean;
when a picture is shown of a person sitting by a
_ fireside, say, and above him or her appears a
vision of other days.”
‘ “Qh, yes, we can tell you how that is done,”
Joe said, and the rest of the evening was spent
in technical talk.
“ Well, what were you going to say about that
collision?” asked Joe of Blake when Mr. Al-
cando had left them, at nearly midnight.
Seg 334 MOVING PICTURE Boys AT panaua <
Re OO FT pdon’t: think its “exactly. ake to say what
Ey Set think, was Bie response. “I think he
| is — suspicious of us,” he finished in a whisper. Me
BN “ Let’s watch and await developments.” :
© But what object could he —”
Never mind — now,” rejoined Blake, with
a gesture of caution.
: | Several busy days followed the sinking of iia!
Nama. . The moving picture boys went through
_ the Miraflores locks, making some fine films, and
then proceeded on to the Pacific Ocean break-
water, thus making a complete trip through the —
Canal, obtaining a series of pictures showing —
scenes all along the way. They also took sev-
Fea eral views in the city of Panama itself. _
aes a ’ Of course theirs was not the first vessel to
gmake the complete trip, so that feature lost some-_
thing of its novelty. But the boys were well ;
satisfied with their labors. ~ eri
s “ We're not through, though, by any means,”
a - said Blake. “We have to get some pictures of
Gatun Dam from the lower side. I think “a
- few more jungle scenes, and some along the t
Panama Railroad, wouldn’t go bad.” 35
That's! right," sane Joe.
uf ae Colon. ey
Once: more they were - eka for RE.
THE EMERGENCY DAM 155
this time to be lifted up at Miraflores, instead
of being let down. They approached the cen-
tral pier, were taken in charge by the electrical
locomotives, and the big chain was lowered so
they could proceed.
Just as the lower gate was being swung open
to admit them to the lock, there was a cry of
warning from above. |
What's that?’’ cried Joe.
“TI don’t know,” Blake answered, “but it
sounds as though something were going to hap-
pen. I didn’t have all those feelings for noth~-
ing!”
Then came a cry:
“The upper gate! The upper gate is open!
The water is coming down! Put the emergency
dam in place! Quick!”
Joe and Blake looked ahead to see the upper
gates, which were supposed to remain closed
until the boat had risen to the upper level, swing
open, and an immense quantity of foamy water
rush out. It seemed about to overwhelm them.
CHAPTER XVIII
‘THE BIG age
‘
NS Lal to pean the Bohio, -and when it did the
sc tue began to sway and tug at the mooring
i * be stowed. is o7acaas
. - Blake rushed toward the ewer cabin. —
_ “Where are you going? cried Joe. iN
pene wih ke ms the cameras,’
pausing, —
But we Nabe oon Keno)
selves!” shouted Mr. Alcando. se This :
; time for making moving pictures.” — ays
A We ve got to make it this time!” Joe |
‘ : You’ ll find you’ ve go
i to ‘make moving pictures when ; you cam, ‘not ot whe
THE BIG SLIDE 1S7
y mae pictures in the face of a great danger —
_ to stand calmly with a camera, turning the crank
and getting view after view on the strip of cellu-
loid film, while a flood of water rushed down
on you. It was something he never dreamed of.
But he was not a “quitter,” which word,
_ though objectionable as slang, is most satisfac-
- torily descriptive. .
“VI help!” the young Spaniard cael as he .
_ followed Blake and Joe down to where the cam-
eras and films were kept.
On came the rush of water, released by the
accidental opening of the upper lock gates be-
_ fore the lower ones were closed. The waters’
_ of Gatun Lake were rushing to regain the free-
_ dom denied them by the building of the locks.
But they were not to have their own way for
long. Even this emergency, great as it was, un-
_ likely as it was to happen, had been foreseen by
_ those who built the Canal. |
het The dam } pyane over the emergency
dam!” came the cry.
The Bohio was now straining and pulling at
her cables. Fortunately they were long enough
to enable her to rise on the flood of the rushing
water, or she might have been held down, and —
so overwhelmed. But she rose like a cork,
_ though she plunged and swayed under the in- : ise
158 _ MOVING PICTURE Boys AT PANAMA
fluence of the terrible current, Sohres was Tike
mill race. o
“Use both cameras!” cried Blake, as i ley
_Joe each came on deck bearing one, while Mr
_ Alcando followed with spare reels of film. ;
“We'll both take pictures,’ Blake went on. —
“One set may be spoiled!” ous
Then he and his chum, setting up their cam-
eras on the tripods, aimed the lenses at the ad-
vancing flood, at the swung-back gates and a
the men on top of the concrete walls, ox
ing to bring into place the emergency dam.
It was a risky thing to do, but then Blake anal
Joe were used to doing risky things, and this
was no more dangerous than the chances ey
had taken in the jungle, or in earthquake land.
_ On rushed the water. The tug rose and fel
on the bosom of the flood, unconfined as it was by
the restraining gates. And as the sturdy vesse “i
swayed this way and that, rolling at her ‘moor-.
ings and threatening every moment to break anc
- rush down the Canal, Blake and Joe stood a’
their posts, turning the cranks. And_ besi
them stood Mr. Alcando, if not as calm as the
ae bre at least as indifferedh to ee fate.
ae the rush oe water was —
— to at to allow of much relief.
ried Piss
“Gone out, you mean?” kgs Joe above the
oar of waters. :
ee No, it’s being swung into place. It'll be all
~ over in a few minutes. Good thing we got the
pictures when we did.”
Across the lock, about two hundred feet move
_ the upper gate, was being swung into place the
Z steel emergency dam, designed to meet and over-
"come just such an accident as had occurred,
_ These dams were worked by es a and
: ‘could be put in place in two minutes; or, if the
4 machinery failed, they could be worked by hand,
though taking nearly half an hour, during which
z time much damage might be done. But in this
me the electrical machinery poe pn)
. "Almost at once the rush of water senna’
uae eee until the tug swung ary at
Be roctae at the crank of his ovine pice a ie
i amera. a That was going some!”
, 160. “MOVING PICTURE BOYS 4
“That’s what!” agreed a “4 «But I me '
we got some good films.” ie
_ “Vou certainly deserved to!” exclaimed Mr
Alcando, with shining eyes. “iYow are very
brave!” . ‘
“Oh, it’s all in the tide S Sak. ”” spoke Blake 2
“Now I wonder how that happened?” a, oN
“That's what I’d like to know,” said Cas
Wiltsey. i) . must look into this.”
placed switch in some newly installed secciealll :
machinery that controlled the upper lock gate
was to blame. The lock machinery was de
signed to be automatic, and as nearly “error
_ proof” as anything controlled by human beings
can be. That is to say it was planned that ne
vessel could proceed into a lock until the fende
chain was lowered, and that an upper gate could
not be opened until a lower one was closed. Bu
in this case something went wrong, and the two |
gates were opened at once, letting out the flood
This, however, had been foreseen, and the
‘emergency dam provided, and it was this solid
_ steel wall that had saved the lock from serio
_ damage, and the Bohio from being overwhelme
_ As it was no harm had been done and, when
the excitement had fates jee and a
now work perfectly, the tug was allowed to pro-
ceed.
“Well, what are your plans now, boys?”
: asked Mr. Alcando on the day after the lock ac-
cident.
“Back to Culebra Cut,” answered Blake.
_ “We have orders to get a picture of a big’ slide
_ there, and we're going to do it.”
“Even if you have to make the slide your-
_ self?” asked the Spaniard with a short laugh.
a
““Not much!” exclaimed Blake. “I’d do a
- good deal to get the kind of moving pictures
they want, but nothing like that. There have
_ been some rains of late, however, and if things
_ happen as they often have before i in the Cut there
_ may be a slide.”
“Yes, they do follow cue so I am told,”
went on the Spaniard. “Well, I do not wish
your Canal any bad luck, but if a slide does
occur I hope it will come when you can get views
of it.”
“In the daytime, and nt at night, ” suggested
Joe.
For several days tac of interest eel
‘Blake and Joe sent back to New York the films
_ of the mad rush of waters through the lock, and bs
also dispatched other views they had taken.
_ They had gone to Culebra Cut and there tied up,
THE BIG SLIDE 3!) 160
tiiey would have prefer never to see another a
| avalanche of earth descend. )
_ Mr. Alcando had by this time proved that he
could take moving pictures almost as well as.
could the boys. Of course this filming of na-
ture was not all there was to the business. Te,
was quite another matter to make views of the-
atrical scenes, or to film the scene of an ere
and outdoor drama. — 2 a
“But I do not need any of that for my pur- ‘
; pose,” explained Mr. Alcando. “I just want to
_know how to get pictures that will help ae :
our railroad business.” _ :
~ “You know that pretty well now,” said Blake
ea suppose you ma soon | be oe the Canal — a
and us,” he
plied. “T wish you all success.”
_ “To say nothing of the Canal,” put in Joe oe,
“To say nothing of the Canal,” repeated t
gti and he looked at the ea in wha
THE BIG SLIDE 163
“No, and yet I don’t know why either of us
should. hold any against him,” went on Joe’s.
chum. “Certainly he has been a good friend
and companion to us, and he has learned
~ quickly.”
“Oh, yes, he’s smart enough. Well, we
‘haven’t much more to do here... A slide, if we
can get-one, and some pictures below Gatun Dam,
and we can go back North.”
“ Yes,” agreed Blake.
“Seen anything of Alcando’s alarm clock
model lately?” asked Joe, after a pause.
NOt a thing, and I haven’t heard it tick.
Either he has given up working on it, or he’s
so interested in the pictures that he has for-
gotten it.”
Several more days passed, gloomy, unpleas-
ant days, for it rained nearly all the time. Then
one morning, sitting in the cabin of the tug
anchored near Gold Hill, there came an alarm.
“A land slide! a
By, Back to the tug they went, taking the cameras
lee with them. Joe was given such rough and ready ~
surgery and medical treatment as was available, —
and Captain Wiltsey said he would leave at once
_ for Gatun, where a doctor could be obtained. ©
Fortunately the blockading of the Canal by tl ane
slide did not stop the Bohio from continuing he
journey. ‘The slide was north of her pela we
when he had been ane as comfortable as possi
. his berth.
“TI think we did,” Blake said.
. ne the very best, or ‘rather the eee
of the Bude, still ae had on fons eh 3
AT GATUN DAM 177
of it to make a most interesting series of views.
Late that afternoon Joe was in the care of a
physician, who ordered him to stay in bed a
couple of days. Which Joe was very willing
to do. For, after the first excitement wore off,
he found himself much more sore and stiff than
he had realized.
‘They were at Gatun now, and there Blake
planned to get some views of the big dam from
the lower, or spillway side.
“ But first ’m going back to the slide,” he said.
**T want to get some views of the setts getting
tid of the dirt.”
CHAPTER XX
MR. ALCANDO'S [ABSENCE
: Gone for though the Cane had not ‘been |
: ~ mually opened, many vessels had started to 1
“ blocked by the sides Te was necessary to
Os the dirt away sO” ey could ay on their
age, | ee
aa with dredges, i we “steam ee on 2
: "hydraulic pumps, that sucked through big flex: .
vy pipes mud and water, iat it off to
~"
MR. ALCANDO’S ABSENCE , 179
MX Blake had telegraphed to New York that the
one picture above all others desired had been
‘f ( obtained —that of a big slide in the Culebra
Cut. He did not tell how Joe had nearly lost
_his life in helping get the films, for Blake was
| ae ae as was his chum, and, as he said, it was
“all in the day’s work.”
Joe was left to recover from the shock and
‘ : slight injuries at Gatun, while Blake and Mr.
Alcando were at Culebra. For the shock to the
young moving picture operator had been greater
than at first supposed, though his bodily i injuries
were comparatively slight.
“Well, what’s next on the programme?”
asked Joe of Blake, about two weeks after the
accident, when Blake had returned from Culebra.
- Most of the work there was done, and the Canal
was again open, save to vessels of extreme
draught.
cu? guess we'll go on making pictures oo Gatun
Dam now; that is, if you’re well enough, ” spoke
Blake. ‘ How do you feel?” _
“Pretty fair. How did Alcando make out?”
“Allright, He’s learning fast. We can trust
him with a camera now, out alone.”
“That’s good. I say, Blake,” and Joe’s voice
took on a confidential tone, “you haven’t no-
| peed anything strange about him ; have you?”
ue ae Anything more shout) that Vien clock of. his? ;
And did anything more develop about his know-
ing the captain of that vessel that sunk he
Nama?”’ iy
“No, that was only cinradaree! I think. Why, ae
I can’t say that I’ve noticed anything suspicious, :
about him, Joe, if that’s what you mean,’ "and
_Blake’s voice had a questipaine tone. )
_“ That’s what I do mean,’ ’ spoke Joe... Ana
Ge you haven’t I have.” | OMe
7 Have what: er
going to opie
“Another landslide?” ea Blake | wi
: “Fs “No chance of that here at Gatun Dans >
N 0, but something else” eaeid aside i
thi
MR. ALCANDO’S ABSENCE i8r
___ “Go on,” invited Blake. “I’m all ears, as the
donkey said.”
a “Tt’s no laughing matter,” retorted his chum.
_ “Haven’t you noticed since you and Alcando
came back,” he went on, “that he seems differ-
ent, in a way. He goes about by himself, and,
several times I’ve caught him looking at the dam
as though he’d never seen it before. He is won-
derfully impressed by it.” |
“Well, anybody would be,’ spoke Blake.
“t's a wonderful piece of engineering. But go
ES Oni
“Not only that,” resumed Joe, “ but I’ve heard
him talking to himself a lot.” |
“Well, that’s either a bad sign, or a food
one,’ laughed his chum. “ They say when a fel-
low talks to himself he either has money in the
_ bank, or he’s in love. You can take your
: choice.”
“Not whien it’s the kind of talk I overheard
- ‘Alcando having with himself,” Joe resumed. “I
‘went out on the dam yesterday, and I saw him
‘looking at it. He didn’t see me, but I heard him
- -Muttering to himself.”
“ What did he say?” Blake wanted to know.
“I didn’t hear it all,” was Joe’s answer, “ but
I caught two sentences that made me do a lot
of thinking. They were these: ‘I just hate
| eee aM a blanie. on’—
ee | EO
“Well, go on,’ amelie make) Bot an
"That’s all there was,” Joe coal “y
Pe eeidsit nea any more. What do you ante
“he meant?” |
ia gees could,” ‘Blake! renee ae
“the truth, he’ll never be a ‘good person I
_ hasn’t a correct eye for details, and he can’t focu
- worth a cent, though that ‘might be overcome
‘ time. “He does well aa for oat wor
ae Tm s sorry to hear a i Jee, with enu-
4 ine Ten, ee AO ie be
“So a am ui to ave. to come to Hat conch
n,” Blake went on. “I guess he knows at,
10, for he said 2 as much to me. aad I a that’s
“him.”
Be We surely did, and I guess he appreciates
E that. He said so, anyhow.” ~
_ “And so you’re going to get some Gatun pic-
ets and then quit — eh?”
the sooner we can get back home. I’ve had all
eh wl
¢ lap we've seen all there is to see.”
_ “We might try a little more of the jungle.”
“We got enough of. those pictures before,”
EN far as we’re concerned.”
| eae Mr. Alcando felt nine sorrow over his fail-
f
ey Ae. you fully recovered, Joe?” she asked.
i es Oh, sure! Pm all right again.”
“That’s it, Joe, and the sooner we get them —
tae a want of Panama. Not that it oe ‘tamnice place,
he declared. “ No, the dam will wind it up, :
4
Eve
184 : MOVING PICTURE BOYS. 4 r PANAMA cay
of my hands, and you were saved by the sam ce
sort of slide that covered you up.”
“Yes, I guess I was born lucky,” laughed jee
Preparations for taking several views of the ae
big Gatun Dam from the lower, or spillway side, —
were made. One afternoon Mr. Alcando asked
if he would be needed in making any views, and
when Blake told him he would not, the Spaniard
went off by himself, taking a small camera also
him. :
“Tm going to try my hee on my own hook; ” oe
he said.
“ That’s right,” cncontael Blake. “Go it on
your own responsibility. Good luck!” :
“‘He’s trying hard, at all events,’ said Joe,
when their acquaintance had left them.
“Yes,” agreed Joe. ai “He wants to. make oo
good.” aor
Several times after this Mr. ‘Alcando went off
by himself for more or less prolonged absences.
Each time he took a camera with him. ‘
: = pars than for professionals, but it atte he
etnies.
MR. ALCANDO’S ABSENCE 185
as the Spaniard set down his camera and carry-
ing case. “‘I got some good scenes, I believe.
When are you going to make the last of the spill-
Way views?”
[Blake did not answer. He was listening to
a curious sound. It was a ticking, like that of
an alarm clock, and it came from the interior of
the carrying case that held extra reels of film
for the little camera Mr. Alcando had.
Blake felt himself staring at the black box.
as Mee noted Blake’ Ss gis a
thing —? 1 He did not finish.
“That sound —in the: film-case — a
_Syaniad Ecey take it Out ith: me on my ee
_ Often, when I have finished taking pictures,
ay to do a little work on it. 7
ys 4)
: “Hell 3 never make | a | queve moving e
1 ie
gi ‘your whole ‘mind to it,
~~ Sd ar,
Te S
(AWARNING 187,
ing with inventions when, you set out to get views.
An alarm clock!
“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 much
better stick to what he set out to learn. Well,
it isn’t any of my Buses, I suppose. Joe and
I have done all we can.’
Several times after this the Beahiare went off
by himself, to make simple moving picture views.
with the little camera. But, whether or not he
took along the curious brass-bound box, with the |
_ metal projections, which he said was an alarm
| clock, was something Blake or Joe could not dis-
‘cover. For Blake had told Joe of Alcando’s
confession.
Certainly if (Meio did take his model with
him, he did not wind it up until leaving the boys,
_ for no ticking sound came from the case.
The Canal was now as it had been before the
; big slide. Vessels were passing to and fro, —
though in some parts of the waterway much fin-
ishing work remained to be done. Blake and
Joe took some views of this, and also “ filmed”
the passage of the various ships to make their
pictures of wider appeal when they would be
shown at the Panama Exposition. Mr. Alcando
_ did his share, and, for a time seemed to show a
re operator. But something was Sass ig a,
and it was not altogether o- on the 5 of the itl
OOS. ptpil, wae
nA The time was spprouiins Red Blake and Ae
Joe must bring their work to an end. They had _ |
accomplished what they set out to do, and word
came back from New York, where their films had e
been sent for development, that they were he 4
among the best the boys had ever taken.
“ 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 anxious for —
“me to come back and — making pictures:
there.”
“Bis friends are going to ‘be sadly disap-
pointed in him,” thought Blake. “It’s too bad.
He'll make a failure of those views. (Well, if
_ he does they may send for Joe and me, and si
__ will be so much more business for us, though ’m_
sorry to see him make a fizzle of it.”
_ But Mr. Alcando appeared to have no fears)
on his own account. He was signs bas
\o mistic.
ae kinds,” he said to the be ee mie was ir
Ns recommend to me where to ect Sone.” x
oe At a ae TO
_AWARNING =—'189
. Yes,” spoke Joe. “We'll help you pick
them out if you are going back to New York.”
“Tam not so sure of that,” the Spaniard said.
_ “T will know in a few days when I hear from
my railroad friends. I expect a letter shortly.”
There was some little delay in getting the pic-
_ tures Blake wanted of the Gatun Dam. Certain
_ work had to be done, and Blake wanted to show
_ the complete and finished structure. So he de-
cided to wait.
About a week after the above conversation
with Mr. Alcando, the Spaniard came to the
2 boys, waving an open letter in his hand. The
mail had just come in, bringing missives to Blake
and Joe. Some were of a business nature, but
for each boy there was an envelope, square and
of delicate tint — such stationery as no business
man uses. But we need not concern ouselves
: with that. (We all have our secrets.
“TY have my marching orders,” laughed the
Spaniard. “I leave you this week, for my own
particular qungie. Now I must arrange to get
_ my cameras.”
“We'll help you,’ > offered Joe, and then, rath
the catalogue of a moving picture supply house
before them, the boys sat down to plan what
_ sort of an outfit would best be suited to the needs
of Mr. ‘Alcando. He was not limited as to
| . “ money, it was evident, ae he eee out - the |
expensive cameras possible. to buys; gs ew
“TJ wish you boys would come and see ‘me
when I get to work taking views along our rail-
road line,” he said. “It isn’t altogether a self-
ish invitation,” he added with a laugh, “for
I expect you could give me good advice, and cor
rect some of my bite es ean oh
saw, on the floor, a piece of paper. Thy i‘
picked it up, and, as he saw it was part of|a
letter to the Spaniard he folded it, to hand ti
him. But, as he did so he caught sight of a | .
words on it. And those words made him stare
in wonder. For Blake read: — ae
“Stuff is all ready for you, You had bett
do the job and get away. ‘There, is some |
~ ee in Europe.” 08 x
- Saying nothing to his ae Ladat it,
Re went with the ee toward us Pete
A WARNING gor
“TI wonder what that meant?” he thought to
himself. “That must have 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, he won’t have much success. And
to think of going to make films of European scen-
% ery when he isn’t really capable of it.
“Well, some of these foreigners think they
know it all when they have only a smattering of
it,’ mus@d Blake. “Though Alcando isn’t as
bad that way as lots of others. Well, we’ve done
our best with him. And how unjust all our sus-
picions were — Joe’s and mine. I wonder what
_he really did think he was up to, anyhow? ”
The next day Blake and Joe were busy mak-
ing many important views of the big dam, which
held back the waters of the Chagres River, cre-
ating Gatun Lake. The Spaniard, too, was busy
with his preparations for leaving. He was away
from the boys nearly all day, coming back to the
boat, which picy made their headquarters, in ae
evening.
bel Get any pictures? ” Aan Blake. “Ii you
have we'll pack up your reel and send it to New
Work with ours. Where’s the little camera and
by case? fs
Mr. Seas oy aoe , as though struc
“By Jove!” he cried. fen left it out at
ant an. I was making some views there, and u
up all the film, Then I got to working on my
alarm clock, and forgot all about the came
and film case. I left them out there, and my
clock, too. Ill go right back and get them!” ey
He turned to leave the cabin, but, as. he d id
so, Captain Wiltsey entered. He paid no atte on
oe to the eee but, erie Blake a
(Joe said:
© Boys, I ae a little ONS for you,
you any flash-light powder?” sees Ne
“ Flash-light powder? es we have ‘50
Blake said. “ But we can’t use it for) moving
: pictures. | It doesn’ t last ee enough. Se rs ,
want,” the captain said. am
Fs Eb vot ll excise me, rte go on Ai gett
camera I was so careless < as to eave out,” p
Mr. Alcando. Sete
y “T’m glad he’s gone,”
as the cabin door closed.
‘to just you boys.
fing,” he said. aan
. A warning?” ree hese Mh 4 :
" “Yes, about Gatun Dam. Theres.
us ‘that it is soins to be: e destroyed!” ins
CHAPTER XXIII
THE FLASHLIGHT
For an instant the moving picture boys could
hardly grasp the meaning of the fateful words
spoken by Captain Wiltsey. But it needed only
a look at his face to teli that he was laboring
under great excitement.
“The Gatun Dam to be destroyed,” repeated
Joe. “ Then we'd better get —”
“Do you mean by an earthquake?’ asked
Blake, breaking in on his chum’s words.
“No, I don’t take any stock in their earth-
quake theories,” the captain answered. “ That’s
all bosh! It’s dynamite.”
“ Dynamite!” cried Joe and Blake in a breath,
“Yes, there are rumors, so persistent that they
cannot be denied, to the effect that the dam is to
be blown up some night.”
“ Blown up!” cried Blake and Joe again.
““That’s the rumor,” continued Captain Wilt-
sey. “I don’t wonder you are astonished. I was
myself when [ heard it. But I’ve come to get you
boys to help us out.”
193
a 794 MOVING PICTURE BOYS 17
* us men, detectives, and all that sort of help.” ee:
, “We'll have enough of that help,” went on
the tug boat commander, who was also an em-
- ployé of the commission that built the Canal.
“But we need the peculiar es you boxe can
give us with your cameras.” — Ba
“You mean to take moving pictures of foe
blowing up of the dam?” asked Joe. : ay
“Well, there won’t be any blowing up, if y we
can help it,” spoke the captain, ‘grimly. | | t
‘far. oe you any flashlight Boden? 4 Oks
“Yes,” Blake answered. “Or, if not, we cal ey
‘make some with materials we can easily ge
ae. ae last for several minutes? A
Whe Yes, 1 suppose SO.) eee pis
“ Well, then, figure on that’ ” cieN eee a
os “ But I don’t understand it all; i "jee Blake
THE FLASHLIGHT 195
“T'll explain,” said Mr. Wiltsey. “ You have
no doubt heard, as we all have down here, the
stories of fear of an earthquake shock. As I
said, I think they’re all bosh. But of late there
have been persistent rumors that a more serious
menace is at hand. And that is dynamite.
“In fact the rumors have gotten down to a
definite date, and it is said to-night is the time
picked out for the destruction of the dam. The
water of the Chagres River is exceptionally high,
owing to the rains, and if a’ breach were blown
in the dam now it would mean the letting loose of
a destructive flood.”’
“But who would want to blow up the dam?”
asked Blake.
“Enemies of the United States,”’ was the cap-
tain’s answer. “I don’t: know who they are,
nor why they should be our enemies, but you
know several nations are jealous of Uncle Sam,
that he possesses such a vitally strategic water-
way as the Panama Canal.
“But we don’t need to discuss all that now.
‘The point is that we are going to try to prevent
this thing and we want you boys to help.”
* With a flashlight?” asked Blake, wonder-
Z ing whether the captain depended on scaring those
who would dare to plant a charge of dynamite
near the great dam.
| ae ifs ‘With - a flashlight, or, ee nt a seri
a ms them, and your moving picture cameras,’ =
- eapain went on. “We want ane ale to ge oy,
| evidence a piuel them. Will you do it?”
SOF course we will!” cried Blake,
tainly, and we will havea sufficient guard to pre
vent it. Some one of this. guard | can ae yo
; boys warning, and you a et :
. your cameras.’ "
oO | the es anh
ot did some of them os i oe a 3
THE FLASHLIGHT | 197,
need help in this, Joe. I wonder where AI-
cando —?”
“You don’t need him,” declared the captain.
“Why not?” asked Joe. “ He knows enough
about the cameras now, and —”
“He's a foreigner—a Spaniard,” objected
the captain.
““I see,” spoke Blake. “ You don’t want it to
go any farther than can be helped.”
“ No,” agreed the captain.
“But how did you and the other officials hear
all this? ” Joe wanted to know.
“In a dozen different ways,’ was the answer.
-“ Rumors came to us, we traced them, and got
—more rumors. There has been some disaffec-
tion among the foreign laborers. Men with
fancied, but not real grievances, have talked and
muttered against the United States. Then, in
a manner I cannot disclose, word came to us that
the discontent had culminated in a well-plotted
plan to destroy the dam, and to-night is the time
set.
* Just who they are who will try the desperate
work I do not know. I fancy no one does. But
we may soon know if you boys can successfully
work the cameras and flashlights.”
“And we'll do our part!” exclaimed Blake.
“Tell us where to set the cameras.”
’
Ry 208
ee We can use that automatic ¢ camera, , t00 :
Rata we?” asked Joe. rete i
nis Yes, that will be the: very. thing!” 'e e
e) Poa . Blake. T hee had found, when making views ¢ oe
‘een Ene Bashlicht rowder ed wonder if a in
. get enough of that?” Bata lee Sel take qu te
ye dot | ae
“We must get ito BS declared
captain. “TI fancy we have some on hand,
: perhaps you can make more. ar here is ap)
2 got to hustle. The attempt is to be made so
time after midnight.”
we Hustle it is! aa cried | Blake,
é “ * Come
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE TICK-TICK
*'PuT one camera here, Joe.”
“All right, Blake. And where will you have
the other ?”’
“Take that with you. Easy now. Don’t
make a noise, and don’t speak above a whisper!”’
cautioned Blake Stewart. “ You'll work one
machine, and [ll attend to the other, We'll put
the automatic between us and trust to luck that
one of the three gets something when the flash
goes off.”
The two boys, with Captain Wiltsey, had made
their way to a position near the spillway, below
the great Gatun Dam. It was an intensely dark
night, though off to the west were distant flashes
of lightning now and then, telling of an approach-
ing storm. In the darkness the boys moved cau-.
tiously about, planting their cameras and flash-
light batteries to give the best results,
They had had to work quickly to get matters
in shape before midnight. Fortunately they
were not delayed by lack of magnesium powder,
199
: . “ashigh cartridges, to be py at once, 0
in a series, by means oh a Ge voltage de
Oietery: 3 : ie
The moving picture cameras ‘had been ma in
“ THE T TICK-TICK
F, ptain Wittsey. oh That may seem a strange
thing: to say,” he went on, “ but it is the truth.
| Of course we don’t want the dam blown up, or
~ even slightly damaged, but it will be better to’
) det them make the attempt, and catch them red-
Be handed, than just to scare them off before they
if make a try. Because, if we do that they may
3 only come back again, later, when we’re not ready
‘e for them. But if we let them see we are pre-
_ pared and can catch some of them at work, it will =
nd the conspiracy.” ih P
_ “That’s right!” agreed Blake. “Well, we'll |
do all we can to help make the capture. We'll
apture their likenesses on the films, anyhow;
nd you'll know who they are.’ :
_ “Which will be something,” the captain said.
" be We haven’t been able as yet to discover the “a
identity of any of them. They have kept very =>
secret, and worked very much in the dark.”
It had been arranged, among Captain Wiltsey
, and his helpers, that they were to give acertain
hae signal when they discovered the dynamiters at
ork, and then the boys would set off their flash- te
ae
entio a provided ae miscreants went near ae |
a A
net-work Mee pens to break one and so set
Pah that was pile:
night callers went on. oa
in silence, making ready for their part init. All ,
about the boys, though they could neither see nor ’
hear them, were Uncle Sam’s men — soldiers, a
some of them — stationed near where, ce) rumor ;
said, the attempt was to be made to se the
dynamite. ve i:
“We really ought to have anplee hefner 7 :
said Blake, thoughtfully. “There is one place
we can’t get in focus no matter how we try, with
the three machines we have. If we had another —
automatic it would be all right, but we cae aut,
i suggest we get Mr. Alcando, but you: iden t seem )
oon to want him. He could easily take pares of |
one.”
“It is better to have no foreigners”
captain.
built. 29 tea eh ity 7
“Why?” asked Blake. * i -
< \"
ry
HE TICK-TICK
Oh, for various reasons. Some of them have :
lost trade because it shortens routes. But there,
I must go and see if all the men are in place.”
an
og
_ Captain Wiltsey left him, and once more the ©
moving picture boy resumed his vigil. Alf about
im was silence and darkness. As well as he
ould he looked to see that his camera was point- ge
g in the right direction, and that it set firmly +
mm the tripod, the legs of which were driven into He
“Tl just step over and see how Joe is,” thought
lake. He judged it lacked half an hour yet of ©
ON it ett eoratt ‘Blake, cise Ris chum Se
Say, but isn’t it dark?”
“Tt sure is,’ ’ agreed Blake. _ ve
Ai anil hey stood gare near the great dam.
m wae was + running to > waste, |
3 te oe
204. MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA
““'Well, I guess I’ll be getting back,” said Blake
in a low voice. “No telling when things will
happen now.’
As he started to go away Joe remarked:
“Where are you wearing your watch? I can
hear it over here.”
* Watch! I haven’t mine on,” Blake an-
swered. ‘“ You can’t see it in the dark, so I left
it on the boat.”
“Well, something is ticking pretty loud, and
it isn’t mine,’ Joe said, “ for I did the same as
you, and left it in my cabin. But don’t you hear
that noise?”
They both listened. Clearly to them, through
the silence of the night, came a steady and mo-
notonous tick — tick-tick —
“It’s the clockwork of the automatic camera,”
Blake whispered.
“It can’t be,” answered Joe. “ That’s teo far
off. Besides, it’s a different sound.”
They both listened intently.
“Tick! Tick! Tick!’ came to them through
the dark silence.
CHAPTER XXV
MR. ALCANDO DISAPPEARS
Fur several seconds Blake and Joe stood there
— without moving —only listening. And that
strange noise they heard kept up its monotonous
note.
“ Hear it!” whispered Joe.
“Yes,” answered Blake. “ The brass box —
the box —he had!” :
“Yes,” whispered Joe. All the suspicions he
had had —all those he had laughed at Blake for
harboring, came back to him in a rush. The
brass-bound box contained clockwork. Was it
an alarm after all? Certainly it had given an
alarm now —a most portentous alarm!
** We've got to find it!’’ said Blake.
*““Sure,’ Joe assented. “It may go off any
minute now. We've got to find it. Seems to be
near here.”
_ They began looking about on the ecg as
though they could see anything in that blackness.
But they were trying to trace it by the sound of
205
. ae
a ;
3
7S v \
“the an ‘And. it is no easy matter, ae yo 5
room.
We ought to give the Beil ee Bike cv
“ Before it is too late,” assented Joe, F ‘Where
can it be? It seems near here, and yet we can ty
locate it.” ve
ros Get dae on your hands and. ae one aoe
around,” advised Blake. In this fashion 1 the
- never ae it ieee And each of nen e -
ipenized the peculiar clicking: sound as | the sai 1e
‘thos Mr. Aleando had said was. Pe new ala
~ clock.
“Hark!” suddenly exeinnned BlakeS Bays
Off to the left, where was planted the a
_ matic camera, came a faint noise. — Li sour
like a suppressed exclamation. Then e
| echo as if someone had Beye pen :
ae “if brightness, and made Blake BS Tae i
. owls thrust suddenly into the a of an |
+207,
a Blake. 7 “There was no need for leas now.
of the magnesium powder the moving picture
Boys. s saw a curious sight.
g : 7” Mr. Alcando !” aan Toe.
_ “The Spaniard!” fairly shouted Blake. |
Then, as the two chums looked on the bril-
liantly lighted scene, knowing that the camera
was faithfully taking pictures of every move of
their recent pupil, the boys saw, rushing toward
3 had been i in hiding. :
lake aed “So he’s the guilty one.”
“Unless there’s a oe spoke Joe. _
“Mistake! Never!” uted his chum.
a brass box! oes,
The whole scene was brilliantly lighted, and |
: _ remained so for many seconds. And in the glare.
Alcando, a number of the men and soldiers who 7
Ae
208 MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA
The next moment he had knelt down, and with
a pair of pliers he carried for adjusting the
mechanism of his camera severed the wites with a
quick snap. The ticking in the box still went
on, but the affair was harmless now. It could
not make the electrical current to discharge the
deadly dynamite. .
“Boys! Boys! (‘Where are you?” cried Cap-
tain Wiltsey. 3
“Here!” cried Blake. “We've stopped the
infernal machine! ”’
“And we've got the dynamiter. He’s your
friend —
The rest of the words died away as the light
burned itself out. Intense blackness. succeeded.
“Come on!” cried Joe. “ They've got him,
We won’t have to work the hand cameras. ‘The
automatic did it!”
They stumbled on through the darkness. Lan-
terns were brought and they saw Mr. Alcando
a prisoner in the midst of the Canal guards.
The Spaniard looked at the boys, and smiled
sadly.
_' “Well, it —it’s all over, * he said.’ * But it
isn’t as bad as it seerns.”
“Tt’s bad enough, ‘as you'll find,” AE Captain
Wiltsey grimly. “Are you sure the wires are
disconnected, boys?” he asked.
MR. ALCANDO DISAPPEARS 209
“ Sure,’ replied Blake, holding out the brass
box.
“Oh, so you found it,” said the Spaniard.
* Well, even if it had gone off there wouldn’t
have been much of an explosion.”
“Tt’s easy enough to say that— now,” de-
clared the captain.
But later, when they followed up the wires
which Blake had severed, which had run from
the brass-bound box to a point near the spillway
of the dam, it was found that only a small charge
of dynamite had been buried there—a charge
so small that it could not possibly have done more
than very slight damage to the structure.
“T can’t understand it,” said Captain Wiltsey.
“They could just as well have put a ton there,
and blown the place to atoms, and yet they didn’t
use enough to blow a boulder to bits. I don’t
understand it.”
“ But why should Mr. Alcando try to blow up
the dam at all?” asked Blake. ‘ That’s what I
can’t understand.”
But a little later they did, for the Spaniard
confessed. He had to admit his part in the plot,
for the moving pictures, made by the automatic
camera, were proof positive that he was the guilty
/ one.
“Yes, it was I who tried to blow up the dam,”
ce to be an EIDE to dangeee it, ty was ee
intended to Trey destroy it. It was z an a)
: . - attempt, only.”’
“ But what for?” he was eet
“To cause a lack of confidence in the < Coa s
was the unexpected answer. “Those I represen .
would like to see it unused. ‘ti is going | to ruil
our railroad interests.”
Then he told of the plot : eau
ao Ee its profits on carrying aban across oe
‘America. Once the Canal was established goods —
could be transported much more cheaply
quickly ee the water route. The railroad own rs
want to le it, but he was promised a large _
aes and threats were made sce him, for the —
. etected. I selected moving pictures as the sim- —
_ plest means. I knew that some were tobe made
Caen I had Bee iptisied what I set out to do I : | oe
mae I thought, let vba rest on the camera
B12 MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA
I came to you boys,” he said. “ Ashamed as I
am to confess it, it was my plan to have the blame
fall on you.”
Blake and Joe gasped.
“But when you saved my life at the broken
bridge that time, of course I would not dream of
such a dastardly trick,” the Spaniard resumed,
*T had to make other plans. [I tried to get out
of it altogether, but that man would not let me.
So I decided to sacrifice myself. I would myself
blow up the dam, or, rather, make a little explo-
sion that would scare prospective shippers. I did
not care what became of me as long as I did not
implicate you. I could not do that. |
“So I changed my plans. Confederates sup-
plied the dynamite, and I got this clock-work, in
the brass-bound box, to set it off by means of ©
electrical wires. , I planned to be far away when
it happened, but I would have left a written con-
fession that would have put the blame where it
belonged.
“I kept the battery box connections and clock-
work inside the small camera I carried. To-
night all was in readiness. The dynamite was
planted, and I set the mechanism. But something
went wrong with it. There was too much of a
delay. I came back to change the timer. I
broke the string connections you made, and—
MR. ALCANDO DISAPPEARS 213
I was caught by the camera. The news had,
somehow, leaked out, and I was caught. Well,
perhaps it is better so,” and he shrugged his shoul-
ders with seeming indifference.
“But please believe me when I say that no
harm would have come to you boys,” he went on
earnestly, “ nor would the dam have been greatly
damaged.
“It was all a terrible plot in which I became
involved, not all through my own fault,” went
on the Spaniard, dramatically. “As soon as I
met you boys, after you had saved my life, I
repented of my part, but [ could not withdraw.
The plans of this scoundrel — yes, I must call
him so, though perhaps I am as great — his plans
_ called for finding out something about the big
guns that protect the Canal. Only I was not able
to do that, ioagh he ordered me to in a letter I
think you saw.’
Blake nodded. He and Joe were beginning to
understand many strange things.
“One of the secret agents brought me the box
containing the mechanism that was to set off the
dynamite,” the Spaniard resumed. ‘ You nearly
eaught him,” he added, and Blake recalled the
episode of the cigar smoke. “I had secret con-
ferences with the men engaged with me in the
plot,” the conspirator confessed. ‘“ At times I
2
tou _ MOPING PICTURE BOYS na ni 4 Mt
Bi to throw off the suspicions I saw you. entertaine
regarding me. But I must explain one thin
_ The collision, in which the tug was_ sunk, had
nothing to do with the plot. That was a ‘simple
accident, though I did BROW, the ae of that
Bolucky steamer, ;
“Thad set it off, I had better flee fe Europe.” »
Blake had accidentally seen that letter. i. 4
‘ Tr received wee the time we. pe
a great Hees wnt would have Gone anything
protect you, after what you did. in saving
: worthless life,” he said bitterly. « So Ti w ld
not: agree to all the plans of that scoundrel, thougt
- he urged me most hotly. ei
Ge ‘But it is all over, now! 1 he exclaime
MR. ALCANDO DISAPPEARS 215
a tragic gesture. “I am caught, and it serves
me right. Only I can be blamed. My good
friends, you will not be,” and he smiled at Blake
and Joe. “I am glad all the suspense is at an
end. I deserve my punishment. I did not know
the plot had been discovered, and that the stage
was set to make so brilliant a capture of me. But
I am glad you boys had the honor.
“* But please believe me in one thing. I really
did want to learn how to take moving pictures,
though it was to be a blind as to my real pur-
pose. And, as I say, the railroad company did
not want to really destroy the dam. After we
had put the Canal out of business long enough for
us to have amassed a fortune we would have been
content to see it operated. We simply wanted
to destroy public confidence in it for a time.”
“The worst kind of .destruction,’”? murmured
Captain Wiltsey. ‘“‘ Take him away, and guard
him well,” he ordered the soldiers. “ We will
look further into this plot to-morrow.”
But when to-morrow came there was no Mr.
Alcando. He had managed to escape in the night
from his frail prison, and whither he had gone no
one knew.
But that he had spoken the truth was evident.
A further investigation showed that it would have
been impossible to have seriously damaged the
216 MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA
dam by the amount of dynamite hidden. But, as
Captain Wiltsey said, the destruction of public
confidence would have been a serious matter.
“ And so it was Alcando, all along,” observed
Blake, a few days later, following an unsuccess-
ful search for the Spaniard.
“Yes, our suspicions of him were justified,”
remarked Blake. “It’s a lucky thing for us that
we did save his life, mean as he was. It wouldn’t
have been any joke to be suspected of trying to
blow up the dam.”
“No, indeed,” agreed Blake. “ And suspicion
might easily have fallen on us. It was a clever
trick. Once we had the Government permission
to go all over with our cameras, and Alcando, as
a pupil, could go with us, he could have done
almost anything he wanted. But the plot failed.”
“Lucky it did,” remarked Joe. “I guess
they ll get after that railroad man next.”
But the stockholder who was instrumental in
forming the plot, like Alcando, disappeared.
That they did not suffer for their parts in the
affair, as they should have, was rumored later,
when both of them were seen in a European capi-
tal, well supplied with money. How they got it
no one knew.
The Brazilian Railroad, however, repudiated
the attempt to damage the Canal, even apparently,
y
MR. ALCANDO DISAPPEARS 217
laying all the blame on the two men who had dis-
appeared. But from then on more stringent reg-
ulations were adopted about admitting strangers
to vital parts of the Canal.
i “ But we're through,” commented Blake one
day, when he and Joe had filmed the last views of
the big waterway. “ That Alcando was a ‘slick’
one, though.”
“Indeed he was,” agreed Joe. “ The idea of
' calling that a new alarm clock!” and he looked
at the brass-bound box. Inside was a most com-
plicated electrical timing apparatus, for setting
off charges of explosive. It could be adjusted to
cause the detonation at any set minute, giving the
‘plotter time to be a long way from the scene.
And, only because of a slight defect, Alcando
would have been far from the scene when the
little explosion occurred at Gatun Dam.
Once more the great Canal was open to traffic.
The last of the slide in Culebra Cut had been
taken out, and boats could pass freely.
“Let’s make a trip through now, just for fun,”
suggested Blake to Joe one day, when they had
packed up their cameras.
Permission was readily granted them to make
a pleasure trip through to Panama, and it was
greatly enjoyed by both of them.
“Just think!” exclaimed Blake, as they sat
218 MOVING PICTURE BOYS AT PANAMA
under an awning on the deck of their boat, and
looked at the blue water, “ not a thing to do.”
*“‘ Until the next time,” suggested Joe.
‘“‘ That’s right — we never do seem to be idle
long,” agreed Blake. “I wonder what the ‘next
time’ will be?”
And what it was, and what adventures fol-
lowed you may learn by reading thé next volume
of this Gia to be called “The Movie Boys Under
the Sea”; or “The Treasure of the Lost Ship.”
“ Here on go, Blake!” cried Joe, a few cons
later. “ Letter for you!”
“Thanks. Get any yourself?”
** ‘Yes, one.”
“Huh! How many do you want?”. asked
Blake, as he began reading his epistle. “ Well,
Plt soon be back,” he added in a low voice, as he
finished. |
“ Back where?” asked Joe.
“To New York.”
And so, with these pleasant thoughts, we will
take leave of the moving picture boys.
THE END
Oey VICTOR APPLETON
‘THE MOVIE BOYS ON CALL,
or Filming the Perils of A Great City. Published January 2, 1926
THE MOVIE BOYS IN THE WILD WEST,
or Stirring Days Among the Cowboys and Indians.
te Getta Jauuary 28, 1926
v3 “THE MOVIE BOYS AND THE WRECKER
or Facing the Perils of the Deep. Paid F ebruary 28, 1926
s—. THE MOVIE BOYS IN THE JUNGLE.
is or Lively Times Among the Wild Beasts. Published March 28,1926
Pe, i THE MOVIE BOYS IN EARTHQUAKE LAND,
‘THE MOVIE BOYS AND THE FLOOD,
or Perilous Days en the Mighty Mississippi. Published May 28, 1926
_ ‘FHE MOVIE BOYS IN PERIL,
_---—s or *Strenuous Days Along the Panama Canal.
Bey Published June 28, roan
Nhe 5 83 MOVIE BOYS UNDER THE SEA,
_-~~—_ or The Treasure of the Lost Ship. Published July 28, 1926