Secrets of the Andes

n Ro

e others uttered exclamation

e caused it?" a

or shook

le we were in Cuba. Could have made a small leak that let

bean," remarked Mr. Holton. "If it had been much lar

as upon them, with a promise of dar

attend to the leak in the morning. There's some solder in the provision compartment,

d the naturalists made camp, Karl Sutman applied a heavy

e gasoline in the spare tank, and now we haven't enough to take us twenty-five

ty miles of here," groaned Joe, glancing at th

aking camp. They were forced to turn on the lights of the m

lluminated the sky, they turne

plane. This would do away with the danger of an explosion, for the intense

ging closer to the blaze to escap

, all eating heartily. The eventful day

ay out somehow. If we can't do anything else, we can all hike to a town and carry back enough gas

hough?" came from Joe. Despite Karl's e

ay be there hasn't been an internal-combustio

l up in the tent, after having heaped the fire high with fresh fuel. They had not thought it

map of South America and spread

est town appears to be about fifteen miles from here. Lucki

et gasoline the

can take a train to Cartagena-that's a city not far f

Karl kept the machine going at as slow a speed as possible, for he desired to use every ounce of

" Karl climbed out of the cockpit

t sight of a score or more natives running toward them. It was a

faces of the Colombians. The monoplane they viewed with

Holton addressed them in Spanish, asking if it mig

expressionless, but a

"There are no great birds like this"-pointing to the monoplane-"in

t be possible to get gasoline in

dently they had never been to that place, al

h him and get it filled. Then he can return on the next train." The Americans could not help laughing at this, however necessar

b, catching hold of the monopla

ously," said Karl, who was also laughing.

. No doubt they thought the newcomers were making fun of them. Finally one man

d or two, but it was enough to m

ather. "There are too many of t

snarled the youth, his eyes resting fearles

wever, and as the Colombians made no

rip?" he asked. "I'll pay my o

And I'll go with you. It will take tw

ton. "We won't be surprised

und that a train would arrive in less than three hours. They thought i

wo gas seekers were informed by the conductor that they w

ehind. The little crowd that had assembled to see the tra

dow at the barren country they were passing through.

at the head of the train. Bob was looking out of the window trying to make o

arted toward the front of the coach when they were

Wallace, hurrying back to the seat.