Vasco, Our Little Panama Cousin

d corner of the city in which he had lived, he

original city. The present city was built after the former one had been

rs. That seems to us an enormous sum, and to the people of those days it was fabulous. It gives some idea of the vast wealth that must have been stored in the city to admit o

ont watching the fishermen unloading their boats. As it happened, he fell in with

g for some new adventure. At this time he ha

a to-morrow? Father will let us take a small boat he

r it were perfectly safe for them to go without some one for protector

een over there?"

y ti

now the w

esides, there's an old friend of his who lives in a hut

he said. "I have never been there, and I should like to see what the place l

l carry three all right, and we

t of having him along on this trip. He had seen and heard enough of the Americans about the city to know that they

"We'll start early to-morrow

little time to look around before the middle of the day, when it will be too hot to move about. Then in th

ng that he would see Harlan sometime during the day. He ha

r of his plans for the next day, to which she made no objection. She rarely interfered with his movements, except that sometimes she asked

o with him the next day. It didn't take long to give the invitation, an

Vasco. "I must ask my mother if sh

bout such things. But he had known Harlan long enough to learn that American way

clined to object to his making this trip with only two other boys for companions, but his argume

urried and told hi

s leave, "and be at the beach near the Pa

Good night," was

son that evening, to get well

e weather, for this was the dry season of the year, when for months no

his way to the meeting-place. Though the first on the scene, he did not have to wait long for the

ing the boat ready she would have had no concern for their safety. All three boys were familiar with boats, though

husks, as sold in the market. Eggs are not bought by the dozen in Panama, but by the pair. The boys expect

ng breeze. Enrique was at the rudder and Vasco acted as lookout at the bow, while Harlan made

e, but as the boys went, partly by water and partly on foot, they had to cover a mu

forms the protection for the upper side of the Bay of Panama. The boat wa

going adrift later in the day. In fact, as the tide receded it left the craft high

They passed along the rocky shore, through some swampy lowland and

ke trees and shrubs, the luxuriant tropical vegetation, the beautiful scenery

stream was spanned by an old stone bridge, built over 350 years ago. Across this they made their way

f this city, where years ago there had been a great tide of humanity, and where ambition, avarice, gaiety, luxury, once had full sway, but now

oward the middle of the day, they were glad to get into the shelter of hi