Vasco, Our Little Panama Cousin

and then I shall have to leave you to yourselves for the rest of the day. I have considerable business to which I must attend. All I a

ook about this place, and I think we can ma

ave some dinner first," sa

e title of a "hotel," and served as a boarding-place for the American overseers of the gangs of men at work in the Culebra cut. Here the three

boys were left to

of Culebra Hill this afternoon. We can get a splendid view of

ts me," s

steep and slippery banks that had been made by the steam-shovels. Many times the boys lost

that they were obliged to make many a turn and twist in their path. In some places they could not

seldom witnessed. In the immediate foreground far below them they could see the hundreds of men at work. They looked hardly larger

liage made a picture no artist could reproduce, and even boyish spirits were subdued as Vasco and Harlan

els in sight were scooping up tons upon tons of earth every hour. Vasco could hardly believe it when Harlan told him that it would take years to complete the work of cutting thr

ravelled over this country imagine that great ships-many times larger

in American skill and force, had perfect faith in the early completion of the P

n, they began to think of returning to the camp. The declining sun also reminded them that it was time to be on the move. Possibly, also, a vig

umping, sliding, tumbling, dodging, twisting, and turning in the race for the foo

times, indeed, he seemed to gain the lead, his shrewdness and good judgment

el-trains, the giant steam-shovels in operation, the hundreds of

r they turned into their bunks in the "sleeping-car," where, with nets protecting th

akfast, but ate some canned food which had been brought along in the "sleeper." Taking his meals on a railway train was a novelty for Vasco,-more so than a

the scenery along the route. The forests through which

ller birds. Monkeys were seen darting about amidst the foliage. Once also a drove of peccaries was seen scuttling away through the unde

h, and ash, were seen teak, rosewood, mahogany, and ebony in abundance. When

ear, with a stringy covering and a stone in the centre. In old times the Indians were very fond of it, and recklessl

eir first glimpse of the Chagres River, which forms su