Edward Stratemeyer

“ A PLANTATION HOME IN VENEZUELA
“Guess I’ve been asleep, and guess the others have been asleep, too.”
It was Frank who uttered the words as he roused up and rubbed his eyes. Mark was still sleeping and Darry and Sam had just stirred like himself. The professor was dozing with a guide book resting on his lap. Everything around the hotel was quiet, only the dripping of the fountain breaking the stillness.
“It’s a sleepy man’s land during midday,” remarked Darry, as he arose slowly to his feet. “The air takes all the ambition out of a fellow. ”

“ The Indian was a knowing fellow and bright, although not given to much talking. He had been selected by the professor because of his knowledge of English, which was, however, slight. He took particularly to Frank, who had given him a pocket looking-glass he chanced to have with him.
“Well I wish we were landed,” grumbled Hockley, who sat under the hood of the canoe, taking it easy. “I am tired of this everlasting water. There is a sameness that is perfectly sickening.”
“That’s because you don’t enjoy the beauties of nature,” returned Darry, with a grin. ”

“ Soon the professor and the Indian were out of sight and the boys turned back to put the camp in order. Hockley threw himself on a rock, declining to take a hand in the work.
“You ought to do your share,” said Sam. “It’s not fair to expect us to do everything.”
“You shut up!” cried Hockley. “I’ll do as I please. If you say a word I’ll pitch into you!”
He was in an ill humor and spoiling for a fight, as Darry and Sam could readily see. Yet Sam was not daunted.
“It’s not fair, Hockley. Everybody ought to do his share of the work,” he went on.
[289] “Oh, leave him alone, Beans,” came from Darry. ”

“ But now Sam rushed as close as had Darry. The rifle was a repeating weapon—one of the best the party possessed—and shoving it at the snake’s head the youth let drive twice in quick succession. Then, without waiting to see the effect of these shots, he put two additional bullets in the boa-constrictor’s body. The reptile quivered from head to tail then remained motionless.
It was an anxious moment and the hearts of all three boys seemed to stop beating. Hockley tried to call out, but could not, for the boa-constrictor was fairly crushing in his ribs. ”

“ Sam sprang back to get out of harm’s way but the crab leaped into the lake and sank from sight.
“What an ugly beast!”
“Him more ugly if you stick toe in his hole,” grinned Salvador. “Maybe him bite toe off.”
“I believe you,” and Sam gave a shudder. “A nice beach for swimming truly!”
“The land crabs of South America are all more or less dangerous,” said Professor Strong, who had watched proceedings from a distance. “Some of them are poisonous and all will give you a nasty bite if they get the chance. You must never bathe unless you feel certain there is nothing around to harm you.” ”

“ It looks like a signal.”
“It must be a signal,” said the native boatman. “No house dare—no people live dare. All wet ground and mud, señor.”
As they drew closer to the fire the professor let out a long and loud cry:
“Winthrop! Sam Winthrop! Is that you?”
No answer came back and once again the boys felt a keen disappointment. But the course of the sloop was not changed and soon they were so close to the fire that they could see around it quite plainly.
“Somebody is there,” ejaculated Mark.
“Yes, and it’s either Sam or his ghost,” added Frank. “Hullo, Beans!” he yelled, at the top of his lungs. ”

“ Before nightfall they came in sight of the port and dropped anchor in the roadstead, for the harbor of Port-of-Spain is too shallow to admit the passage of large vessels. Soon a small craft came alongside and took them ashore.
“We are in an English country sure enough,” declared Mark. “See how many English there are. It does one good to hear the language spoken again.”
“I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed in the town,” said Professor Strong. “It looks so beautiful from a distance. It is very dirty, and many of the houses are little better than huts. ”

“ The professor in engineering started up and stared for a moment. Then his face broke out into a warm smile, and he caught Professor Strong in both arms after the fashion of many foreigners.
“Strong, my own very dear friend, Amos Strong!” he cried, in a rich Spanish accent. “Where in the world have you come from, and when did you arrive? It is wonderful! I am so glad! You are yourself, but you look older. ”

“ This youth had hoped to meet Dan Markel and get back at least some of his property. Now he felt that the chance of doing this was slipping away forever.
“By the time we get back to the coast he’ll be gone for good—and nobody will know where,” he said.
“Well, why don’t you go back to Caracas and hunt for him,” returned Frank. “We’re not compelling you to go along.”
“Oh, don’t blow about it,” cried Hockley, angrily. “I’ll do what I please, without advice from you.”
“The man may turn up yet,” put in Mark. “I don’t think he’d come to Venezuela without he had some object in so doing.” ”

“ It’s a wonder you are alive!” burst out the American, whose name was Simon Smither. “Come ashore, and I’ll take you to the boss. This place is Castroville. Maybe you’ve heard of it. We have here the Little Bolivar and the Moonlight Mines, two of the best payers in this section of the country.”
“Castroville!” ejaculated Frank. He remembered that Andy Hume had once mentioned the place to him. “Is there a newcomer here by the name of Andy Hume?” ”

“ It is so hard to get the Yankees to rest a little. They want constantly to be on the go—to do something—to keep their brain at work. Here, in this warm climate, it would kill a man to keep at such a pace.”
“It does make one lazy,” returned Darry, as he sat up. ”

“ The public buildings are numerous and the usual statues of Bolivar and other public characters are not lacking. From Puerto Cabello to Valencia there is a well-built wagon road and this is used constantly [213] by traders who are too old-fashioned to use the railroad.
“You cannot hire some of the natives to get on a train,” said the professor, while they were looking around the town. “They look upon the railroad as the invention of the Evil One. They are the ones who have retarded the progress of South America for centuries.” ”

“ Although the town of Port-of-Spain is far from beautiful, the country back of the city is all that one’s heart could desire. There are fine highways running in all directions, lined with the most beautiful of tropical trees and shrubbery. ”

“ We will visit some of the camps along the upper Orinoco.”
The run to Port-of-Spain was a hot one, despite the breezes which blew, and the boys were glad enough when, one morning, the steamer turned into the Gulf of Paria, a great land-locked harbor in which a vessel can anchor anywhere with ease.
“To the westward is the eastern shore of Venezuela,” said the professor, “and on the east is the island of Trinidad, which, as you all know, is a very valuable British possession. Trinidad is known all over the United States for it gives to us something which is used on the finest of our streets. ”

“ The territory to be covered being so vast, an immense amount of business is done, amounting to millions of dollars annually. Gold is exported in large quantities. There are a dozen factories where cigars and stogies are made.”
They were soon ashore and climbing the hilly street to one of the hotels. It was a busy scene, and quite like New York, so Mark declared, on account of the various nationalities to be seen,—American and English miners, German shipping merchants, French and Italian shop and hotel keepers, and negro and other native workmen, all intermingling in the most friendly manner. ”

“ Hockley was stopping at the Astor House, and left them near the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge. He had wanted them to have a late supper with him, and had even mentioned wine, but all had declined, stating they were tired and wished to go to bed.
“He must be getting to be a regular high-flyer if he uses much wine,” remarked Frank when the four were on their way uptown. “What a fool he is with his money. He thinks that covers everything.”
[18] “He’ll be foolish to take to drink,” returned Darry. “It has ruined many a rich young fellow, and he ought to know it.” ”

“ Venezuela is full of centipedes, and some of them are dangerous. But that wasn’t such a big [250] fellow, and your hand seems to be all right. They won’t bite a human being unless they are pushed to it, and some natives do not mind the bites at all.”
“No hurt me,” put in Cubara, with a smile. “Some of my people eat dem—no poison much, no,” and he shook his head vigorously.
“I don’t want any more of them,” growled Hockley. “What a nasty looking thing—with so many legs!”
“You always want to shake out everything you wear before you put it on,” said the professor, to all of the boys. ”

“ I will go for the carriage myself,” said Enrique Morano, and leaping into the saddle again he dashed down the highway with the best speed his steed could attain.
While Enrique Morano was gone Professor Strong made an examination of Darry. As a hunter and traveler he had had considerable experience in caring for the wounded and he soon learned that no bones were broken. The youth was simply bruised and in a few days would be as well as ever. ”

“ You can travel almost anywhere in Venezuela, and if you mind your own business it is rarely that an Indian or a negro will molest you. And now let me ask if any of you know what the name Venezuela means?”
“I don’t,” said Frank, and the others shook their heads.
“The name Venezuela means Little Venice. The north shore was discovered by Columbus in 1498. One year later a Castilian knight named Ojeda came westward, accompanied by Amerigo Vespucci, and the pair with their four ships sailed from the mouth of the Orinoco to the Isthmus of Panama. ”

“ A war of words, which nearly came to blows followed, but in the end Dan Markel was marched into one of the offices of the mining company. Here his pockets were examined and from one was taken Hockley’s watch.
“There are Hockley’s initials,” said Mark, pointing them out. “J. A. H. don’t stand for Daniel Markel.”
“That’s right they don’t,” came from Andy Hume. “He’s a black sheep sure as you’re born. All this money must belong to Hockley, too,” he added, counting up a quantity of gold and silver amounting to nearly three hundred dollars. ”