ome to the rescue
of Ned and Jimmie at the old temple. Still, Jack Bosworth had been in that
incident, and it was a question in the mind of the patrol leader if the
result would have been the same without him. However, he gave the
lieutenant full credit for his cautious way of going at the matter.

"The Japs, as you call them," he said to Gastong and Tommy, "have gone on
toward Colon. I'm going on after them, but it may be well for you to
remain here on the chance of meeting the lieutenant. He may have plans of
his own for to-night."

"I am sure he has," said Tommy. "He has been active all day, with half a
dozen men going and coming under his orders. He missed you this
afternoon."

"I had a date to view the scenery up the Chagres river," laughed Ned.

The patrol leader went back to the room where he had left Frank, George,
Glen, and Peter. Tony had left for his father's camp and George Tolford
had gone with him.

"I would give considerable to know what Chester and the Japs, as they are
called, quarreled about to-night," he said, but of course the boys could
give him no information on the subject.

As a matter of fact, Ned thought he knew, but the thing was so
incomprehensible to him that he doubted, for a time, his own reasoning. It
was now nine o'clock, and it seemed to him that the time for action had
come. Whether he was right in his deductions or not, he could not afford
to ignore the plans he had made for the night. He did not like the idea of
accepting responsibility for the important move he was determined to make,
but Lieutenant Gordon was not to be found, and there was nothing for him
to do but to go ahead.

"Now, boys," he said to his chums, "we are going into a game to-night that
may lead to bloodshed. Again, it may prove a farce. I have only my own
judgment to go on, but the matter is so serious that I'm going to take a
risk. I should prefer to have Lieutenant Gordon with us, but that seems to
be impossible. Get your guns ready, and I'll arrange for a railroad motor
car to take us to Gatun."

"I just believe Lieutenant Gordon is in trouble," Peter said. "He was in
the hotel this afternoon, just before they carried the sick man out, but
has not been seen since."

Ned sprang to his feet, all excitement.

"When did they carry a sick man out?" he asked.

"Oh, it must have been about five o'clock," was the reply. "He was plumb
sick, too, for they carried him out in a wheel-chair, with a sheet over
h