The officer though
pleased at the general results, did not like to admit that he had been
captured by the enemy and rescued by the Boy Scouts, the little fellows he
was guarding!

CHAPTER XXI.

THE TANGLE STRAIGHTENED OUT.

It was nearly daylight when the tired party entered the lobby of the hotel
at Culebra. The eight men who had been captured were all under strong
guard, the bombs had been taken from the dam, and the danger was over.

"Now," Lieutenant Gordon said, "we'll go after the men higher up."

He started back as he uttered the words, for Mr. Shaw, Harvey Chester,
Col. Van Ellis, George Tolford, and Tony Chester came hastening toward
him.

"There are three of the men higher up!" the lieutenant shouted. "I arrest
you, gentlemen, for treason!"

The three men drew back in surprise and Mr. Shaw stepped forward.

"What does it mean?" he asked. "I sailed from New York the day after the
boys left, but reached Culebra only to-night. When I came here I found Mr.
Chester and Mr. Van Ellis waiting for news from Ned Nestor. What does it
mean?"

"It means!" shouted Gordon, "that your dupes are all under arrest, through
the efforts of Nestor, and that the Gatun dam is no longer in danger. It
also means that you three men are under arrest! I suspected, that night in
your house in New York, Shaw, that you were trying to lead me to a false
trail."

Mr. Shaw glanced indifferently at the officer and motioned to a
distinguished looking gentleman who had been observing the scene from a
distance.

"This," he said, "is Colonel Hill, your chief, Gordon. He came on from New
York with me. Let him speak."

"But the others are prisoners," insisted Gordon.

"I have an idea," Mr. Shaw said, "that Nestor knows more about the
complications of this case than any one else. Suppose we let him sum it
up?"

"I am sure he can do it!" growled Gordon.

Although it was now broad daylight, and all were tired and in need of
sleep, the party went to a private parlor and Ned began the story of the
case, first having a short talk with Jimmie, who had listened to a
confession from Gaga.

"The plot against the Gatun dam," he said, "did not originate with the
business men who were looking for emeralds along the line of the cut. When
I first sized up the case it seemed to me that the men interested in
emeralds, including Mr. Shaw, were willing to delay the completion of the
canal in order that they might have time to develop mine