renchman, no less than a dozen pairs will do for him."

"A dozen customers," said Johnny, "for a $4,000 stock of shoes! It
won't work. There's a big problem here to figure out. You go home,
Billy, and leave me alone. I've got to work at it all by myself. Take
that bottle of Three-star along with you--no, sir; not another ounce
of booze for the United States consul. I'll sit here to-night and
pull out the think stop. If there's a soft place on this proposition
anywhere I'll land on it. If there isn't there'll be another wreck to
the credit of the gorgeous tropics."

Keogh left, feeling that he could be of no use. Johnny laid a handful
of cigars on a table and stretched himself in a steamer chair. When
the sudden daylight broke, silvering the harbour ripples, he was
still sitting there. Then he got up, whistling a little tune, and
took his bath.

At nine o'clock he walked down to the dingy little cable office and
hung for half an hour over a blank. The result of his application was
the following message, which he signed and had transmitted at a cost
of $33:

TO PINKNEY DAWSON,
Dalesburg, Ala.

Draft for $100 comes to you next mail. Ship me immediately
500 pounds stiff, dry cockleburrs. New use here in arts.
Market price twenty cents pound. Further orders likely.
Rush.

XIII

SHIPS

Within a week a suitable building had been secured in the Calle
Grande, and Mr. Hemstetter's stock of shoes arranged upon their
shelves. The rent of the store was moderate; and the stock made a
fine showing of neat white boxes, attractively displayed.

Johnny's friends stood by him loyally. On the first day Keogh
strolled into the store in a casual kind of way about once every
hour, and bought shoes. After he had purchased a pair each of
extension soles, congress gaiters, button kids, low-quartered calfs,
dancing pumps, rubber boots, tans of various hues, tennis shoes and
flowered slippers, he sought out Johnny to be prompted as to names
of other kinds that he might inquire for. The other English-speaking
residents also played their parts nobly by buying often and
liberally. Keogh was grand marshal, and made them distribute their
patronage, thus keeping up a fair run of custom for several days.

Mr. Hemstetter was gratified by the amount of business done thus far;
but expressed surprise that the natives were so backward with their
custom.

"Oh, they're awfully shy," explained Johnny, as he wiped his