our hours; the gun would be fired again at sailing time.

"The hottest place on the American continent," pronounced Mr. Adams.
"So I heard when I was in Mexico during the war. Those hills shut off
the breeze, and the heat hangs night and day. Thermometer stands at
120 degrees in the shade, for days at a time. That gap in the
hill-line yonder must be the gash cut by the Spaniards, in early times,
to make a current of air. Now do you want to go ashore, Grigsby?"

"Well, I rather think I will," drawled Mr. Grigsby, good-naturedly.
"It may be the last chance to stretch our legs for some days. I'm not
used to cramped quarters, after having had half a continent to tramp
over."

"All right, I'll go with you," said Mr. Adams. "How about you,
Charley?"

Charley decided that he'd as soon stay where he was, for things around
the ship began to look interesting. The foremost of the boats from
shore had reached the vessel. They were heaped with cocoanuts,
bananas, oranges, limes, plantains, cakes, and shells, the smaller
shells being stitched together in odd patterns. As more boats arrived,
a sort of a market was opened. Many of the boats were rowed by women,
who smoked cigars while the men with them did the selling. A line
attached to a basket or bag of matting was tossed up over the rail.
Any passenger who wished to purchase drew up the basket or bag, put a
piece of money in it, and then the man in the boat exchanged fruit or
cakes or shell-work for the money, and the passenger drew up the basket
or bag again.

But the greatest sport was to watch the little boys diving for dimes
and quarters. Almost every boat had a boy or two aboard, who
immediately jumped over into the water, and paddled around the ship.
None of the boys wore any clothing--and how they could swim and dive!
It seemed no effort at all for them to stay on top, wriggling their
hands and feet a little, like fishes' fins; and when a coin was tossed
near them, down went their heads, up went their heels, and through the
transparent water they darted, for the money. They could be clearly
seen until they grabbed it, and turned for the top. On the surface
they held up the money, as proof that they had it; then they popped it
into their mouth and clamored for more.

Charley rather wished that his father and Mr. Grigsby had stayed to see
the sport; but they had gone ashore in a canoe, and so had a number of
other passengers, including the long-nosed man.