Lost in the Wilds of Brazil. Foster James H.

break away as his friend had done, for the crowd was all the more determined to bring him to justice as a “hold-up man,” which they didn’t doubt that he was. So the only thing left was to do his best to make them believe what he told them.

      “I tell you it’s a mistake,” he pleaded. “This first fellow that got away is the guilty person. We caught him after he had set fire to my father’s garage. We were taking him to the police station when he pulled his gag about being held up. You noticed he lost no time in getting away, didn’t you? Would a man who wasn’t guilty have done such a thing?”

      His tones were so much in earnest that many of the people were inclined to believe him.

      “He’s telling the truth, all right,” declared one man, nodding.

      Several policemen now came up on motorcycles, and Joe again told his story.

      “My friend is still after the crook down the street,” he said, as finishing words.

      “All right,” one of the officers replied, as if he believed. “Suppose we go down the street and investigate. I’ll get in the car with you.”

      Joe, glad of the chance to prove that he had told the truth, did as directed.

      A little farther down they pulled up beside the crowd that had gathered at the spot where Bob had caught the criminal.

      “There they are,” pointed out Joe, as he saw his friend, a policeman, and Tim Donnahan making their way to a telephone.

      “Bob did get him,” observed Joe, overwhelmed with joy.

      The car was stopped beside them, and a short discussion was held.

      Bob was asked to tell his story, and the policemen noted that it exactly coincided with that told by the other boy.

      “Looks like a clear case on you,” one of the officers said to Tim Donnahan, but the man remained silent.

      “I’ll go with you fellows to the garage that burned,” the other officer said to Bob and Joe. “And meanwhile,” he went on, “we’ll send police out to get those other crooks you were talking about.”

      Bob took the wheel, and in less than fifteen minutes they pulled up in front of Joe’s house and got out.

      Mr. Lewis and Mr. Holton came out to meet them.

      “What’s it all about?” the latter asked, as he noted the policeman.

      “We’ve caught the fellows that set fire to Dad’s garage,” Joe answered, and then proceeded to tell of their experiences.

      When he had finished, the men looked at their sons with intense admiration and praise. It was evident that the youths had gone beyond their expectations.

      “It was a brave deed!” commended Joe’s father, patting them on the back.

      But Bob protested.

      “We didn’t do much. Catching that fellow wasn’t so hard.”

      “You got the whole gang indirectly,” corrected Mr. Lewis. “Now,” he continued, “you fellows are entitled to a reward. What would you like to have?”

      “Nothing,” returned Bob. “It wasn’t worth much. We came out all right and had a lot of fun at that.”

      “I won’t have it that way,” rejected Mr. Lewis. “You boys must have a reward for your services, and I’m going to see that you get it. What would you like?”

      There was a short silence. Then Joe’s eyes twinkled, and he resolved to venture a bold question.

      “Let us go with you on that trip you’re about to take to the wilds of Brazil,” he said quietly.

      CHAPTER V

      A Worth-while Offer

      BOTH Mr. Lewis and Mr. Holton smiled. It was evident that they had not expected this.

      “That’s the only thing that’ll satisfy you?” the former asked, his mind working rapidly.

      The young men nodded.

      “We’ll be careful and do all we can for the good of the expedition,” said Bob anxiously. “Please arrange to take us along.”

      There was a period of suspense. Then the men looked at each other.

      “What will we say?” Joe’s father asked, totally undecided.

      Mr. Holton had been mentally debating the subject. Now he was ready for an answer.

      “Let’s let them go,” he said. “They’re as big and strong as we and are usually equal to any crisis. You see what they did to this gang of men. Shows they are resourceful, and that’s what you have to be in a strange land where danger lurks at every step. In my opinion they’d be a valuable asset to the expedition.”

      The youths looked at Mr. Holton gratefully. They felt that the battle was nearly half won.

      For nearly a minute Mr. Lewis was silent. Then he spoke with decision.

      “I think you’re right, Howard,” he said. “We’ll have a talk with their mothers this afternoon, and I am of the opinion that they’ll give their consent if we go at them right.”

      “Fine!” cried Bob joyously. “Do your best to win them over. I think they’ll agree to let us go, especially since they have so much faith in you. But say! You haven’t told us who all intend to make up the expedition. There isn’t to be a large number, is there?”

      “No,” Mr. Holton answered. “We only intended to have three, Mr. Lewis, an anthropologist, and myself, but if you boys accompany us the number will, of course, be raised to five. And perhaps,” he went on, “that would be better than to have so few. You see it isn’t like an expedition into Africa, where there are plenty of native carriers to bear your provisions. We’ll have to rely more on our own resources and be extremely careful that we don’t get lost. Several million square miles of jungle is a wide area to cut into, especially when so much of it is unexplored.”

      “Should think it would be great fun,” commented Joe, mentally picturing the many thrills that promised to make the trip interesting.

      “It will be,” Mr. Holton returned. “But it will also have its dangers. These are mainly of human character. Why, it is said that there are tribes of Indians so uncivilized that they think nothing of – ”

      “Ahem!” Mr. Lewis cut in purposefully.

      “What were you going to say?” Joe asked.

      “Perhaps I’ll tell you some other time,” came the reply. “Right now I think I’ll have a look at my firearms. In all probability they need oiling.”

      He left for the house, and the others remained for several minutes longer. Then Mr. Lewis departed also, leaving the youths to themselves.

      “What do you suppose Dad was going to say – about the savages, I mean?” Bob asked, glancing around to make sure that the men were gone.

      “Something that shouldn’t go into our young ears,” smiled Joe and then turned to the house.

      As he did so he happened to glance out at the street, to see that two men were making their way up to the house. Each carried a small hand satchel. That they were strangers Joe guessed at once, although they might not be to his father and Mr. Holton.

      Joe waited until the men were close and then turned to meet them.

      “Naturalists by the names of Lewis and Holton,” one man said. “Can we find them here?”

      “Yes,” Joe replied, wondering what was meant. “Come in the house and I’ll call them.”

      The strangers did as directed, and Joe went around to find his father and Mr. Holton.

      Bob took a chair on the porch.

      Joe found the men cleaning their rifles. Neither could explain who the strangers were.

      “Perhaps they’re from the museum,” said Bob’s father,