CHAPTER IX

"FORWARD MARCH!"


"You don't say so!" exclaimed the young inventor, when Ned had told
him the queer news. "Well, do you know I've been suspicious of that
fellow ever since he tried to make friends with us."

"Suspicious? How so? You don't think--"

"Oh, I mean I think he's some kind of a confidence man who has
adopted the respectable clothes of a minister to fool people. He may
be a card sharper himself. Well, we won't have anything more to do
with him. It won't be long before we arrive at Buenos Ayres, and
then we won't be bothered with card sharpers or anybody else but--"

"Giants and fighting natives," finished Ned, with a laugh. "You
forget, Tom, that there's a war going on near the very place we're
headed for."

"That's so, Ned. But with what we have with us I guess we can make
out all right. I'm going to have the electric rifles handy the
minute we start for the interior."

The voyage continued, and was fast drawing to a close. "Mr.
Blinderpool" made several more attempts to strike up a friendship