Indian erectness and noticeably careful grooming rose to his feet,
"Here's one of those rare people, an American who speaks some
foreign languages. Have a talk with him. Perhaps we can arrange to
fix him up both for his good and our own."

"Ever done police duty?" began the Inspector, when "the Captain"
had returned to the corner office.

"No."

"Military ser--"

"Nor that either."

"Well, we usually require it," mused the Inspector slowly,
flashing his diamond ring, "but with your special qualifications
perhaps--

"You'd probably be of most use to us in plain clothes," he
continued, after a dozen questions as to my former activities; "We
could put you in uniform for the first month or six weeks until
you know the Isthmus, and then--

"Our greatest trouble is burglary," he broke off abruptly, rising
to reach a copy of the "Canal Zone Laws"; "If you have nothing
else on hand you might run these over; and the 'Police Rules and
Regulations,'" he added, handing me a small, flat volume bound in
light brown imitation leather.

I sat down in an arm-chair against the wall and fell to reading,