a Panama Canal. Is that where it is?"

"That's the place," Stein replied, dryly.

"I'm not going to work. I don't work--don't know how."

"I see. Pleasure trip?"

"Purely a pleasure trip. I'm having a great time. By-the-way, this
canal affair is something new, isn't it?"

"It was begun about thirty years ago." Mr. Stein regarded the
speaker with puzzled inquiry, as if undecided in what spirit to
take him.

"What's the idea? Why don't they finish it up?"

"I thought you were an American," returned the other, politely.
"You have no accent."

"I am an American. I'm the fellow who was born in Albany, New
York. If you look on the map you'll find the town has a little
ring around it."

"And really don't you know anything about the Panama Canal?"

"Oh, I've heard it mentioned."

"Well, you won't hear anything else mentioned down here; it's the
one and only subject of conversation. Nobody thinks or talks or