at Portland, Oregon.

One evening--the evening of the 1st of August, to be exact--while
Ned, Sam, and Jimmie were still in San Francisco, awaiting the slow
action of the State department at Washington, Jack, Frank and Harry
met in the club room for the purpose of "sobbing together," as they
expressed it. They had left their friends in San Francisco
reluctantly because of orders from home, and now they understood
that they might have gone with Ned and Jimmie if they had only
explained to their parents the purpose of the mission.

"I suppose," Frank Shaw said, at the end of a long pause in the
conversation, "I suppose Ned and the others are out over the Andes
by this time."

"No," replied Jack. "I heard from Jimmie by wire today, and they
are still in Frisco, and likely to remain there nearly a week
longer."

"If the airship was only large enough!" sighed Harry.

"We might still get there in time!" Frank suggested, eagerly.

"The Nelson wouldn't carry us if we were there," Jack exclaimed, in
a disgusted tone. "I wish the Black Bear had wings! Say, wouldn't
that be a peach? We could run over to Paraguay and scare the life
out of the boys!"

"What good would it do if she had wings?" demanded Frank. "She is
in storage at Portland, Oregon."