his face as he spoke.

However, not later than the next morning, as they were screwing up the
last of the big blue cases that contained the various parts of the
Golden Eagle, Billy Barnes, the young reporter who had accompanied the
two boys in all of their expeditions, including the one to Nicaragua,
where, with their aeroplane they helped make Central American history,
as related in The Boy Aviators in Nicaragua; or, Leagued with the
Insurgents,--Billy Barnes, the irrepressible, bounced into the garage
which they used as a workshop, and which was situated in the rear of
their house on Madison Avenue, with what proved to be important news
of the Jap.

"Aha, my young Scotts and Shackletons, I behold you on the verge of
your departure for the land of perpetual ice, polar bears and
Esquimaux," exclaimed the reporter, striking an attitude like that
assumed by Commander Peary in some of his pictures.

"Hullo, Billy Barnes," exclaimed both boys, continuing their work, as
they were pretty well used to the young reporter's unceremonious
calls, "What brings you out so early?"

"Oh, a little story to cover in the Yorkville Court and I thought as I
was up this way I'd drop off and pay my respects. Say, bring me back a
polar bear skin, will you?"

"A polar bear skin?" laughed Frank, "why there aren't any polar bears
at the South Pole."

"No polar bears," repeated Billy lugubriously, "what's the good of a