"Then I'll go now to ask him. Come on, Harlan," said Vasco.
The lieutenant was stationed in the city at this time, so the boys had not far to go. Vasco did not anticipate any great difficulty in gaining his father's consent to the journey. As the result proved, his hopes were well founded, for Lieutenant Barretas was quite willing his son should go anywhere, provided he was in Mr. Andrews's care.
"It's all right, then," said Harlan when the matter was decided. "Meet me at the railway station next Monday morning at eight o'clock." This was Friday.
For Vasco, the two days between Friday and Monday passed--oh, so slowly! It seemed as if they would never go by!
Meanwhile, his mother gave him a bit of information which later turned out to be of value. "You say you may go up the Chagres River?" she asked her son.
"Yes, so Harlan told me," was Vasco's reply.
"I have never told you that I have a brother living in that part of the country--your Uncle Francisco Herreras. The last I knew of him he had a plantation not far from Palo Grande. I hope, if you go near there, you may be able to call upon him. I am sure he will be very hospitable to you all."
At last Monday morning came. Very early Vasco awoke, ate the breakfast his mother made ready for him, and long before the hour appointed was ready to start for the railway station. He was so impatient to be on his way that he left home a full hour earlier than was necessary. Consequently, he had to wait a long time at the depot.
But time flies, even for the most impatient lads, and in due time Harlan and his father made their appearance.
"What do you think, Vasco?" said Harlan. "We are going to have a special train!"
"Where is it?" asked Vasco, who saw no sign of anything of that sort in the depot.
"Oh, it's not in here. It's outside in the train-yard. We are going out there to get aboard."
Vasco thought this a little strange, but felt that he could ask no questions. In a moment Mr. Andrews called to the boys to follow him, and led the way outside the station.
Directly they came in sight of an engine, to which was attached a box car and a flat car such as are ordinarily used for freight. On the flat car were fixed several seats, and an awning had been erected as protection from the fierce rays of the sun. In the box car were well-equipped bunks, where the members of the party might sleep at night when better accommodations were wanting.