The Boy Scouts at the Panama-Pacific Exposition Part 9

"I'd give a heap to see them when they find what a wonderful windfall they've struck to pay them for all their trouble," said Andy.

"Well, let's get a conveyance and start for the Alexandria without any more delay," advised the scout leader.

"Me for a comfy bed to-night," Hiram laughed; "better get a room with plenty of s.p.a.ce for all of us, Rob. After this excitement to greet us on reaching California, I think it would be as well to stick together till we've unloaded our cargo, and have our time to ourselves."

They were soon at the hotel. They were taken up to the fifth floor, on which were three connecting rooms.

"High enough up so we needn't be afraid of any one climbing in at the window," Hiram remarked, after he had first of all taken in the view, with the late moon just peeping above the mountains in the east.

"Oh! no danger of those two fellows chasing after us any longer," laughed Andy. "They got their fill of it, and will pick out somebody besides scouts for their next victims. Who got bit, I want to know?"

As everybody laughed and seemed satisfied, it could be set down as positive that the three scouts were not feeling badly over the adventure that had marked their introduction to the Coast.

The night pa.s.sed without any incident worthy of recording. Hiram declared that he never knew a single thing after his head touched the pillow; he was so much in need of a good night's sleep that he must have dropped off instantly, to be finally aroused by hearing Rob announce it was time for breakfast.

They determined to put their valuables in the hotel safe, and spend several days in and around Los Angeles, though they would not have time to run down to San Diego and visit the other big exposition which was in full blast there.

This they did, and enjoyed every minute of the time, though they were never long in one place, so many things did they have to see.

It being Hiram's first chance to look upon tropical vegetation, he was highly delighted with what he saw in the streets and public gardens of the bustling city.

Then they went out to visit an orange grove, and besides that, inspected numerous enterprises connected with the great fruit-growing belt around Riverside. This place the boys were ready to declare-with its groves covering the broad valley, and with the mountains, their tops snow-covered, looming up beyond-to be the most delightful town on the face of the earth.

But the boys came to the conclusion that while all these things were truly wonderful and especially delightful, they had not come out to the coast on a pleasure jaunt; and hence no further time should be spent in this way until they had accomplished the several duties that awaited their attention.

"I've made arrangements for seats in the parlor-car with the train leaving to-morrow morning," Rob announced on the second evening, as they discussed supper and the many things they had seen since early morning.

"When will we get to San Francisco then?" asked Hiram.

"After dark," Rob informed him. "It's more than three hundred miles away, you know, for California is a big State, especially from north to south."

"According to that, then, Rob," continued the other, "on the day after to-morrow we ought to be taking in some of the sights of the World's Fair."

"That's our programme," admitted the leader and guide of the expedition, as he threw down his napkin, and pushed his chair away, in which he was copied a little reluctantly, perhaps, by both his companions.

"Excuse me for not asking if you were through, Hiram," said Rob in an aside, "but honestly I was afraid Andy would founder if he ate any more.

He's developed such an enormous appet.i.te since landing here, there's liable to be an explosion unless we watch him pretty close."

"He'll eat up all your spare cash, that's the worst of it," complained Hiram, who was a little inclined to be close with his money as a rule; possibly because he had found a pressing need for every dollar in conducting his numerous experiments, for it costs more or less to "potter" with schemes along the line of invention.

Rob only laughed, and it was very evident that this contingency did not worry him to any great extent. He knew there were ample funds at hand for all ordinary expenses, with more coming if needed.

They were off on the morning train, and all through that day enjoyed the scenery that was spread out before them-through Santa Barbara and on up until it reached San Francisco.

That day's journey would never be forgotten by any of the three scouts.

They stored a thousand incidents away in their memories for future enjoyment.

As evening came on they knew they must be getting in the vicinity of the great city that had recovered from the horrors of the earthquake and destruction by fire with such marvelous speed as to awaken the admiration of the whole world.

"You can see the light in the sky whenever the train makes a turn,"

remarked Andy to Hiram who, as usual, had his nose glued against the gla.s.s.

Taking a carriage after they had left the train they soon found themselves installed at the Fairmont Hotel, which Rob had been told to patronize by Judge Collins, because of its fine view of San Francis...o...b..y, and the Golden Gate, as well as possibly the glimpses to be obtained of the illuminated towers in the Exposition grounds along the sh.o.r.e.

It was after nine when they arrived, and of course the boys were not foolish enough to think of attempting anything until they had slept, and felt reinvigorated.

Looking from the windows of the large room they had taken, with two double beds in it, they went into raptures over the scene. The moon, though due before long, had not yet risen, and it seemed as though a million lights dazzled their eyes in every direction, and made it look like a scene from fairyland.

And so, in due time, they sought their beds, and slept so close to the Great Exposition that it would seem as though the whirr of innumerable wheels in Machinery Hall, or the murmur of the mult.i.tude of visitors roaming about the extensive grounds, must of necessity be borne aloft to the ears of the three eager lads who had come thousands of miles to view the wonders of the display.

But, at any rate, they managed to put in a restful night, and when morning routed them from their beds, they were in fine fettle to begin the first day's sight-seeing.

CHAPTER X.

WITHIN THE GATES OF THE FAIR.

"What about those papers of mine, Rob? Had I better take charge of the same now, or let you continue to keep them?"

Hiram asked this question as they arose after finis.h.i.+ng their breakfast, and found themselves facing the business of the first day at the Exposition. The whole city, as far as they could see, was in gala attire.

Bunting and flags were everywhere visible; and it was evident that the good people of San Francisco, in spite of many great discouragements, such as the breaking out of the World War abroad, and the failure of the ca.n.a.l to stay dug on account of the slides, were doing all in their power to make the fair a huge success.

"If you leave it with me to decide, Hiram," the scout leader remarked, "I'd say no to both your propositions."

"But what's to be done with them, then?" cried Hiram, as though puzzled by what the other had just said.

"He means to duplicate our plan down at Los Angeles," spoke up wideawake Andy.

"Oh! put them in the hotel safe till they're wanted, is that the idea, Rob?" demanded the owner of the said packet that had been giving them all manner of trouble since the time they left San Antonio in Texas.

"That seems the best scheme, according to my mind," Hiram was told by the one in whom he felt such abiding faith. "Then, no matter what you find out about those people you've come to see, the papers needn't worry you."

"Guess you're right about that, Rob, and it's a go. Just as like as not I would be doing some fool play, and mebbe losing the precious doc.u.ments that are to prove my case with the Golden Gate folks. I'll go to the desk with you any time you're ready, and see that the clerk gets my property snugged away in his safe."

When this had been done they set out. Rob, of course, had his suitcase along with him. He had taken out what few things of his own it contained, and now it held only the precious doc.u.ments and other small exhibits that Professor McEwen had been carrying in person to his scientific colleagues at the Exposition, where they were to be placed with other articles.

What those numerous small rolls and packages contained none of the scouts really knew. From some remarks, let fall by Judge Collins, Rob had an idea they might be papyrus records found in some old ancient tomb or pyramid, and said to have come down from thousands of years back. To the boys these would not have been worth their bulk in sandwiches, possibly, because they could not appreciate their intrinsic value; but in the eyes of such men as the Scotch professor they represented treasures beyond any computation, far too valuable to be intrusted to a common express company that might lose them, or deliver them in a crushed condition.

"There's a tower I can see; it must be the one that from our window last night seemed as if a million fireflies had lighted on it," announced Andy, with more or less excitement as they found themselves close to one of the gates where entrance to the Exposition grounds could be had.

"Yes, that must be the Tower of Jewels," said Rob, "and I should call it pretty well named in the bargain. They've certainly chosen a splendid spot for the Fair, fronting, as it does, on the bay, with its wide sweep of water, and with the city rising up on tiers of terraces back of it."

"That must be the Zone over there," Andy continued, eagerly; "because you can see a monster seesaw, with one arm away up hundreds of feet in the air, and what looks like a car on it full of folks. Yes, I remember it now; it is called the Aeroscope."

"Just what it is, Andy," said Rob, "and when we get up there for a look over the harbor, the Exposition grounds and the city, we'll find ourselves just three hundred and twenty-five feet off the earth-high enough to make you dizzy."