Brandon of the Engineers

Beckoning a peon who seemed to be the watchman, Dick gave him a cigarette

and asked: "How far are they going to re-face the mole?"

"As far as the post yonder, señor."

It was obvious that a large quantity of cement would be required and Dick

resumed: "Who is doing the work?"

"Don Ramon Oliva."

Dick hid his interest. Ramon Oliva was the man he had seen talking to

Fuller's storekeeper at the hotel.

"Where does one buy cement in this town?"

"Señor Vaz, the merchant, sells it now and then."

Dick let the peon go, and leaving the mole, found Vaz in a café. Sitting

down at his table he asked: "Do you keep cement in your warehouse?"

"Sometimes," said the other; "when work it is required for is going on.

But I sold the last I had two or three months ago."

"I believe we run short now and then, but we have a big lot being landed

now. As our sheds will be pretty full, I could let you have a quantity if

you like."

"Thanks, but no," said the merchant. "I do not think anybody would buy it

from me for some time, and it is bad to keep when one's store is damp."

Dick, who drank a glass of wine with him, went away in a thoughtful mood.

He wondered where Don Ramon got his cement, and meant to find out, though

he saw that caution would be needed. He owed much to Fuller and had made

his master's business his. Now it looked as if Fuller were being robbed

and although he had, no doubt, cunning rogues to deal with, Dick

determined that the thing must be stopped. When he returned to the dam he

went to Bethune's hut and found him lying in his hammock.

"Whose duty is it to check the storekeeper's lists?" he asked. "I suppose

you strike a balance between the goods delivered him and the stuff he

hands out for use on the works."

"It's done, of course," said Bethune. "I haven't examined the books

myself; François, the Creole clerk, is responsible. However, one would

imagine you had duties enough without taking up another, but if you mean

to do so, you had better begin soon. Your energy won't stand this climate

long."

"I don't know what I may do yet," Dick replied. "Still, it struck me that

our stores might be sold in the town."

"I expect they are, to some extent," Bethune carelessly agreed. "That

kind of thing is hard to stop anywhere, and these folks are very smart at

petty pilfering. Anyway, you might get yourself into trouble by

interfering and any small theft you stopped probably wouldn't pay for the

time you'd have to spend on the job. Leave it alone, and take matters as

you find them, is my advice."