Arriving in Colon, as they did about midday, the boys had little desire to go sightseeing immediately. The weather was too hot and uncomfortable. They ate dinner at a hotel with Mr. Andrews, but it was decided to sleep on board their car every night. It was as comfortable as any place they were likely to find.

As the car was side-tracked upon the railway dock, they had the full benefit of the sea breezes, and during the remainder of that day Vasco stayed upon the car with Harlan, watching the waves roll in from the broad Atlantic.

Colon is situated on the extreme point of land between Limon and Manzanillo Bays. There is really little harbour, and in case of severe storm little protection for shipping.

"Sometimes there are terrible storms here," said Harlan, "when the waves come in with tremendous force."

"I can see along the shore," said Vasco, "where much damage has been done."

"That is not the worst, either," continued Harlan. "During these storms many lives have been lost. It was only a little while ago that one of the most severe of these 'northers' attacked this coast. Father was telling me about it, as he happened to be in Colon at the time.

"Three steamships put to sea for safety and remained away three days. The gunboat Dixie also ran out as quickly as it could to escape the danger. Not a vessel of any kind remained in the harbour except two schooners in the slips close by this station. They were tied by a number of cables at a sufficient distance from the piers to prevent damage from the pitching and rolling. They couldn't get away, and rode out the gale.

"Great waves rolled directly into the harbour, breaking over the water-front, and even the streets were filled with water. From a number of houses the people had to get out."

"It doesn't look now as if the sea ever could do such harm, does it?" said Vasco.

"Indeed it does not. It is very calm and gentle this afternoon. Father told me that one of the plans in connection with digging the canal is the building of a big breakwater here."

"If that is done the harbour will be much safer, won't it?" asked Vasco.

"Yes, and the entrance to the canal will be less likely to suffer damage in a storm," said Harlan.

"It looks as if a number of old wrecks were strewn along the shore now," said Vasco, indicating at the time numerous hulks that appeared just above the surface of the water along the shore.

"Those are relics of the French effort to dig a canal here. Scores of scows were built by the De Lesseps company, and when work was given up they were left to decay and sink."

"Why didn't some one take care of them?" asked Vasco. "They must have cost a lot of money."

"That's one of the questions no one can answer, any more than one can tell why so many costly engines and steam-shovels and dredges were left to rust and grow useless by exposure."

"I remember we saw some of them near the railway. A good many were more than half-buried in the sand, too," said Vasco.

Thus the boys whiled away the afternoon, and at night, with Mr. Andrews, turned into their berths in the "sleeper."

In the morning, after an early breakfast, the boys started to explore the town. They found that most of the buildings were mere wooden shanties.

"This city makes me think of some of the beach resorts in my country," said Harlan. "The houses are just such flimsy affairs."

There were no cellars, and the houses were set up on stakes. The streets hardly deserved the name, and were littered with all kinds of dirt and filth.

Even Vasco, who could not be accused of being particular, said that he much preferred to live in his own city of Panama.

After dinner, during the hottest part of the day, the boys indulged in a siesta, and later took a walk to Coconut Point, where the French had built a number of fine houses, and cleared and drained the land to make healthful surroundings for the officers of the canal company.

One specially elegant house was built for the sole use of De Lesseps—and he occupied it less than one hour. The whole situation and surroundings were ideal and a splendid reminder of the extravagance of the French canal company.

At night, when the boys returned to their car, Mr. Andrews told them that he had completed his business in Colon, and that they would start on the return trip in the morning.