“I wish it were just a story in a book,” went on his uncle ruefully. “The trouble is it is all too true. Now to resume: When this revolution came my interests happened to be partly with the losing side. I had many concessions and rights 20 to trade and do business from the man who lost out. 20 “Mind you!” said Mr. Arden, earnestly, “I have nothing to do with the politics down there. I’d never risk your money or my own in a political game. It was straight business with me, buying and selling. But the trouble was I had to do business with one side or the other, and luck has turned against me. I am with the losing party.” “But maybe fortune will turn,” said Frank. “And if you do lose our money—and yours—why it might have happened in the importing trade.” “Yes,” admitted his uncle, smiling a little at the lad’s optimism. At nineteen several fortunes may be won and lost, at least so a strong, healthy lad may think. “Yes,” went on Mr. Arden, “I might have lost all our money in some other venture, but I didn’t. I chose to take chances in this South American republic, and I suppose I should not have done so.” “But where does the arrest come in?” asked Ned. “I can’t see that losing your money, or ours for that matter, is any reason why you should be arrested. It’s our own affair. Of course, it isn’t going to be any fun to lose money. I don’t think that for a minute. But we have our health.” “And our motor boat,” added Frank. “They 21 wouldn’t take that, I suppose?” he added, a bit apprehensively. 21 “No, I don’t suppose they’d take that,” his uncle replied, “though you may not have money enough to buy gasoline.” “We can take out fishing and excursion parties, and make money that way,” laughed Ned. Really it did not seem so bad as it had at first. “I guess you won’t have to do that right away,” said Mr. Arden. “Though if the money goes, all will be wiped out and we’ll lose everything—including this house.” The boys rather gasped at that. It was the only home they had ever known. “But you haven’t yet told us why they can take you away,” insisted Frank. “I’ll tell you directly. It seems that the political party in power in
Prev.
Back
Top