Frank and Fred had a hearty laugh over this part of the story. One of them asked the Doctor if this mode of travel was in fashion at the present time. "Not often," was the reply, "but it is sometimes practised by those who wish to do exactly like Balboa, escape from their creditors. I have known of a man being carried on board a steamer at New York in a large trunk, which was ostensibly the baggage of his wife, and there have been instances of criminals escaping from prison by being shut up in boxes and carried out as merchandise. "In the days of slavery the friends of freedom used to assist slaves to escape from bondage in a variety of ways. One of the favorite modes for a fugitive to cross the line from south to north was to be shut up in a box and sent as a freight or express package. I once knew a negro in Philadelphia who was sent in this way from Richmond to the Quaker City; he was about thirty hours on the way, and almost dead from suffocation when his prison was opened. Though his conveyance was conspicuously labelled, 'This side up with care!' he was twice left standing on his head for two or three hours. His name was Henry Brown; in memory of his adventures, and to distinguish him from other Henry Browns, he was ever afterwards known as Henry Box Brown. "And now let us return to Balboa," said the Doctor. The hint was sufficient, and the narrative was resumed. "Enciso was angry at the deception practised by Balboa in securing passage as a stowaway, but soon had reason to be glad he had such a bold adventurer on his ship. At first he threatened to leave Balboa on a desert island, but when the latter offered his services and promised to be a good soldier the leader relented. Expeditions like those of the Spaniards are not made up of the best materials of society, and events afterwards proved that Balboa was more than the average adventurer of the sixteenth century. "On the way to St. Sebastian Enciso's ship ran upon the rocks and was lost, with all its cargo, only the crew escaping to the brigantine of Pizarro. Enciso did not know where to go; and while he was pondering upon the best course to pursue Balboa came before him and said he knew of an Indian village on the bank of a river called Darien; the country near the village was fertile, and the natives had plenty of gold. [Illustration: VILLAGE ON A RIVER OF DARIEN.] "Enciso sailed for the village, which he captured with ease, and compelled the inhabitants to deliver up fifty thousand dollars' worth of gold ornaments. He established a colony there, and forbade any one to traffic with the natives for gold, under penalty of death. This arbitrary order was opposed by Balboa, who remembered the threat to leave him on a desert island; as the followers of Enciso were quite as covetous as their leader, the prohibition was easily made the basis of a revolt.