“The wash bowl is empty and the pitcher is less than half full,” came from Frank. “The pitcher was full when we left--the servant just came and filled it.” “Let’s look for Hockley,” was Darry’s advice, but fearing a bitter quarrel and perhaps a fight, the professor told them to leave the big youth alone and prepare themselves for supper. As all were more than ordinarily hungry, this changed the current of their thoughts and they did as requested. When they entered the dining hall they found Hockley waiting for them. He put on an injured air. “Thought you were never coming to dine,” he grumbled. “Next time I guess I’ll eat alone.” “You may, Jacob, if you feel too hungry to wait,” answered the professor. “Say, Hockley, did you--” began Mark, when Frank pinched his arm. “Don’t let on,” whispered Frank to his chum. “If he doesn’t know anything about it don’t give him the chance to laugh at us.” “Did I what?” questioned the bully. “Oh, it doesn’t matter,” answered Mark, unconcernedly. And there, for the time being, the affair rested. CHAPTER XVI GOOD-BYE TO CUBA From Matanzas the party journeyed to Cardenas, where a day was spent in sight-seeing, and then took the train for Santa Clara, stopping off for two hours at the city of Colon. The route now lay around some lofty mountains and the scenery was grand in consequence. Two days were spent at Santa Clara and then they moved on to Cienfuegos on the south coast. “Cienfuegos means the City of a Hundred Fires,” said Professor Strong. “Why it is called that I cannot tell excepting it may be on account of volcanic actions of years ago. It is probably the most up-to-date city in Cuba and will be still better after the sanitary arrangements have been completed.” “Wasn’t there some sort of a fight off Cienfuegos during the late war?” questioned Sam. “Yes. Some of our warships went in to cut the cables lying on the harbor bottom and the Spanish soldiers gave them battle. It was a hot contest, but it did not last very long.” The boys found Cienfuegos fully as up-to-date as the professor had said it was. To be sure there were many narrow streets and not a few old buildings, but the general appearance was far superior to that of many towns through which they had passed. There were many fine public buildings and a nice park, where a fountain played and where a band held forth in the cool of the evening. The natives, too, were well dressed, even the children wearing shoes and stockings, articles usually lacking at places in the interior. “Don’t see youngsters half dressed here,” remarked Frank. “It’s awful how they let ’em run around at some villages. They ought to be ashamed.” “It’s what they have been brought up to, Frank,” returned Mark. “They don’t look at it as anything of a disgrace. Our own Indians didn’t use to wear much, and now look at them. Why, Darry told me he saw some at an agency in the far West wearing patent leather boots and stove-pipe hats.”