Explaining all of this to a thoroughly frightened Jenny a few hours later, Jed worked hard at convincing her he had to take a look at the window of death.

"Consider that Lieutenant Rosenbaum was in intelligence. He had at least a working knowledge of radio and codes. Ignore his name, and uniform. What possible reasons could he have had for visiting Castle de Oro less than one month before Japan bombed Pearl Harbor?"

"You tell me."

"The mountain lies within sight of Panama City."

"Yes?"

"Then the converse is true. From the mountain a person should be able to look down upon the city, the docks, the canal."

"Are you saying that Rosenbaum was a spy?"

"That would be one explanation. Yet, if he were just spying, why leave the security and comfort of the Canal Zone. Rosenbaum must have had clearance to go anywhere of importance."

"What else, then?"

"How about relaying ship movements through the canal by line of sight radio. Suppose he was in contact with midget submarines laying in wait for the precise right moment to launch an attack against the Miraflores locks?"

"Wow!"

"It's possible, but it doesn't make much sense. So far we have come up with a fairly plausible theory that the U.S. knew about the impending attack at Pearl, and let it happen.

As I mentioned to your dad, I find it interesting that no one has ever explained how the Japanese overlooked the strategic importance of blasting one of the Panama Canal locks, just when a tanker was being let through. The most favorable estimate of the consequences of that include a crucial setback to American response to Pearl Harbor of three years, and at least the loss of Alaska. Maybe the answer is up on that mountain. I want to know. I'm going. How is your research coming?"

"Other than the articles you wanted me to find, nothing of any real importance. I did come across an interesting tidbit about President Grant sending a Captain Selridge and a party of 370 American sailors to survey a route for a possible interoceanic canal, way back in 1871."

"What became of the project?"

"Well, I do remember reading about the Window of Death. The survey party tried to cross Castilla de Oro. Only 160 returned."

"Brrr. Only a third of the men survived. It can get a little chilly here for a tropical country. Forget even asking about going. Kathy says you may stay here. Black Jack has promised to act as my guide. We're headed up Castle de Oro tomorrow morning. I'm to rent a four wheel drive vehicle and pick him up at the Tropicana.