Speed Saunders, Whiskered Pig

We left Speed Saunders (who apparently can pilot a plane and has immediate access to one) as he, map in hand, flew to the Caribbean island of San José (south of Cuba, as most such islands are). 

I love the image of Speed just hopping into a biplane with a map rolled up in his hand and confidently sailing off to a Caribbean Island he's never heard of before. What could possibly go wrong?

Speed finds the island and lands the plane.

Yes, Speed; not having an airstrip can definitely make landing an aeroplane challenging.

"Throw out the anchor"? Clearly Speed was a NAVY pilot.

Speed has expended the equivalent of SIX PANELS flying to San José, leaving him cripplingly behind in his mystery-solving.  But he is intent on making up for lost time!

Which he does by morphing into a Ragged Old Beggar and approaching a woman who will clearly turn out to be one of the Useful Female Informants the universe always supplies him.

Okay, just a pause for art's sake:

This wordless panel is pure Golden Age gold. It's like they hired Edward Hopper.  Good job, "Fless".

At this point, you may be wondering: why on earth did Speed feel a need for a DISGUISE? Truly, he is the Benoit Blanc of his universe and must disguise him to go unknown even on obscure Caribbean islands.

But me? I AM wondering: Did Speed just hone in on the one gringa who looks like her boyfriend just died?  How does he know to talk to her? We'll never know, because Speed has no spare time to explain his investigative process (having spent six panels just flying).

"Be quiet and talk to me" is just such a MAN thing to say.

Conveniently but unsurprisingly, this woman turns out to be the victim's "friend".  What are the odds?

Naturally, she knows who Speed Saunders is.  

In this panel, Speed namedrops one of our dramatic personae, Nick Del Borno.  How did this happen? Did May Adams bring up Nick Del Borno in conversation and Speed is asking for clarification on who that is? Did the name just pop into his head as the next necessary clue and he's looking for elucidation from her?

 We will never know THAT either because the next thing that pops up is...

Nick Del Borno himself.

How convenient!  But Speed, who is accustomed to the universe providing informants and suspects to him on a silver platter, is most focused on having been called a Whiskered Pig, which clearly does NOT suit his mood. "I'll have you know this is the finest Torgo cos-play money can buy, you bloated capitalist!"

Nick may be the villain but he is as committed to efficiency as Speed and resolves to move the story, and its participants, along.

Speed, having considered all possible responses to having been called a whiskered old beggar while disguised as a whiskered old beggar, chooses fisticuffs.

ZOWIE.

Having knocked the stars out of Nick Del Borno's hat, Speed enjoys only a moment of victory before...

POW.
Why the author felt THIS needed a caption I cannot fathom.

I'm guessing this is a shortcut to take Speed to the villain's hideout, where Speed will somehow cleverly turn the tables on his captors!

I think I should give up guessing what's going to happen in Speed Saunders stories.

Tomorrow: The Door Farmer Gives Speed an Exit.