The Young Engineers in Mexico; Or, Fighting the Mine Swindlers

ntez. He possessed the manner, even

not met her. They would be presented, however, within a day or two, after the Mexican custom, for Tom Rea

d to be most enterta

geon at the mine

humility. "Ah, no, senor, I have not that honor

xpert," Harry hazarded. "You ar

Carlos has some knowledge of chemistry, but he is not

r of the mine, then?"

questions. I do not m

to work here I wish

ez' repres

re than the mine manager. He serves me in a varie

Tisco continued, "I can assure you that you are not. I seldom give orde

elf-opinionated fellow, and one used to having his own way. He has to be somewhat turbulent, or he would never hold some of my peons

ive us any orders, of cours

. "I really do not know. That point has no

holly in charge of our own work; that we have been engaged as experts and that we man

nged very amicably, I

to dismiss the mat

g engineers. The secretary was most anxious to take an accurate measure o

weetness and power. The full moon, soon to wane, shed lustrous light over the tropical scene of beauty. It was a delightful evening. Tom and Harr

m?" inquired Hazelton,

E

o," Harry continued. "I don't want

to go down into a mine will be top-bo

ry asked. "Will it be showing sufficient courtesy to o

I am sorry that we didn't fi

came at

here) Tom

enty-five years, attired in clean white clothes, bu

s!" (good morning, gent

ted him

, "I am your servant, your slave

can appeared too dazed, or too respectful to take. "We may find a servant use

ted. "I am yours to do with as you wish. B

ny dog is too fine a fellow to be se

eceive your pleasure and co

" demanded Ha

sponded. "When your excellency's orders have been give

come down yet?

ellency has not yet ea

ter eats in his ow

his breakfast in bed

too fresh, Tom, in get

and Harry, on the other hand, had a conversational smattering of Spanish, for

quite new to the ways of Mexico. We shall h

avely, "but even a dog may spe

the breakfast her

Luis's larder," repl

must be some rul

ellency, is the ple

Luis, then, u

" replied t

ing e

l or two,

er that?" Harry deman

llero, until t

t wouldn't hold me through a day's work. Not even a forenoon's

o will ask shall be brought," re

Tom?" Harry asked,

have no such thing here,"

Harry

ll hope to have som

you ask for mince pie and do

will never hold my soul and body together for more than an hour at a time. Chocolate a

to be had sometimes,"

metimes,

," Harry assented vag

the eagle flies!" exclaimed the servant. With a separate

urged Tom. "Since we are to eat here mine c

es later Tom and Harry were washed, dres

get some glimpses of the scenery

don't want to come bac

s, regretting the absenc

o drag. Finally the d

ple Nicolas is serving

on, at

ld be my guess," laughed T

Don Luis think of

ger," Tom answered. "If this delay lasts much longer we shal

s where I draw the line. Before I'll stir a step from here I

d, bearing a tray enveloped in snowy linen. This tray he put d

y the tray. Then he whisked away the linen cover. Gravely he set upon the table

utter, Nicolas

I did not understand

run all the way to t

icolas," spoke up Tom, at the same tim

quired Nicolas, with great respect, "or shall

kfast, by all means," begged H

not to mind the butt

e that, in Mexico, it may not be cust

icious. Then he removed another linen covering from the pot and started to

runted Hazelton. "This i

glancing inside, next he picked up a sp

s were here,"

om wante

now whether it's right to eat this stuff with a knife, or

stuff," Tom agreed,

pot and the spoon. I

ng the chocolate to a consistency that

his pocket. "Come on, now! We've got to make up for lost time. What will Don Luis think

ngineers sat back, wondering whether Nicolas had deserted

nything on this place for slow-m

Nicolas. He carried a tray and was follo

es were just plain boiled beans, which had evidently been cooked on some other day, and were now

ave some more chocolat

er some for to-morrow's breakfast, and then

gone, noiselessly, but Nico

his food thoroughly, what he had eaten of it,

ind Don Luis and apo

that we shall have

's a quarter of

the veranda. A man servant was lazi

to the mine?" ask

in evident astonishment. "Presentl

rely. "Harry, we didn't make such a bad break after a

und?" asked Harry

sing by this time, caballero," r

be that the people in Bonis

been at work for some time," Tom smiled. "Anyway

ock Dr. Tisco appeare

nd courteously

s, that you have en

t work. But, of course, we can't start for the mine unti

r Don Luis to appear,

ays as lat

do not call eleven o'clock

eared, clad in white and indolent

ed their host, courteously, after h

ded, pleasantly. "We ha

g and a serv

cars ordered," c

a car rolled aroun

th us, Carlos?" i

, in the tone of a man who was saying that h

esign. Into the tonneau stepped the tw

es," ordere

, excellency?" inq

slowly. We may

chauffeur saluted, then allowed

ned Don Luis Montez to Tom. "It is a dusty road, and a somewhat har

than the country in which our

ne owners as well as mine ex

efly about their mine

oke Range

profitable one?" i

joined, modestly, "but it pays us more m

ly at his secretary, wi

ey they want, and more, then we may find

turn glance as

ertain that we shall

ntrance to El Sombrero Mine. There was the shaft entrance and near it a goodly-sized dump for ore. Not far from the entrance

dro!" call

orty years of age. He was truly a large man-more than six feet in he

Don Luis, "pay your res

and Ha

s hand. His big, wolfish eyes looked

r you are any good?" said the mine manager, in a

lton remained silent, while Don Luis and his

ean by your remark?" aske

t work and find out what you c

olly. "I do not understand that you h

en!" growled the man. "I

rs about to be placed i

u will assist us in a

eceived our instructi

to the best of

ugh he enjoyed young Americans better than any other food in the world. In

office building Dr.

u, Don Luis?" inquire

ese Gringos would not

Wait! You have not yet seen what m

every hour of the day and

seen my good Gato tam

, so