Adventures in Many Lands

e mine, rejoicing in a tremendous appetite which

also somet

the truth-little Toro had been to the Lago Frio with Jim, to see that he didn't drown of cramp or get eaten by on

is health. But Mr. Summerfield, the other engineer in partnership with Alfred Cayley, Jim's brother, had, in a thoughtless moment, termed Jim "an idle young dog," and the ph

te and the thought of the excellent soup, omelette, cutlets, and other things which it was Mrs. Jumbo's priv

he didn't suppose any other English fellow of fifteen had had such a splendid bathe. There were

Toro, pausing with the t

your black head for you if you don't finish

ddy. The Cuban kiddy himself knew that, a

rry about that. But I'm telling you a st

ith the Americans who had swamped his native land after t

with it, or I'll p-p-p-punch your head for t

en he hadn't to trouble to think what words he ought to use. At school he made howling mistakes just because of his respectfu

ather awed by him. And so his stammering to Don Ferdinando was something "so utterly utter" (as his brother said) that no fellow could listen to

you can put your clothes on and listen. They're going to bust the mine this afternoon

" crie

rrow that they've settled to do that. If there ain't no portering to do, they'll be let go. That's how they look at it. They don't care, not a peseta between 'em, how much it co

kes!" sa

coat on his arm. Dressing was a quick job in those wilds

!" he had cried bac

a rule he could trust them. But Don Jimmy needn't have hurried away like that. He, Toro, hoped to have had licence to draw his pay for fully another hour's enjoyable idleness. As things were, however, Don Alonso, t

w moments late for

egan, as he bounc

claimed Don Alfredo, look

just arrived-an eight-mile climb, mad

panish lady who looked after the

of her many amiable yet detested little tricks, to signify her

t's-it's mo

o let the highly grave letter from London

is young brother of yours, I will. This is a matter of lif

ed Jim desperately. But

at present. I mean it, my lad. If you've anything important to proclaim

And so Jim concentrated upon his dinner. He made wry faces at Mrs. Jumbo and her strokings, and even found

himself. Jim's renewed effort of "I say, Alf!" wa

oreman, a very smart and go-ahead fellow i

ecq's doing, the scoundrel! Why didn't you dismiss him, Don Alfredo, after that affair of Moreno's deat

e hand," said

rdinando. "If he were off the mine,

his cards against mine. His influence is extraordinary. There'll not b

tive mischief, I hope?"

ht not. He had he

ettle Domecq straight of

cies in these wilds of Asturias, especially on the eves and morrows of Saints' days. But it didn't at

ket rose lazily from behind a heap of calamine just to the rear of t

and, returning, the lad was a

had not entered his head. He

, and it's fifty cents off your wage list

rictest. Any laxity, and the laziest man w

the mine. It was a ticklish zigzag, just to the left of the transpor

n below, lading the st

one of the upper galleries, t

ry-blue-jacketed workers and heaps of ore; and upon Jim Cayley also, who had enjoyed his

kiddy drifted towards hi

ailed

ut when he was some yards down, he be

n the edge of a

that it's going to be done at

to be d-done

lano' as a start. But that's nothing. You just go and squat b

hought he might as well act on his advice. He liked to see the big buckets of ore swinging off into space from the mine level and making their fearful journey at a thrilling angle, down, down until, as mere s

ance. He saw one cargo

aw a gleam of instruments. Also he saw another full bucket hitched on and s

le snapped, flew

return bucket, hundreds of feet above the level, toss a somersault as it was fr

the rascals who had done their ratteni

s Domecq. Even the miners had no love for this arch-troubler, and, in trying to avoid Don Ferdinando, the si

ing was of cour

all, and it was in very humble spirits that the ringleaders of th

listened to him at dinner the "accident" might not have happened. But he stamme

cu-ticu-ticular, Mr. Sum

ant to damp his spirits. Of course, if Domecq had really killed another fellow o