Part 19 (2/2)
”Did Don Luis send you after us, Nicolas?” Reade demanded, wonderingly.
”No, senor.”
”Did any one at the house send you?”
”No, senor. I did not need to be sent. I am faithful.”
Nicolas followed this with a smile that showed his white teeth.
He spoke in utter simplicity.
”And now what can I do for you, _caballeros_?” the Mexican inquired.
”Nicolas,” asked Tom, with sudden inspiration, ”is there any store hereabouts? Any place where food can be purchased?”
”No, senor; there is a store not far from the shaft entrance of _El Sombrero_ Mine. That is where the _peons_ of the mine draw their food, and have it charged against their pay accounts. But no one may buy there for cash.”
”Is there no place where you can buy food for us?”
”_Caballeros_, of course, I will not pretend not to understand that you are on bad terms with Don Luis. Hence, both his storekeeper and his _peons_ would hesitate to sell food for you or to you.
But I have a relative who works in the mine, and he is a brave man. I think I can persuade him to sell me food and ask no questions.
In fact, _caballeros_, that is what I will do.”
”It won't get your relative into any trouble, will it, Nicolas?”
Tom asked.
”I can manage it, senor, so that no trouble will follow.”
”Then take this money and get some food, my good Nicolas, if you can manage it without getting any one into trouble.”
”It will have to be very plain food, Senor Reade, such as _peons_ eat,” urged Nicolas.
”Plain food never killed any man yet,” Tom laughed. ”Well, then, take this money and serve us at your convenience.”
”I have no need of money,” replied the Mexican, shaking his head.
”I am well supplied, _caballeros_.”
Displaying the two banknotes that he had received an hour before, Nicolas took three steps backward, then vanished.
”There goes a faithful fellow!” glowed Tom.
”If he isn't doing this under Don Luis's orders,” muttered Hazelton.
”Harry, I'm ashamed of you,” retorted Tom, finding a soft, gra.s.s-covered spot and stretching himself out. He pulled his sombrero forward over his face and lay as though asleep. Any one, however, who had tried to creep upon Reade would speedily have discovered that he was far from drowsy.
”Humph!” said Harry, after glancing at his chum. ”You don't appear to realize that there's any such thing as danger around us.”
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