’’Oh! oh!  I see; the herbs and shells I brought were not enough to answer his excellency’s purpose; you want more of the shells—­eh, Senor?’

‘Yes, a few more,’ said Arthur, with a deep sigh, for he felt acutely the ironical tone which the Mexican assumed.

’’Well, what would you say, Senor Pride, if, instead of the few I handed you, I had brought a sack full—­you would not feel angry, would you?’

‘’Scoundrel! you have not dared to thus deceive me?’ exclaimed Mr. Livermore, starting to his feet and advancing toward Pepito, with an air of menace.

’’Unfortunately, I did not; but you have proved to me what a fool I was, not to suspect their value.  You evidently attach immense importance to them.’

‘’Control your temper, Arthur,’ said Adele, in English, ’or you will ruin every thing.’

‘’After all,’ resumed Pepito, ’it is only a chance deferred, not a chance lost.  With a good horse, I can soon make up for lost time.’

’His tone of defiance annihilated the self-possession even of Adele; while as for Arthur, he looked the very picture of despair.  I, therefore, resolved to smooth matters over, and if possible, to bring Pepito to terms.  At first he listened to me very unwillingly, and answered sulkily and laconically; but wearied at last by my pertinacity, he suggested that it was scarcely fair play for me to assume to sit as judge in a cause wherein I was an interested party.’

‘’You are strangely mistaken, Pepito,’ I said, in reply; ’I can swear to you on my honor, and by the holy Virgin of Guadalupe, that I am not in any way a party to this transaction; and that its success or its failure will not affect me to the extent of a real.

‘’Oh!  I beg your pardon, Caballero,’ muttered Pepito, on whom my adjuration by the holy Virgin of Guadalupe, had produced an unexpected effect.  ’In that case I will trust to your advice; I rely on your honor.  Now tell me—­I know very well these shells are valuable—­how much would a mule-load be worth—­two thousand dollars?’

‘’Yes, and perhaps more.’

‘’You speak frankly, like a man!’ he exclaimed with delight; ’you don’t seek to take advantage of my ignorance; you are a true gentleman.  Tell me where I could sell these things.’

’’You could find no one to buy them in this country; they must be sent either to Europe or New-York.’

’’The devil! that upsets my plans.  I know no one in Europe, no one in New-York; besides, I can neither read nor write; I should be cheated on all hands.  Is there no way to settle this business between ourselves?  Listen, now:  I will agree not only to accompany Senor Pride as his guide, but to do all the work when we arrive at our destination, on condition that he pays me two thousand dollars for every trip we make.  What do you say to my proposition?’

‘’That it is Senor Pride who must answer you, not I.’

XI.