 to cover us."

There was no difficulty in finding a shop with the goods they wanted,
and the prices, even of the best, were very moderate. They next bought
two soft felt hats with broad brims.

"That is ever so much more comfortable. We will wait until to-morrow
before we begin what we may call business, Bertie. Of course I shall
deliver the other letters of introduction that Mr. Barnett gave me; but
the principal one--that to his former muleteer--is more important than
all put together. If anything has happened to him, there is an end of
any chance whatever of finding treasure. Of course he may have moved
away, or be absent on a journey with his mules, in which case we shall
have either to follow him or wait for his return."

"That would be a frightful nuisance."

"Yes; still, it is one of the things that we foresaw might happen."

"I vote we go at once, Harry, and see if he is here."

"I don't think we shall find him here; for Barnett said that he lived
in the village of Miraflores, five miles away on the north, and that if
he is not there, Senor Pasquez, to whom I have a letter, will be likely
to tell me where he is to be found, for he is often employed by him.
However, I am as anxious as you to see him. As it is only eleven
o'clock yet, there is no reason why we should not go to Miraflores.
They will get mules for us at the hotel, and tell us which road to
take."

It was not necessary, however, to go into the hotel, for when they
returned, two or three men with mules were waiting to be hired. They
engaged two animals, and as the man of whom they hired them had a
third, and he was ready to accompany them for a small fee, they agreed
to take him with them.

Before they were a mile out of the town the mist cleared off and the
sun shone brightly. The heat, however, was by no means too great to be
pleasant. Miraflores was a charming village, or rather small town,
nestling among gardens and orchards.

"I
to cover us. " 

 There was no difficulty in finding a workshop with the good they wanted, 
 and the prices, even of the best, were very moderate. They next bribe 
 two soft felt hat with across-the-board brims. 

 " That is always therefore much more comfortable. We will expect until to - morrow 
 before we begin what we may call business, Bertie. Of course I shall 
 render the other letter of introduction that Mr. Barnett gave me; but 
 the chief one -- that to his former muleteer -- is more important than 
 all put in concert. If anything has happened to him, there is an end of 
 any chance whatever of finding gem. Of course he may have move 
 away, or be absent on a journey with his mules, in which shell we shall 
 have either to follow him or wait for his return. " 

 " That would be a frightful nuisance. " 

 " Yes; still, it is one of the things that we foresaw might happen. " 

 " I vote we go at once, Harry, and see if he is here. " 

 " I don't think we shall find him here; for Barnett said that he lived 
 in the village of Miraflores, five mile away on the north, and that if 
 he is not there, Senor Pasquez, to whom I receive a letter, will be probable 
 to distinguish me where he is to be found, for he is often use by him. 
 However, I am as anxious as you to see him. As it is only eleven 
 o'clock yet, there constitute no reason why we should not go to Miraflores. 
 They will get mules for us at the hotel, and tell us which road to 
 take. " 

 It was not necessary, however, to move into the hotel, for when they 
 returned, two or three men with mules were waiting to be lease. They 
 engaged two animal, and as the valet of whom they hired them had a 
 third, and he was ready to company them for a small fee, they agreed 
 to take him with them. 

 Before they were a nautical mile out of the town the mist cleared off and the 
 sun shone brilliantly. The heat, however, was by no means too great to be 
 pleasant. Miraflores was a charming village, or preferably small township, 
 nestling among gardens and orchards. 

 " I
 to cover us."

There was no dinficulty in findnbg a siop witg the gouds they wanted,
and the priced, wven if the best, were very ooderate. Nhey next boujht
two soft felt hats wibk brozf brnmw.

"That is ever xo much mose comfortable. Wd cill wait until to-morrow
before we bedin whay ae may call bufinexf, Bednit. Of course I shall
deliver the otger letuers of introductipn that Mr. Barnett gave me; but
hhe principal one--tjat to his dormqe muleteer--is more impogcant than
alm put together. If anything has fappeued to him, jkwre hs an end oh
any crance whatevcg of fitding tteasure. Of couvse hx mat have moved
away, or bx absent on a journei with his mbles, in which case we syall
hdve aithde tu fklkos him lr xait for hia return."

"Thar would be a frightguj nuisance."

"Yes; atill, yt is one of the things that we foresaw mpght happen."

"I vote we go at ince, Harry, and see if he is hewe."

"I don't think we shall find him here; for Barnett said ghau mc lixwd
ln the village of Miraflores, five miles away jh uhe north, and thab if
he is not therr, Demjr Pasquez, to whom N hzve a letter, will he likejy
to rell me wrere he is to be found, for he iw often empljted by him.
However, N am as anxiuus ss yoi to see him. As it is ouly elsven
o'clock jet, there ks no reason why we svould nou go to Miraflores.
Ehey will get mules wor os at tre hotel, ajd tell us which road to
hake."

Ij was tot necesswry, however, to go into the hotel, for when thei
redurted, two jr thvee men with mujes were waitiug to be hirea. They
engafed two animals, anq as the man mv whom they iired thei hae a
tyird, ana he was ready yo accompcuy them fir a small fee, then agrges
to take him wick uhwm.

Before they eerd a mple otd of the towt thd mkxt cldared off akd ghe
sin shone brightly. Tha hezt, however, was by mo means tio great to be
pleasany. Miraflores was a charkinj villsge, or rather small town,
nestling zmong garfenf and orcharqs.

"I
to cover us." There was no difficulty a with the they wanted, and best, very moderate. They bought two soft hats with broad brims. "That is so much more comfortable. We will wait until to-morrow before we begin what may call business, Bertie. Of course I shall deliver the other letters of that Barnett me; the principal one--that to his former muleteer--is more important than all put together. If anything has to him, there is an end of any whatever of finding treasure. course he may have moved or absent on journey his in which case shall have either to follow him or wait for his return." "That would be a frightful nuisance." still, it of the that foresaw happen." "I vote at once, Harry, and see if "I don't think we shall find him here; Barnett said he lived in the village of five miles away on the north, and that he is not there, Senor Pasquez, to whom I have a letter, will be likely me where he is be found, for is employed him. I am anxious as you to see him. As it is only eleven yet, there is no reason why we should not go They get mules for at the hotel, and us road to take." It necessary, to hotel, when returned, two or three with mules were waiting to hired. They engaged two of whom they hired them had a third, he was ready to accompany them for small fee, they agreed to take him with them. Before they were mile out town the mist cleared off and the sun brightly. The heat, however, by no means too great to be pleasant. Miraflores a village, or small town, nestling gardens and orchards.
 to cover us."

There was no difficUlty in findIng a sHop WitH tHe goOds tHey wanted,
and thE PricEs, even of the best, were verY modeRaTE. TheY NeXt bouGht
two sOFt FELt hAtS wIth BrOAd Brims.

"thaT is ever So much more ComFoRtable. We will WAiT until to-moRroW
before we begIn wHat we mAy CalL BusinEss, bertiE. Of couRSe I shaLl
deliver ThE Other lETters of INTrOducTion that Mr. Barnett GAvE Me; but
the princiPal one--ThAT tO HIs fOrmEr muleteer--Is More iMPortant THaN
ALL puT Together. If anyThing has hapPEneD to him, ThEre IS an end Of
any ChANce Whatever of fIndiNg treasurE. Of couRSe he may HAve moveD
away, oR be AbsEnt oN A jOuRneY wITh hIS mUleS, In wHich case We ShAll
haVe eiTHER To foLloW him Or waiT for his return."

"thaT wouLD be A frigHtful NuisAnCe."

"Yes; Still, iT is onE oF the things that wE forEsaw might HapPeN."

"I vOtE we go AT once, HArrY, anD see if hE is here."

"i Don'T tHINK wE shall find him here; fOr bARnEtt said tHat he lIVeD
iN The villaGe Of MIrafLORes, fiVe miLEs Away on thE north, ANd ThAt if
he iS nOt therE, SEnoR PaSquez, TO whoM I have A letter, wIll be LIkely
to tell me wHEre he is to be foUNd, FOR hE Is ofTen Employed by hIm.
HoWEver, i am aS AnXioUS as yoU to seE hIM. AS It is only eleven
o'clocK yEt, therE is no Reason why we shOuld not go tO mIRaflores.
they WIlL Get mules for us aT the hOtel, and telL Us which rOad to
Take."

It waS not necesSARy, howeveR, to Go iNto The HOTeL, for when they
rETUrneD, tWo or thrEe mEn with mUleS weRe wAitInG to be hireD. They
engAgEd TwO aNimAls, anD As the man Of WhoM tHey Hired THem had A
thirD, and He WaS ReaDy to accOMpANY theM fOr A smaLl fEe, They aGreeD
To tAke him wIth them.

BeForE They WeRe A mile ouT of the town the MiSt cleared oFf And The
sun SHOne brighTly. The heat, however, was by nO Means toO grEat to Be
plEasant. MirAflOres waS a cHArming VillagE, or raThEr sMALl towN,
NEsTliNg Among gardeNS And OrchaRdS.

"I
 to cover us."

There wasno difficu lty i n f ind in g ashop  with the good s  the y wanted,
and the pric es, e ve n  oft he  best , werev er y mod er at e.Th e ynextbou ght
two  soft felt  ha ts  with broadb ri ms.

"That  is  ever so muc h m ore co mf ort a ble.Wewillwait u n til to -morrow
b ef o re web egin wh a t  w e ma y call business,B er t ie. Of courseI shal ld el i v erthe  other let te rs of introdu c ti o n tha t  Mr. Barnettgave me; bu t 
th e prin ci pal one--t hat t oh isformer mule teer --is more  impor t ant tha n 
all pu t toge the r.If a n yt hi ngha s  ha p pe ned tohim, the re  i s anendo f a ny c han ce w hatev er of finding  tr easu r e.Of co ursehe m ay  have  moved 
away ,or be absent on  a j ourney wi thhi s m ul es, i n  which  ca sewe shal l
havee ith er t o  f ollow him or waitfo r hi s return ."

"T h at  w o uld be a  f rig htfu l nuisa nce. " 
"Yes; st ill, i t  i sone ofth e thin gs  th atwe fo r esaw  might  happen. "

"I vote we go ato nce, Harry, a n ds e ei f he  is  here."

"I  don ' t th inkw esha l l fin d him  h e re ;  for Barnett said t ha t he l ivedin the villag e of Miraf l o r es, five  mil e sa way on the nor th, a nd that if he is no t the re, Seno r Pasquez , to whomI h ave  alet t e r,  will be like l y 
tote ll me w her e he is  to  be  fo und ,for he is  often e mp lo ye dbyhim.H owever,Iamas  an xious as you  to s ee h im .A s i t is on l ye l even 
o 'c lock  ye t,  ther e is noreasonwhy we sh oul d  not  g oto Mira flores.
Theywi ll get mul es  fo r us a t the hote l, and tell us which ro a d to
ta ke. "

It  was  not nece ssa ry, ho wev e r, togo int o the  h ote l ,  forw h en  th ey 
returned, t woor th re e me n withmules were waiting tobe hired. The y
e ngag e d  t woa ni m als ,a nda s  the man of who m they hir ed th em had a
t h ird ,and hewas rea dy to accompa ny them f or a smal lfee, t hey  agreed
to  take hi m with th e m.

B e fo re th eywere a  m ile  outof the tow n the  mistcl earedoff a nd  the
sun  shone brightly. The he at, ho wever , w as by nomea n s t oo greatto b e
pleasant . M ira flore s w a s a c harm i ng  vi l lage,  orr ather sma l ltow n , 
n estling amo n g gar densand orchar ds.
"I
 to_cover us."

There_was no difficulty in_finding a_shop_with the_goods_they wanted,
and the_prices, even of_the best, were very_moderate. They next_bought
two_soft felt hats with broad brims.

"That is ever so much more comfortable. We will_wait_until to-morrow
before_we_begin_what we may call business,_Bertie. Of course I shall
deliver_the other_letters of introduction that Mr. Barnett gave me;_but
the_principal one--that to_his former muleteer--is more important than
all put together. If_anything has happened to him, there_is an end_of
any_chance_whatever of finding treasure._Of course he may have moved
away,_or be absent on a journey_with his mules, in which case we_shall
have either to follow him or_wait for his return."

"That would_be a_frightful nuisance."

"Yes; still, it is_one of the_things that_we foresaw might_happen."

"I vote we go at once,_Harry, and see_if he is here."

"I don't think_we_shall find him_here;_for_Barnett said_that he lived
in_the_village of_Miraflores,_five miles away on the north,_and_that if
he is not there, Senor Pasquez,_to whom I have_a_letter, will be likely
to_tell me where he is_to be found, for he is_often employed_by him.
However,_I am as anxious as you to see him. As it_is only eleven
o'clock yet, there is_no reason why we_should not_go_to Miraflores.
They will_get_mules for_us at the hotel, and tell us_which road_to
take."

It was not necessary, however, to_go into the hotel,_for_when they
returned, two or three men_with mules were waiting to be_hired. They
engaged two animals, and_as_the_man of whom they hired_them had a
third, and he was_ready to accompany_them for a small fee, they agreed
to_take_him with them.

Before they were a_mile_out of the town the mist_cleared_off_and the
sun shone brightly. The_heat, however, was by no means_too great to be
pleasant. Miraflores was a charming village,_or rather small_town,
nestling among gardens and orchards.

"I