xcellent soup, omelette, cutlets, and other things which it was Mrs.
Jumbo's privilege to be serving to the three Englishmen (reckoning Jim
in the three) at half-past one o'clock precisely.

Toro had made a great fuss about his news. He was drying Jim at the
time, and Jim was saying that he didn't suppose any other English fellow
of fifteen had had such a splendid bathe. There were snow-peaks in the
distance, slowly melting into that lake, which well deserved its name of
"Cold."

"Don Jimmy," said young Toro, pausing with the towel, "what do you
think?"

"Think?" said Jimmy. "That I--I--I--I'll punch your black head for you
if you don't finish this j--j--j--job, and b--b--b--be quick about it."

He wasn't really fierce with the Cuban kiddy. The Cuban kiddy himself
knew that, and grinned as he made for Jim's shoulder.

"Yes, Don Jimmy," he said; "don't you worry about that. But I'm telling
you a straight secret this time--no figs about it."

Toro had picked up some peculiar English by association with the
Americans who had swamped his native land after the great war. Still, it
was quite understandable English.

"A s--s--s--straight secret! Then j--j--just out with it, or I'll
p--p--p--punch your head for that as well," said Jimmy, rushing his
words.

He often achieved remarkable victories over his affliction by rushing
his words. He could do this best with his inferiors, when he hadn't to
trouble to think what words he ought to use. At school he made howling
mistakes just because of his respectful regard for the masters and that
sort of thing. They didn't seem to see how he suffered in his kindly
consideration of them.

It was same with Don Ferdinando. Mr. Summerfield was a very great
engineering swell when he was at home in London. Jimmy couldn't help
feeling rather 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 it without manifest pain, mirth, or impatience. In Don
Ferdinando's case, it was generally impatience. His time was worth
pounds a minute or so.

"All right," said Toro. "And my throat ain't drier than your back now,
Don Jimmy; so you can put your clothes on and listen. They're going to
bust the mine this afternoon--that's what they're going to do; and
they'd knife me if they knew I was letting on."

"What?" cried Jimmy.

"It's a fact," said Toro, dropping the towel and feeling for a
cigarette. "They're al