e,
good kind Captain Carossa, we had nothing left for you."

"But you have two good serapes," said the Captain. "Had you money we
would not take them from you, but it must not be said of Captain Carossa
and his men that they went away with nothing. I trust, senor, that you
do not think me unreasonable."

Obed White considered. Captain Carossa was a polite man. So was he.

"We can ill afford to part with these cloaks or serapes," he said, "but
since it must be we cannot prevent it. Meanwhile, we ask you to offer us
your hospitality. We are on the mountains now, and the nights are cold.
We would be chilled without our cloaks. Take us with you, and, in the
morning, when the warm sunshine comes we will proceed."

Carossa laughed and pulled his long black mustaches. "Santiago, but you
have a spirit," he said, "and I like it. You shall have your request and
you may come with us but to-morrow you go forth stripped and shorn. My
men cannot work for nothing. Spanish or Mexican, English or Gringo you
must pay. Gringo you are, but for that I do not care. It is in truth the
reason why I yield to your little request, because you can never bring
the soldiers of Santa Anna down upon us."

Obed While smiled. The look upon his face obviously paid tribute to the
craft and courage of Juan Carossa, the great, and Carossa therefore was
pleased. The brigand captain did not abate one whit from his resolution
to have their serapes and their coats too, but he would show them first
that he was a gentleman. He spoke to his men, and the fellow with the
red serape led the way along a narrow path through a forest of myrtle
oaks. They went in single file, the Captain about the middle, and just
behind him Obed, with Ned following. Ned as usual was silent, but Obed
talked nearly all the time and Carossa seemed to like it. Ned saw that
the brigand leader was vain, eager to show his power and resource, but
he was sure that, at bottom, he was cruel, and that he would turn them
forth stripped and helpless in the forest.

Night came down suddenly, but the man in front lighted a small lantern
that he took from under his serape, and they continued the march with
unabated speed. The forest thinned, and about nine o'clock they came
into an open space. The moon was now out and Ned saw a group of four
rectangular buildings, elevated on mounds. The buildings, besides being
rectangles themselves, were so placed that the group made a rectangle.
The structures