," agreed Stuart, "and in this part of the island they
seem a lot poorer than in the Pinar plains, where I lived before. Why?
Here, nine out of every ten of the guarijos we've seen, live like hogs
in a sty. Most of the huts we've passed aren't fit for human beings to
live in. Why is it?"

Stuart had expected, and, as it turned out, rightly, that this opening
would give Vellano the opportunity to express himself on Cuban
conditions as he saw them. Stuart was eager for this, for he wanted to
find out where his companion stood, and hoped to find out whether he was
ripe for revolt. But he was surprised at the bitterness and vehemence of
the protest.

"Ah! The Rats that gnaw at the people!" Vellano cried. "The Rats that
hold political jobs and grow fat! The government Rats who care for
nothing except to make and collect taxes to keep the people poor! The
job-holders of this political party, or that political party, or the
other political party! What are they? Rats, all! Tax-Rats!

"Why do the guarijos live like hogs in a sty? The Rats ordain it. It is
the taxes, all on account of the taxes. Consider! All this land you see,
all undeveloped land, belonging, it may be, to only a few wealthy
people, pays no tax, no tax at all. But if a man wishes to make a
living, settles on the ground and begins to cultivate it, that day, yes,
that hour, the owner will demand a high rent. And why will he ask this
rent? Because, Young Senor, as soon as land is cultivated, the
government puts a high tax on it. The Rats punish the farmers for
improving the country.

"What happens? I can tell you what happens in this province of Oriente.
In the province of Camaguey, too. The small farmer finds a piece of good
land. He settles on it--what you Americans call 'squatting'--and, if he
is wise, he says nothing to the owner. Perhaps he will not be found out
for a year or two, perhaps more, but, when he is found, he must pay a
big rent and the owner a big tax. Perhaps the guarijo cannot pay. Then
he must go away.

"Generally he goes. In some other corner, hidden away, he finds another
piece of land. He squats on that, too, hoping that the tax-Rats may not
find him. He does not cultivate much land, for he may be driven off next
day. He does not build a decent house, for he may have to abandon it
before the week's end.

"Suppose he does really wish to rent land, build a house and have a
small plantation, and is willing to pay the rent, however high it