e my brother has very
expensive tastes. It will cost quite a small fortune when I buy him a
complete trousseau including diamonds."

"I will pledge my lands if necessary to get the young Senor diamonds,"
said the Spaniard laughingly.

In about an hour's time they came to a large one story frame building
painted a rather light blue, which color had weathered a good deal. It
had a square, false front with a sign on it that read, "Mr. Gonsalves,
General Trader."

They hitched their horses to some well graveled posts, and went inside
leaving Jo's and Tom's horses free to graze at will around, or to stand
under the shelter of some drooping pepper tree across the road. The
proprietor, a short, thick-set Portugee with a close trimmed black
beard, and a gray slouch hat which he always wore, apparently, received
them graciously. The contents of the store were entirely at their
service,--if they paid for them.

"We will miss poor Tom here," said Jo, "he was always our purchasing
agent."

"And a mighty good one," added Jim. "Not even a Connecticut Yankee could
get the best of him in a bargain."

The Spaniard sat in a round armed wooden chair, gracefully smoking a
cigarette, while his guests busied themselves making purchases. First
the boys bought some new clothes, which they retired behind a counter to
put on, and emerged in proper apparel for the plains.

Blue flannel shirts, and pants of the same color, held up by leather
belts, with much glitter of silver on them, then they bought a sombrero
apiece, not after the Mexican style, but of the American type. Jim had a
red band around his and Jo had a blue.

"Now we want some handkerchiefs to tie around our necks," said Jo.

"Of course," remarked Jim with a wink, "something that will catch the
eyes of the ladies."

So M. Gonsalves brought out a brilliant assortment of handkerchiefs.

"Here's a very fine article, gents," he said holding out a red silk
handkerchief, clustered with white horseshoes.

"Nothing the matter with that," admitted Jim admiringly, with a droll
look at Jo. "But this plain red one will suit me. My brother would
probably like the horseshoe one." But Jo also declined.

"I will take the dark blue one," he said, "it matches my costume
better."

"Gee! but you will look like a color scheme," laughed Jim, "blue eyes,
blue pants, shirt, tie and socks, and hat band, you ought to be a sailor
on the blue Pacific."

"The next things are boots," remarked