topped, however, and again wiped away the perspiration.

"Why do you stop?" asked Bruno impatiently.

"Do you know what fight is the next one? Is it worth the trouble?"

"What! Haven't you heard? Captain Tiago's lasak against Captain
Basilio's bulik. According to the run of luck, the lasak ought to win."

"Ah! The lasak. I would bet ... but let us make sure first."

Bruno made a gesture of impatience, but followed his brother. The
latter looked the rooster over carefully, thought about it, debated
with himself and asked a few questions. The unfortunate fellow was
in doubt. Bruno was nervous and looked at him angrily.

"Why, don't you see that wide scale which he has there near the
spur? Do you see those feet? What more do you want? Look at those
legs. Stretch out his wings. And that broken scale on top of that
wide one, and that double one?"

Tarsilo did not hear him, he kept on examining the cock. The rattle
of silver coins reached his ears.

"Let us see the bulik now," said he, in a choking voice.

Bruno stamped the ground with his feet, grated his teeth, but obeyed
his brother.

They approached the other group. There they were arming the cock,
they were selecting gaffs for him, and the expert, in fitting them
to the rooster's legs, was preparing a piece of red silk. He waxed
it and rubbed it over his knee a number of times.

Tarsilo gazed at the bird with a sombre air. It seemed that he was
not looking at the cock, but at something in the future. He passed
his hand over his forehead.

"Are you ready?" he asked his brother, his voice scarcely perceptible.

"I? Long ago. Without having to see them."

"It is our poor sister----"

"Bah! Didn't they tell you that the leader is Don Crisostomo? Have
you not seen him walking with the Governor General? What danger will
we run?"

"And if we are killed?"

"What does it matter? Our father died from being whipped to death."

"You are right."

Both brothers sought Lucas in the crowd.

As soon as they caught sight of him, Tarsilo stopped.

"No! Let us go away from here! We are going to lose," he exclaimed.

"Go if you wish. I am going to accept."

"Bruno!"

Unfortunately, a man approached them and said:

"Are you betting? I am backing the bulik."

The two brothers did not reply.

"I'll give you odds."

"How much?" asked Bruno.

The man counted out four peso pieces. Bruno looked at him, breathless.

"I have two hundred. Fifty to forty."

"No,