but his
uncertainty was to the duty that was expected of him was apparent in his
hopeless look of entire bewilderment. It seemed to me that for a moment
the Priest Captain was slightly confused, as though he recognized the
incongruity between his own knowledge in this matter and his officer's
ignorance; and in explaining his order he took occasion to refer to the
superior knowledge with which he was endowed by the gods. Fray Antonio
and I glanced at each other doubtingly as he spoke, for this explanation
struck us as being decidedly forced. The gods of the ancient Mexicans
pre-eminently were war gods; but they certainly were not likely to have
any very extended knowledge of Winchester rifles and self-cocking
revolvers.

However, when the officer comprehended what was required of him, he was
prompt enough in his actions. Without any ceremony at all he laid hands
on Young's rifle, that was hanging by its strap on his shoulder, and
endeavored to take it away from him. This was a line of action that the
Lost-freight Agent by no means was inclined to submit to. Without any
assistance he unslung the rifle, cocked it as he jumped back half a
dozen steps, and then raised it to his shoulder, with his finger on the
trigger and the muzzle fairly levelled at the officer's heart. "Shall I
down him?" he asked.

"Don't shoot!" Rayburn cried, quickly; and in obedience to this order
Young slowly dropped the rifle from his shoulder, yet held it ready for
action in his hands. The perfect calmness of the officer through this
exciting episode afforded the most convincing proof that fire-arms were
wholly unknown to him. And the conduct of the Priest Captain afforded
equally convincing proof that he not only understood the nature of
fire-arms, but that he was very much afraid of them; for, at the moment
that Young made his offensive demonstration, he very precipitately
sheltered himself by crouching behind the throne.

"Don't shoot!" Rayburn repeated. "We may have a chance to pull through
if we don't rile these follows; but if we go killing any of them now
it's all day with us, for sure. We'd better let 'em have our guns; but
there's something mighty odd in their having found out all of a sudden
what a gun is."

Very reluctantly Young surrendered his rifle to the officer, who looked
at it contemptuously, as though he considered it but a poor sort of
weapon in case real fighting was to be done. In turn, the rest of us
gave up our rifles