him on the _azotea_, or flat
earthen roof of his house, discussing the great questions of politics
and religion.

Our host talked with freedom, telling us, among other things, there was
reason to dread that Emperor Napoleon had designs to seize Spain and
dethrone King Ferdinand. In such event, he added, many of the loyal
subjects in New Spain would consider it the highest patriotism to
declare for independence. As Americans, Pike and I heartily commended
this revolutionary sentiment.

Before we could further sound the position of our host, other callers
arrived, and he shifted the conversation to less perilous topics. We
descended to the _sala_, where there soon gathered a number of our new
acquaintances and other persons of wealth and station who expressed
themselves as eager for an introduction to the _Anglo-Americano
caballeros_.

My truculent friend Lieutenant Medina came in early with Walker, to whom
he seemed to have much to say on the side. He greeted Pike effusively,
myself with marked reserve. After this he avoided us both, and soon sat
down to gamble at cards with other officers. The rest of the company
stood around or lolled on the divans, puffing their _cigarros_, and
_cigarritos_, the younger men chatting about women and horses, the older
ones adding to these stock topics the third one of fortune.

As politics was a subject unmentioned, Pike attached himself to the
group which seemed most disposed to discuss silver and gold mining and
the other important industry of stock-raising. I kept more among the
younger men, gleaning in the chaff of their sensual anecdotes for grains
of information on military affairs. My harvest was so scant that I gave
over the attempt at the serving of the _dulces_ and wine, an hour or two
before midnight.

This light refreshment proved to be the signal for a general change. The
gamblers gave over their cards, the others their barren chatter. A
guitar was brought in, and Lieutenant Medina sang a rollicking wine
song, nearly all present joining in the refrain. The aide was gifted
with a rather fine tenor voice--and knew it. At the end of the song, he
tendered the guitar, with a flourish, to the _Americano_ lieutenant.
Pike declined the honor; upon which Medina turned to me, with a yet
deeper bow, his lip curled in a smile of malicious anticipation.

There was a general flash of surprise when I gravely accepted the
instrument and set about readjusting the strings to my own ke