"Never could find out," said Glover, stepping adroitly out of his
difficulty. "Don't s'pose that nigger would a let on how he did it for ten
dollars."

"I should think the receipt would be worth ten dollars," observed Aunt
Maria thoughtfully.

"Not 'xactly here," returned the captain, with one of his dried smiles,
which had the air of having been used a great many times before. "Halibut
too skurce. Wal, I was goin' to tell ye 'bout this nigger. He come to be
the cook he was because he was a big eater. We was wrecked once, 'n' had
to live three days on old shoes 'n' that sort 'f truck. Wal, this nigger
was so darned ravenous he ate up a pair o' long boots in the time it took
me to git down one 'f the straps."

"Ate up a pair of boots!" exclaimed Aunt Maria, amazed and almost
incredulous.

"Yes, by thunder!" insisted the captain, "grease, nails, 'n' all. An' then
went at the patent leather forepiece 'f his cap."

"What privations!" said Aunt Maria, staring fit to burst her spectacles.

"Oh, that's nothin'," chuckled Glover. "I'll tell ye suthin' some time
that 'll astonish ye. But jess now I'm sleepy, 'n' I guess I'll turn in."

"Mr. Cluvver, it is your durn on card do-night," interposed Meyer, the
German sergeant, as the captain was about to roll himself in his blankets.

"So 'tis," returned Glover in well feigned astonishment. "Don't forgit a
feller, do ye, Sergeant? How 'n the world do ye keep the 'count so
straight? Oh, got a little book there, hey, with all our names down. Wal,
that's shipshape. You'd make a pooty good mate, Sergeant. When does my
watch begin?"

"Right away. You're always on the virst relief. You'll fall in down there
at the gorner of the vagon bark."

"Wal--yes--s'pose I will," sighed the skipper, as he rolled up his
blankets and prepared for two hours' sentry duty.

Let us look into the arrangements for the protection of the caravan. With
Coronado's consent Thurstane had divided the eighteen Indians and
Mexicans, four soldiers, Texas Smith, and Glover, twenty-four men in all,
into three equal squads, each composed of a sergeant, corporal, and six
privates. Meyer was sergeant of one squad, the Irish veteran Kelly had
another, and Texas Smith the third. Every night a detachment went on duty
in three reliefs, each relief consisting of two men, who stood sentry for
two hours, at the end of which time they were relieved by two others.

The six wagons were always parked in an oblong square,