ill sign this report, and at once!" quivered Don Luis Montez,
a deadly look glittering in his eyes.

"I am quite satisfied that I shall never sign it," Tom retorted.

"That goes for me, too," put in Harry, stolidly.

"I feel that we have finished our work here, since we can do nothing
more for you, Don Luis," Tom went on. "I therefore ask you to
consider our engagement at an end. If you are disinclined to
furnish us with transportation to the railway, then we can travel
there on foot."

"Do you hear the Gringo, my good Carlos?" laughed Don Luis, derisively.

"I hear the fellow," indifferently replied Dr. Tisco, from the
other end of the room.

"Will you furnish us with transportation from here?" Tom inquired.

"I will not," hissed Montez, allowing his rage to show itself
now at its height. "You Gringo fools! Do you think you can defy
me--that here, on my own estates, you can slap me in the face
and ride away with laughter?"

"I haven't a desire in the world to slap your face," Tom rejoined,
dryly. "All I wish and mean to do is to get back to my work in
life."

"Then listen to me, Gringos," said Don Luis Montez, in his coldest
tones. "Your work here is to sign that report. If you do not,
then you shall never leave these mountains! Your lives are in
my hands. If you do not serve me as I have ordered, then I shall
feel obliged--in self-defense--to destroy you!"

CHAPTER X

THE SPIRIT OF A TRUE ENGINEER

"Do you know, Don Luis," drawled Tom, "that you have one fine quality?"

"What do you mean?" demanded the Mexican.

"You are very explicit. You are also extremely candid! You don't
leave the other fellow guessing."

Don Luis Montez frowned. He felt certain that fun was being poked
at him.

"I am trying to make you young men understand that you must do
exactly what I wish of you," he returned, after a moment.

"And we have tried to make it plain, sir, that we haven't, any idea
of doing what you want," Tom Reade answered him.

"You will change your minds," retorted the mine owner.

"Time will show you that, sir. In the meantime, since we cannot
live here, what do you expect us to do?"

"I have said nothing about your not living here," uttered Don
Luis, looking astonished. "You are very welcome to all that my
poor house affords."

"Thank you; but we can't live here, just the same."

"And why not, _caballeros_?"

"Because we shall henceforth be on the most wretched sort of te