hered about what's etiquette in Mexico. I don't know
whether it's right to eat this stuff with a knife, or whether
we're expected to spread the stuff on the rolls."

"It is pretty thick stuff," Tom agreed, after taking a look.
"But let me have the pot and the spoon. I think I can manage it."

After some work Tom succeeded in reducing the chocolate to a
consistency that admitted of pouring, though very slowly.

"It took you almost three minutes to pour two cups," said Harry,
returning his watch to his pocket. "Come on, now! We've got
to make up for lost time. What will Don Luis think of us? And
yet it is his household arrangements that are keeping us away
from our work."

Chocolate and rolls were soon disposed of. Then the two engineers
sat back, wondering whether Nicolas had deserted them. Finally,
both rose and walked to stretch their legs.

"No restaurant in New York has anything on this place for slow-march
service!" growled Hazelton.

As all things must come at last, so did Nicolas. He carried a
tray and was followed by a second servant, bringing another.

The _tortillas_ proved to be, as Harry put it, "a cross between
a biscuit and flapjack." The _frijoles_ were just plain boiled
beans, which had evidently been cooked on some other day, and
were now mushy. But it was a very solid meal that now lay before
them, and the young engineers ate heartily.

"Will the _caballeros_ have some more chocolate?" suggested Nicolas.

"Not now," said Hazelton. "But you might order some for to-morrow's
breakfast, and then we shan't have to wait for so long next time."

The additional servant had gone, noiselessly, but Nicolas hovered
about, silently.

At last the meal was finished. Tom had chewed his food thoroughly,
what he had eaten of it, but Harry, in his hunger, had eaten hurriedly.

"Now we'll have to find Don Luis and apologize," hinted Tom.
"Hereafter I can see that we shall have to rise much earlier.
Confound it, it's a quarter of nine, already."

The two youngsters hastened out to the veranda. A man servant
was lazily dusting and placing porch chairs.

"Has Don Luis gone to the mine?" asked Tom in Spanish.

"Don Luis?" repeated the servant, in evident astonishment. "Presently
his excellency will be dressing."

"Thank you," nodded Tom, and paced the veranda, leisurely. "Harry,
we didn't make such a bad break after all, then. Plainly Don Luis
didn't plan an early start."

"Is Dr. Tisco a