ike fate might befall him for his stupidity.

As the thunder went muttering to the adjacent mountains, and the flood
was still deluging our devoted heads, I yelled into the ear of Cypriano,
who all the while kept his cigarillo alight, that it was _una cosa
rica_--a fine display--_tiene ud rason_--"there's sense in that," said
the old man, "but wouldn't you rather have a dry serapa and
calconcillos?" So forthwith he wrung the moisture from my garments, and
we prepared the horses for service. Leading them by a dangerous foothold
down the course of the stream, we came to an enlarged basin, and halted
on a smooth belt of rocks. Here the sun shown again warm and
cheerily--we dried our reeking raiment, and I amused myself the while
under a light cascade of turbid water.

At midday we had toiled slowly up the steep sides of the Barrancas, and
four hours later, left the last link of the Sierra, and drew bridles at
Istlan. Having no further need of the post administrador, or the
services of his _vivo_ mule, I sought the public meson. Here were seated
under the portals a select group of politicians, listening to, and
commenting upon an article in an old newspaper, read with much emphasis
by a dirty jacketless person, with a head so large, and buried so deeply
between his shoulders, as to bear a close resemblance to a turtle.
_Senor_, said he, as I dismounted, rising with a graceful gesture, "the
good patron of the inn is away; the caballero who addresses you is the
well known _licenciado_ Don Augustin Jarano--_criado de vd_: What can be
done for you? that is a noble animal you bestride; he is tired! beat
out--dead! You will profit by an exchange--my friend, here," winking to
one of his auditors, "has an angel of a beast--_tienes sobre pasos_--has
a gait like a lady--paces! and has refused two ounces--_eh! no! quarante
douros_--forty hard dollars!" _Bueno_, I replied, much to the horror of
my guide, who began to think the sharp advocate was going to become the
owner of the pinto. After a world of tugging and struggling a miserable
spavined nag was pulled from a corral to the patio, and secured to a
post. Waiting until the praises of this _muy bueno cavallo_--this fine
steed--had been fully sounded, I made them a prompt offer of six rials
for him as he stood!--when, finding the gringo was not to be so easily
jockeyed, they declared he was not worth half the money, and we became
warm friends at once. I tarried an hour, discussing th