Sinang, half in tears.

"What is the matter with you?" asked Maria Clara.

"Just imagine it: I asked the question 'When will I have some
sense?' I threw the dice and he, this all-night-watching priest
(Albino, the ex-seminary student) reads from the book: 'When the
frogs grow hairs.' What do you think of that?"

And Sinang made a face at the former religious student, who was still
laughing heartily.

"Who told you to ask such a question?" said her cousin Victoria. "Any
one who asks such a question deserves just such an answer."

"You ask a question!" said they all to Ibarra. "We have agreed that
the one who receives the best answer shall receive a gift from the
others. We have all asked our questions already."

"And who has received the best answer?"

"Maria Clara, Maria Clara!" replied Sinang. "We made her ask the
question whether you loved her or not: 'Is your lover faithful and
constant,' and the book replied----"

But Maria Clara colored up, and, putting her hands over Sinang's mouth,
did not allow her to finish what she had to say.

"Then, let me try it," said Crisostomo, smiling.

He asked the question: "Will I succeed in my present undertaking?"

"You are going to get a bad answer," exclaimed Sinang.

Ibarra threw the dice, and noting the number, they looked for the
page in the little book with the corresponding answer.

"Dreams are only dreams," read Albino.

Ibarra took out his pocket-book and opened it trembling.

"This time your book has lied," he said, full of joy. "Read this!"

"Plan for school house approved; other matter decided in your favor."

"What does that mean?" they all asked.

"Did you not tell me that the one who received the best answer was to
get a present?" the young man asked, his voice trembling with emotion
while he carefully divided the paper into two parts.

"Yes, yes!"

"Well, then! This is my gift," he said handing half of the telegram
to Maria Clara. "I am going to have a school house for boys and girls
erected in the town. This school house will be my gift."

"And this other piece: what does that mean?"

"I will give that to the one who has obtained the worst answer."

"Then that is for me!" exclaimed Sinang.

Ibarra gave her the piece of paper and quickly went off.

"And what does this mean?"

But the happy young man was already far away from the little group
and he did not reply. He had gone to finish the game of chess.

After making the pre