required till this moment. The excitement of the last few days----But
don't let us speak of that now. We must use your spade in turn."

I laughed. "It strikes me we're a pair of first-class fools. I haven't
got one either. We both put out from Mahon in such a flaming hurry that
accessories never got a thought. Well, we must get one here if we can,
though that's doubtful, seeing that the native hoe, which is pick and
shovel combined, is the popular instrument hereabouts. However, I'll go
and see if something can't be got. Give me a couple of pesetas, will
you?"

"What for?"

"Why, to hire the thing, or buy it if needs must."

"But why should I pay----"

"Damnation man, because I don't own a brown cent. Go scout for a tool
yourself if you care to. I'm not keen on the job. Only you don't speak
the language, and I thought you'd prefer to sit still and recruit a bit
more before beginning to bustle about again."

"Oh, I beg pardon," said he, and counted out the money in copper and
small silver.

I turned to the Talayot, and climbed to its top. Two fields off,
towards clustered Alayor, a man was guiding a single-handed plough
drawn by a small ox and a sixteen-hand mule. Scrambling down again, I
went in a bee-line across the intervening walls. The ploughman saw me
coming, and nothing loath, pulled up his team and desisted from
scratching the furrow any further. A chat was just the thing he wanted.

I could not get clear of him for a good half-hour, and in the end was
only able to raise what I expected--to wit, a broad-bladed triangular
hoe with a short crooked handle. However, as we did not propose to go
in for any systematic navvying, and as there was nothing better to be
got, back I went with it, and found Weems quite alive again, and on the
prowl for what he could find.

"The soil has been turned up here in places," said he, pointing, "and
this is just the side where, according to Lully's diary, the entrance
passage lies. And if you notice, there are other patches rooted up
yonder, and again yonder."

"Pigs," said I. "This island's celebrated for them, and so is Mallorca.
Black, elegant, well-to-do swine, that are exported to Spain in
steamer-loads. They're the most celebrated breed of porkers in Europe.
But never mind them now. Which do you spot as our point of
commencement?"

"Somewhere between where we are standing and that palm-bush."

"Very well, then. We'll set to work at the other side of this fallen