he company, was building a fire for the evening meal.
Seeing that it burned indifferently the new page thrust under the
twigs the fine sheet of paper containing the signature of the
Viceroy.

Ysobel made an exclamation of protest--but it was too late--it had
started the blaze in brave order.

"Your letter--if you should need it--perhaps for the padre!" she
said.

"Rest you easy, Nurse," said the lad and stretched himself to watch
the supper cooked. "I have no further needs in life but supper and a
bed,--see to it that Jose makes it near you own! I am in the employ of
Don Ruy Sandoval for a period indefinite. And he has promised--laugh
not out loud Ysobel!--that he will see to it I am not questioned as to
whence or why I came to seek service under his banner!--even the holy
father is set aside by that promise--I tell you that laughter is not
to be allowed! If you let him see that you laugh, I will beat you when
we are alone, Ysobel--I will though you have found a dozen husbands to
guard you!"

Don Ruy did see the laughter of the woman, and was well pleased that
the lad could win smiles from all classes,--such a one would lighten
weary journeys.

He felt that he had done well by Maestro Diego. Plainly the quick wit
of the lad betokened good blood, let him prate ever so surely on his
heathen grandmother!

Don Diego felt much flattered at the consideration shown by Don Ruy
for the "Relaciones"--in fact he had so pleased an interest in the
really clever young pen-man that the Padre took little heed of the
boy--he was of as much account as a pet puppy in the expedition--but
if the would-be historian needed a secretary--or fancied he did,--the
lad would be less trouble than an older man if circumstances should
arise to make trouble of any sort.

So it chanced that Juan Gonzalvo and Manuel Lenares, called Chico,
were the only two included in the company who had not been confessed
and enrolled by Padre Vicente himself.

It was the magic time of the year, when new leaves open to the sun,
and the moon, even in the bare desert stretches of the land, brought
dreams of Castile to more than one of the adventurers.

"Good Father," said Don Ruy with feigned complaint, "Think you not
that your rigid rules for the journey might have stopped short of
hopeless celibacy for all of us?--Why a moon like that and Venus
ascendent unless to make love by?"

"The brightness of that same moon saved you nothing of a cracked pate
the ho