st see the American consul, write
another letter home, see the merchants our goods were delivered to,--and
what I'm to do after that I don't know."

There was a loud rap at his door just then, and in a moment more he was
almost repeating that speech to Senor Zuroaga.

"Please say very little to Colonel Tassara or anybody else in this
house," replied the senor, emphatically. "Get used, as soon as you can,
to being called Carfora. We must make you look like a young Mexican
right away. I've bought a rig which will fit you. It is well that you
are so dark-complexioned. A red-haired fellow would never pass as you
will. All the American residents of Vera Cruz are already under
military protection, and I am glad there are so few of them, for there
are said to have been two or three assassinations. Part of the mountain
men who are loafing in town just now are wild Indians, as reckless and
cruel as any of your Sioux warriors on a war-path. Come along to
breakfast. You won't meet the ladies this time, but I believe the senora
and senorita like you a little, because you had the good taste to admire
their silver and china."

"Oh, that old coffee-urn!" said Ned. "Well, it's as fine as anything I
ever saw, even in a jewelry window."

"Yes," laughed the senor, "but the senora wants to have the American
consul killed because he told her she had better have that thing melted
and made over into one of the modern patterns. She will never forgive
him. Tell her again, when you have a chance, that the old-time Seville
silversmiths could beat anything we have nowadays, and she will love
you. I do not really believe myself that we are getting much ahead of
those ancient artists. They were wonderful designers."

Ned was willing to believe that they were, and he made up his mind to
praise Senora Tassara's pet urn to the best of his ability.

He was not to have an opportunity for doing so immediately. Their
breakfast was ready for them in the dining-room, but they were allowed
to eat it by themselves. It seemed to Ned a very good one, but several
times he found himself turning away from it to stare at the silver
marvel and at the weapons on the walls. There was no apparent reason for
haste, but neither of them cared to linger, and before long they were
out on the piazza in front, Zuroaga with his hat pulled down to his eyes
and his coat collar up. Ned was at once confirmed in his previous idea
that the house was anything but new, and to tha