leave me the whole afternoon? Clara was the only one to keep me
company. What is the use in having four cats to amuse me, if you mean to
run off whenever the notion seizes you? I want you cats to be home all
the time. You, San Francisco, should have stayed here with Clara as you
are the largest. I think I shall have to tie you up to-morrow. No, I
believe I'll punish you now by taking away your supper," saying which,
the Father reached across the table and removed the plate of meat and
the cream from in front of Francisco, who had just begun to devour
his repast. "Miou! Miou!" said Francisco, piteously, looking after his
supper, which the priest put down on the table near his own. It was too
much: Francisco forgot his manners and with one bound he leaped across
the table, snatched up a piece of meat, and, with a growl of defiance,
began chewing it vigorously. The Father laughed and returned the cat's
supper. "I am afraid, Francisco, you did not catch much in your hunt
this afternoon, for you appear to be as hungry as usual. So I won't
punish you by depriving you of your supper. Go back to your place."

After supper, the Father, accompanied by his friends, made a tour of the
mission to see that everything was safe for the night; then, returning
to his house by the church, he spent the evening reading the letters and
messages brought to him that day, and in studying for an hour or so by
the help of the few theological books his library boasted. Father
Uria was an intelligent and well-educated man, and took delight in
the investigation of the abstruse subjects and doctrines his Church
afforded. He did this from natural inclination, and not from any
practical use to be made of such study in his capacity as head of
the mission. People in Nueva California, in those days, not only the
Indians, but the Mexicans and Spaniards, were of the utmost simplicity
of mind, entirely unable to grasp anything beyond the rudiments of their
faith.

Early the next morning Benito made his appearance. The Father conducted
him out to his garden, and showed him the method he had pursued in
bringing everything to a high state of cultivation. Irrigation was
not absolutely essential, as at many of the other missions; but,
notwithstanding, Father Uria had evolved a miniature system in his
garden by means of a spring in the foot-hills, half a mile away, from
which water was brought in a narrow flume. This had long been in use for
the general needs of