in authority. The assayer and the head clerk were to remain in charge at the mine, with eleven trustworthy men. We were to take the rest, amounting to fourteen persons, not reckoning Indian porters or the muleteers from the village, neither class of whom could be expected to show fight in case of attack. And attack was probable, more than probable, for several parties of disbanded soldiers were robbing on the highways, while there were dark rumours of a foray, conducted with unusual boldness, on the part of the wild Apachés.
“We were mustering our forces for the start, when Herr Bergmann, the assayer, came to me with a very serious face. He had just heard a rumour, brought from the plains by an Indian woman, that a suspicious troop of horsemen, probably Apachés, had been seen hovering within a league of Quexhatepec. It was almost certain that we should fall into an ambush laid by these greedy and pitiless savages. Therefore honest M. Bergmann proposed that we should postpone our journey until the Governor could be solicited to send up a military guard from Chihuahua, under whose protection the silver could safely be removed.
“‘A guard!’ said I, rather scornfully; ‘who is to guard the treasure from the guard? Mexican soldiery are more formidable to friends than enemies; and your proposal, Meinherr, suggests the idea of giving the poultry into the safe-keeping of a fox.’
“But the assayer gravely proceeded to assure me that, although we should have to pay a heavy percentage on the specie, actual spoliation was not probable. The new Governor, he reminded me, was a stern disciplinarian. This was true. General Miguel Gomez, the new military governor of Chihuahua, was a man of energetic character, and was reported to keep great order among his troops. This was unusual in Mexico, and the more so as Gomez was in arms for the clerical party, and bore sway over the State in the names of Miramon and the Church. I think I should have given way to the assayer’s arguments, but for the extreme disappointment of poor Arthur, and the vigour with which he urged me on to adhere to our customary course. Of the savages he spoke with contempt, treating the report of their near neighbourhood as a mere chimera, and expressing his conviction that we could easily beat off a whole squadron of such foes. I knew pretty well why young Lake was so bent on the journey. He and I had received an invitation to spend as many days as we could spare from duty at Mr. Acworth’s house. To me, of course, the only temptations were the good table, the snug quarters, the priceless cellar, and the pleasant company sure to be found at the rich man’s board. To Arthur the attraction was different. His suit to Jane Acworth had been approved by the easy-tempered old widower, who could not make up his mind to thwart his darling child in anything, and who had a high opinion of Lake’s honour and cleverness. A long engagement was, to be sure, a stipulation with which the merchant had clogged his consent, but youthful hope leaps lightly over an intervening gulf of years. Arthur was wild to go, and I, perhaps weakly, yielded to his wishes. We got under arms. A number of Indian peons loaded themselves with the silver, carefully secured in skin packages, with provisions for the two days’ march, and with the light tents which were to screen us from the dews and night air in our temporary encampment. The fighting part of the contingent consisted of four Cornishmen, besides their “captain,” a giant in stature, graver and more sober than any one in our employ, and whose cool courage and mighty thews had earned him the enforced respect of the Mexicans. Besides these, we had four clerks or surveyors, one English, one French, and two Americans. A German and two Dutchmen, seafaring persons whose ship had been wrecked on the coast, and who had been recruited for work on dry land, made up, with Lake and myself, fourteen combatants. Each man had a rifle, with ball-pouch and powder-horn, a revolving pistol, and a bowie knife.
“After cautioning the assayer to keep a bright look-out in case of mutiny among our dissolute Mexican gang, and bidding farewell to the rest, I gave the word to ‘march.’
“To my astonishment, not a peon stirred. The usually submissive Indians stood still, their heavy loads strapped on their shoulders, and evidently awaited some indispensable preliminary.
“‘What is this?’ I called out. ‘Do you hear me, boobies?’
“The bronze statues remained motionless, with bowed heads and folded arms, their stolid faces turned towards the tin-roofed chapel and the adjoining house, where the priest lived.
“‘I think it is the padre they are waiting for,’ said young Lake, in a low voice: ‘he has not blessed our enterprise, and the simple creatures are reluctant to move without his sanction.’
“I muttered an angry comment on the personal character of the absent ecclesiastic, and then added:
“‘Pray go to Father Bartholomew, some of you, and beg his reverence to be quick. If he wants a fee, he must have one, for I see that these copper-coloured beauties of ours will not stir till he gives them leave.’
“‘The holy father has been busy all the morning, writing letters,’ said a Mexican, who stood by; ‘he had a visit from an Indian of the half-blood, a man of the plains, who came up here, panting and travel-stained. He has been shut up in his reverence’s dwelling ever since, and there I found him when I looked in, an hour ago, to speak about the indulgence to eat flesh on prohibited days. Carrajo! I’ve known our priest two years, and never saw him spoil white paper nor handle pen before this day.’
“At another time I dare say I should have attached more importance to this communication than I did; but now I only saw in it the reason of a vexatious delay which was wasting precious time. Already young Arthur Lake, quick and light of foot, had scampered across the open square to the priest’s abode, and presently arrived Father Bartholomew, hot and puffing, in full canonicals, and followed by a strange Indian, who bore a brush and a pot of holy water. The latter was a lean, muscular fellow, scantily dressed in