The Young Engineers in Mexico | Page 8

I did not understand that you wished it. I will get it. I will run all the way to the kitchen and back."
"Never mind the butter this morning, Nicolas," spoke up Tom, at the same time kicking Harry gently under the table.
"Can I serve you further, now, _caballeros_" inquired Nicolas, with great respect, "or shall I bring you the remainder of your breakfast?"
"Bring us the rest of the breakfast, by all means," begged Harry, and the servant left them.
"Why did you tell him not to mind the butter?" grunted Hazelton.
"Because," Tom answered, "it struck me that, in Mexico, it may not be customary to serve butter in the morning."
Harry took a bite of one of the rolls, finding it to be soft, flaky and delicious. Then he removed another linen covering from the pot and started to pour the chocolate. That beverage did not come as freely as he had expected.
"What ails the stuff?" grunted Hazelton. "This isn't the first of April."
Then Harry removed the lid from the pot, glancing inside, next he picked up a spoon and stirred the contents of the pot.
"I wish Nicolas were here," said Hazelton.
"Why?" Tom wanted to know.
"I'm bothered about what's etiquette in Mexico. I don't know whether it's right to eat this stuff with a knife, or whether we're expected to spread the stuff on the rolls."
"It is pretty thick stuff," Tom agreed, after taking a look. "But let me have the pot and the spoon. I think I can manage it."
After some work Tom succeeded in reducing the chocolate to a consistency that admitted of pouring, though very slowly.
"It took you almost three minutes to pour two cups," said Harry, returning his watch to his pocket. "Come on, now! We've got to make up for lost time. What will Don Luis think of us? And yet it is his household arrangements that are keeping us away from our work."
Chocolate and rolls were soon disposed of. Then the two engineers sat back, wondering whether Nicolas had deserted them. Finally, both rose and walked to stretch their legs.
"No restaurant in New York has anything on this place for slow-march service!" growled Hazelton.
As all things must come at last, so did Nicolas. He carried a tray and was followed by a second servant, bringing another.
The tortillas proved to be, as Harry put it, "a cross between a biscuit and flapjack." The frijoles were just plain boiled beans, which had evidently been cooked on some other day, and were now mushy. But it was a very solid meal that now lay before them, and the young engineers ate heartily.
"Will the caballeros have some more chocolate?" suggested Nicolas.
"Not now," said Hazelton. "But you might order some for to-morrow's breakfast, and then we shan't have to wait for so long next time."
The additional servant had gone, noiselessly, but Nicolas hovered about, silently.
At last the meal was finished. Tom had chewed his food thoroughly, what he had eaten of it, but Harry, in his hunger, had eaten hurriedly.
"Now we'll have to find Don Luis and apologize," hinted Tom. "Hereafter I can see that we shall have to rise much earlier. Confound it, it's a quarter of nine, already."
The two youngsters hastened out to the veranda. A man servant was lazily dusting and placing porch chairs.
"Has Don Luis gone to the mine?" asked Tom in Spanish.
"Don Luis?" repeated the servant, in evident astonishment. "Presently his excellency will be dressing."
"Thank you," nodded Tom, and paced the veranda, leisurely. "Harry, we didn't make such a bad break after all, then. Plainly Don Luis didn't plan an early start."
"Is Dr. Tisco around?" asked Harry, of the servant.
"The learned doctor must be dressing by this time, caballero," replied the servant respectfully.
"Hm!" mused Harry. "Can it be that the people in Bonista do their work at night?"
"Oh, I'll wager the poor peons at the mine have been at work for some time," Tom smiled. "Anyway, I'm glad we haven't kept everyone else waiting."
At half-past ten o'clock Dr. Tisco appeared, immaculate in white. He bowed low and courteously to the guests.
"I trust, caballeros, that you have enjoyed perfect rest."
"Yes," answered Harry. "And now we're fidgeting to get at work. But, of course, we can't start for the mine until Don Luis gives us the word, and we are at his pleasure."
"It is nearly time for Don Luis to appear," said Tisco gravely.
"Is he always as late as this?"
"Here, Senor Hazelton, we do not call eleven o'clock a late hour for appearing."
Twenty minutes later Don Luis appeared, clad in white and indolently puffing at a Mexican cigarette.
"You will smoke, gentlemen?" inquired their host, courteously, after he had inquired concerning their rest.
"Thank you," Tom responded, pleasantly. "We have never used tobacco."
Don Luis rang and a servant appeared.
"Have one of my cars ordered," commanded Don Luis.
Ten minutes later a