coolness that he would cut up a chicken. This man was now waiting to
give him the news. Two of the laborers were prisoners, one was to be
deported, and a number of carabaos had died.

"The same old story," exclaimed Basilio, in a bad humor. "You always
receive me with the same complaints." The youth was not overbearing,
but as he was at times scolded by Capitan Tiago, he liked in his turn
to chide those under his orders.

The old man cast about for something new. "One of our tenants has died,
the old fellow who took care of the woods, and the curate refused to
bury him as a pauper, saying that his master is a rich man."

"What did he die of?"

"Of old age."

"Get out! To die of old age! It must at least have been some
disease." Basilio in his zeal for making autopsies wanted diseases.

"Haven't you anything new to tell me? You take away my appetite
relating the same old things. Do you know anything of Sagpang?"

The old man then told him about the kidnapping of Cabesang
Tales. Basilio became thoughtful and said nothing more--his appetite
had completely left him.