the tulisanes.

"They have rifles that shoot a long way," was the rather absent-minded
reply.

"This revolver does no less," remarked Simoun, firing at an areca-palm
some two hundred paces away.

Cabesang Tales noticed that some nuts fell, but remained silent
and thoughtful.

Gradually the families, drawn by the fame of the jeweler's wares,
began to collect. They wished one another merry Christmas, they
talked of masses, saints, poor crops, but still were there to spend
their savings for jewels and trinkets brought from Europe. It was
known that the jeweler was the friend of the Captain-General, so it
wasn't lost labor to get on good terms with him, and thus be prepared
for contingencies.

Capitan Basilio came with his wife, daughter, and son-in-law, prepared
to spend at least three thousand pesos. Sister Penchang was there to
buy a diamond ring she had promised to the Virgin of Antipolo. She
had left Juli at home memorizing a booklet the curate had sold her for
four cuartos, with forty days of indulgence granted by the Archbishop
to every one who read it or listened to it read.

"_Jesús!_" said the pious woman to Capitana Tika, "that poor girl has
grown up like a mushroom planted by the _tikbalang._ I've made her read
the book at the top of her voice at least fifty times and she doesn't
remember a single word of it. She has a head like a sieve--full when