"Perhaps the senor will explain?" suggested the foreman.

"These _caballeros_ are the new engineers in charge of the mine,"
said Dr. Tisco.

"Ah! So? Then if Pedro Gato will only give the order--" began
the foreman.

"If Pedro Gato gives you any orders," Tom suggested, briskly, "you
will ignore them. Pedro Gato is no longer connected with the mine."

"Not connected?" gasped the foreman, who plainly doubted his ears.

"No," broke in Don Luis. "You will take no more orders from Gato.
These _caballeros_ are the engineers, and they are in charge. You
heard the order of Senor Reade. You will clean out this tunnel,
sending the ore above to the dump."

"It shall be done," cried the foreman, bowing low before the mine
owner.

"And now, Senor Tomaso, if it suits you, we will go to another
tunnel," proposed Don Luis.

"Very good, sir," Tom assented. "What had been in my mind was
to order the drillers at work here and see a blast made."

"We can be back long before the next blast can be prepared," replied
Montez. "Carlos, lead the way to tunnel number four."