day men sacrifice honor for gold.'

''True, nothing more common, and yet this proposition beats all I ever
met with.'

''In what respect?'

''Why, the interest that these folks who employ Pedro, take in this
journey that I undertook for your friend, Señor Pride.'

''But, if this journey has some valuable secret object in view?'

''Valuable secret!' repeated Pepito, bursting into a fit of laughter;
'Yes, a valuable secret indeed! Oh! the joke of offering four hundred
dollars for what, 'twixt you and me, is not worth a cent. But who can it
be that is behind Pedro, in this matter? He must be some rival doctor,
or else a naturalist, on the same scent.'

''Is Señor Pride,' I inquired, 'a doctor--are you sure of that?'

''Yes--he must be--but I don't know,' exclaimed Pepito; 'I am at my
wits' end. If he is not, I have been working in the dark, and he has
deceived me with a false pretext; I am at a loss--dead beat. But one
thing is plain--I can make four hundred dollars, if I like.'

''And will you betray your employer?' said I indignantly.

''Time enough--never decide rashly, Caballero; I shall
deliberate--nothing like sleeping on important affairs; to-morrow--who
knows what to-morrow may bring forth?'