His expression was not forbidding, and Roldan recovered himself at once.
He stood up and bowed profoundly.

"Senor," he said, "I beg that you will pardon us. We would have craved
your hospitality had you been here, but as it was, our hunger overcame
us: we have not eaten for many hours. But I am Roldan Castanada of the
Rancho de los Palos Verdes, senor, and I beg that you will one day let
me repay your hospitality in the house of my fathers."

"Holy smoke!" exclaimed the man, "all that high-falutin' lingo for a
potful of squirril. But you're welcome enough. I don't begrudge anybody
sup." Then he broke into a laugh at the puzzled faces of his guests, and
translated his reply into very lame Spanish. The boys, however, were
delighted to be so hospitably received, and grinned at him, warm,
replete, and sheltered.

The man began at once to skin a rabbit. "Seein' as how you haint left me
nothin', I may as well turn to," he said. "And it ain't every day I'm
entertainin' lords."

The boys did not understand the words, but they understood the act, and
reddened.

"I myself will cook the rabbit for you, senor," said Adan.

"Well, you kin," and the man nodded acquiescence.

"You are American, no?" asked Roldan.

"I am, you bet."