"You will find difficulty in spending it all in two years," the merchant
said with a smile. "If you are content to live on what can be bought in
the country, it costs very little; and as for the mules, they can
generally pick up enough at their halting-places to serve them, with a
small allowance of grain. You can hire them cheaply, or you can buy them.
The latter is cheaper in the end, but you cannot be sure of getting mules
accustomed to mountains, and you would therefore run the risk of their
losing their foothold, and not only being dashed to pieces but destroying
their saddles and loads. However, if you secure the services of Dias
Otero, you will get mules that know every path in the mountains. He is
famous for his animals, and he himself is considered the most trusty
muleteer here; men think themselves lucky in obtaining his services. I
would send him with loads of uncounted gold and should be sure that there
would not be a piece missing."

Next day Dias came to the hotel.

"I have thought it over, senor," he said. "I need not say that were it
only ordinary service, instead of exploring the mountains, I should be
glad indeed to do my best for a friend of Senor Barnett; but as to the
real purpose of your journey I wish, before making any arrangement, that
the matter should be thoroughly understood. I have no certain knowledge
whatever as to any of the lost mines, still less of any hidden treasures;
but I know all the traditions that have passed down concerning them. I
doubt whether any Indians now possess a certain knowledge of these things.
For generations, no doubt, the secrets were handed down from father to
son, and it is possible that some few may still know of these places; but
I doubt it. Think of the hundreds and thousands of our people who have
been killed in battle, or died as slaves in the mines, and you will see