He came up to me and blessed me, and
whispered: 'Tell no one, my son. If you do'--and he gave me a look that
made my hair crackle at the roots. And to this day I have told no one.
Did I tell my parents the priest would know in six hours. No boy has
stayed here that I like. But now--"
"We will go to the hill and see for ourselves," said Roldan, promptly,
and Adan gasped with horror and delight.
"Ay, I knew you would. I am brave, but I dared not go myself--that padre
is too big. I wake up in the night and see his hands pawing in the air.
But three of us--we need fear no one."
"We will go as soon as the guests are gone. I have heard of this 'gold.'
ln Europe--I have an uncle who has travelled and has told me many
things--bueno, in Europe, they make it into money and give it for
things in big houses they call shops. Even here, in Monterey, and
perhaps the other towns, they have a little--it comes from Mexico. My
uncle said that one reason we were so happy was because we had so little
money--none at all, we might say. That we got what we wanted out of the
earth, or by trading with one another or with the skippers from Boston,
who are glad to give us what we need from other lands in return for our
hides and tallow.
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