came to eating, there was nothing could interfere with the business of the moment.
Don Antonio and his wife were much pleased with the boys and asked Donald and Adrian many questions about the big ranches from which they came. Both were able to give him all the information he wanted and he insisted that after breakfast all should ride over his hacienda and see the American improvements he had put upon it.
A member of Don Antonio’s household who attracted much attention from the boys was a great Newfoundland dog, by the name of Tanto. He was Guadalupe’s special property, and at first eyed the boys with a good deal of suspicion. But, when he discovered that they were friends of the family, he became quite as friendly as any of the others.
“He seems very fond of you,” said Billie to Guadalupe, in an attempt to make himself agreeable to the beautiful señorita.
“Yes, indeed,” she replied. “I raised him from a puppy. Are you fond of dogs, Don Guillermo?”
“Oh, yes,” interrupted Adrian, who overheard the remark, “Don Guillermo is very fond of dogs. If you could have seen him playing with them, about daylight this morning, you would have thought so,” at which remark all the boys laughed heartily, and Billie had to explain his adventure.
“Well, I think it was too bad that you should be caught in such a place; but Tanto will never do a
thing like that. Will you, Tanto?” and she patted the dog’s head.
“Come on,” called Pedro from the patio, “if we’re going to look over the hacienda, let’s get started before it gets any warmer.”
Accompanied by Don Antonio, the boys rode from place to place over the great farm, along the eastern border of which the Concho river wound its way, while on the other side the mountains rose abruptly to several hundred feet. At the southern extremity the river approached almost to the foot of the mountains, making a narrow neck of land. Still farther south the river broadened out into quite a lake, upon which were a number of small boats.