“Let’s go and take a look at it,” said Father Pena.
When they got there, they found Heema and Alachu making little clay mortars and pestles out of the adobe mud.
“They play here every day,” said Docas.
Father Pena picked up a dry mortar that Alachu had made a few days before. It had dried very smoothly, with no cracks in it. Father Pena nodded his head. “I think this adobe will do,” he said.
On the next day Father Joseph and a number of the other men came out to the adobe bank.
“Dig up a patch of adobe,” said Father Joseph to Massea.
The children all stood around and watched while Massea dug.
“Now pour some water on the adobe and mix it up,” said Father Joseph.
In a few minutes Massea said, “It doesn’t mix easily. The adobe is in such large lumps.”
“Jump in, children, and dance around in the adobe. That will break up the lumps and make the adobe into a smooth paste,” said Father Joseph.