Many of the police eyed him curiously, and one or two followed him.
But he had no intention of being baulked in his purpose.
So he entered a likely shop, and quickly made his purchases.
Wrapping these carefully up, he slung the bundle over his shoulder and left.
He stumbled over a lanky Portuguese policeman a few yards off.
The man would have fallen had not Benee seized him in his iron grasp and brought him again to his equilibrium.
Then he spoke a few words in Bolivian, and made signs that he wished to eat and drink.
"Aguardiente!" said the officer, his eyes sparkling with joy.
He had really harboured some intentions of throwing Benee into the tumble-down old prison, but a drink would be a far better solution of the difficulty, and he cheerfully led the way to a sort of hotel.
And in twenty minutes' time this truly intelligent member of the force and Benee were lying on skin mats with apparently all the good things in this life spread out before them.