Don Luis commented to the two young men on the country through which they were passing. Finally the car drew up before the entrance to El Sombrero Mine. There was the shaft entrance and near it a goodly-sized dump for ore. Not far from the entrance was a small but very neat looking office building, and a second, still smaller, which might have been a timekeeper's office.
"Hello, Pedro!" called Don Luis.
Out of the office building sprang a dark-featured Mexican, perhaps forty years of age. He was truly a large man—more than six feet in height, broad of shoulder and deep of chest, a splendid type of manhood.
"My good Gato," purred Don Luis, "pay your respects to Los Caballeros
Reade and Hazelton."
Gato approached, without offering his hand. His big, wolfish eyes looked over the young American pair keenly.
"So Don Luis has brought you here to show whether you are any good?" said the mine manager, in a voice as big as his frame. "I shall soon know."
Before the big, formidable manager Harry Hazelton remained silent, while Don Luis and his secretary slid softly into the office building.
"Gato, just what do you mean by your remark?" asked Tom Reade, very quietly.
"I mean that I shall put you at work and find out what you can do," leered the mine manager.
"Mistake number one!" rejoined Tom coolly. "I do not understand that you have any authority to give us orders."