"They are painters," he said; "they travel about the country making pictures with paint and brushes, not with a machine. Not content with that they are amateur musicians, and can play. There are their instruments. But better than all this they can read and write; and what is more I can prove it."
With an air of pride he drew from his bosom the card on which Jan had written Antonio's address.
The old man took it. He perched a pair of horn spectacles on his nose and read the address through from end to end.
Then he handed the treasure back solemnly to the zapatero.
"And very well done too," he said.
We said good-bye to the zapatero, and the train drew out of the station some two hours late. Gradually the night darkened. There was a long wait at Alcantarilla, and we arrived at Murcia within the four hours' limit which one must place on the Spanish time-table. We left our van luggage to be collected in the morning, and carrying our instruments in our hands walked back to the Paseo de Corveras
FOOTNOTES:
[30] Bootmaker.