“I!” said each of the four others; and Nappy Boney expressed the feeling of the whole party by exclaiming:
“The blue sky is enough good to cover man when woman needs blankets.”
Hastily Mississip collected the four extra blankets and both of his own, and, as he sped toward the Mexican hut, he stopped several times by the way to dexterously snatch blankets from sleeping forms.
“Here you be,” said he, suddenly entering the Mexican hut, and startling the inmates into crossing themselves violently. “Make the poor thing a decent bed, an’ we’ll hev a doctor here pretty soon.”
Mississip had barely vanished, when a light scratching was heard on the door.
A Mexican opened it, and saw Nappy Boney, with extended hand and bottle.
SUDDENLY, BY THE GLARE OF A FRESH LIGHT, THE BOYS SAW THE FACE OF A
RATHER DIRTY, LARGE-EYED, BROWN-SKINNED MEXICAN BABY.
“It is the eau-de-vie of la belle France,” he whispered. “Tenderly I have cherished, but it is at the lady’s service.”
Chagres Charley, Lynn Taps and Bracelets were composing their nerves with pipes about the fire they had surrounded early in the morning. Lynn Taps had just declared his disbelief of a soul inside of the Mexican frame, when the door was thrown open and an excited Mexican appeared.