“Oh, rats, Señora,” Hi said, “it can’t be. You said it was twenty a little while ago.”
“Quien sabe?”
Bright Tooth stepped down the yard from them to open the gate.
“Adios, Señora,” Hi said, moving off. It was twenty-seven minutes to four; but he felt that he was now really started. A kind of gleam came upon the Señora’s face: the horse with the slippered feet clacked slowly down the slope to the track. Hi saw the German leaning on his hoe, watching him as he drew near.
VIII
The German came slowly towards him, waving with his left arm towards the left.
“Dot der way to Anselmo,” he said. “You mind out at der ford.”
“Thank you for your help,” Hi said.
“Very welcome.”
The German turned back to his hoeing and Hi set out upon his path. When he was out of sight of that settlement, really on his way to Anselmo, he thought of those warning words, “You mind out at the ford.”