“Every fife-ten year the friar come back to warn his peepul what best to do. Sometimes the river floods coming bad, and always he warn his flock in time for them to escape. When we tell unbelievers this they laugh. However, a number of ’Mericans get permit a few years back, and dig up grave where holy father’s body rest. They find the heavy log coffin and friar’s earth-body jus’ so good as when his spirit leave it. All I say is truth, ’cause I am Padre here, and cannot mistell you this.”
Further reminiscences were impossible, because a number of men were seen coming up the foot-path to the piazza.
“Well, scouts, how did you pass the hour I left you to your resources?” called the hearty voice of Mr. Gilroy, as he approached.
“We never thought of you once,” laughed Joan.
“That shows how much we missed you,” added Julie.
“If I was a fine young man in green uniform I suppose I’d have all the girls sighing for me,” retorted Mr. Gilroy.
That evening, after supper, Sanderson and Burt devoted their time and attention to Padre Miguel and the important information about the Pueblos which he gave them. The scouts gathered around and listened for a time, then, finding that Adair and Chase were equally interested in the Padre’s tales, they said good-night and went to bed.
“You know, Gilly,” said Mr. Vernon, in an undertone that night, “I think we’ll let the horses eat their heads off here, where the fodder is the cheapest thing we can buy, while we hire a touring-car to visit the places about Santa Fé. We’ll really save money, and in the end, give us more time to see the really wonderful places when we get to them, instead of using the time on the road if we use horses,” said Mr. Vernon.
“Do you know, Verny, I was thinking the same thing to-day, when I saw the numerous cars go through the city on the way to points of interest in New Mexico. I was half wishing we had left the horses out of the plan for this summer and had chosen the automobile instead,” remarked Mr. Gilroy.
“Don’t regret having decided on horses, Gilly; we can never go in a car where the four sure feet of mountain-climbing horses can carry us,” declared Mr. Vernon, emphatically. “But now, I really believe we can do better by using a machine to cover these long trips, such as forty to sixty miles a day. In this way we need not miss a single thing around Santa Fé, and still be on hand in order to meet the other girl scouts the first of August.”