Some time later, still giggling over the strange occurrences, they were espied by two young Indian men, who were hugging the bank as they paddled their canoe up against the stream.
"What makes you laugh," one of them greeted.
"We have been seeing things," Nicoya gurgled down to them.
"Then have you been drinking pulque," the young man charged.
Both girls shook their heads, and Concordia said:
"We don't have to drink to see things. First, when Nicoya threw in a banana skin, we saw a dog come up out of the water a white dog that was as big as a tiger of the mountains-"
"And when Concordia threw in a clod," the other girl took up the tale, "up came a man with a head of iron. It is magic. Concordia and I can work magic."
"Jose," one of the Indians addressed his mate, "this merits a drink."
And each, in turn, while the other with his paddle held the canoe in place, took a swig from a square-face Holland gin bottle part full of pulque.
"No," said Jose, when the girls had begged him for a drink. "One drink of pulque and you might see more white dogs as big as tigers or more iron-headed men."