"You have done well for the beginning," said the padre, "but to-night, you must lay two stones like this."
"Holy San Pedro, help me!" exclaimed Joza. "It is impossible!" and he turned away, very sorrowful.
At night he told Schio what the padre had said. Schio frowned, and answered, "The padre should not ask too much; but this shall be as he desires."
Again they went out in the twilight, and before the rising of the golden moon, two more foundation-stones were laid.
At daybreak the padre arose, and hastened to see if the task had been accomplished, and before his wondering eyes, lay the three immense foundation-stones, smooth, and in their proper places.
"Holy Virgin! I will give him enough to-night," exclaimed the amazed padre, and again the task was doubled.
Thus it went on, night after night, and week after week, till the Grand San Pedro began to rise up like Aladdin's wonderful palace, but, Schio, the man of iron, grew very angry, as the full moon arose upon him, bending over his unfinished task.
"Joza," said he, "the padre may go too far for even Schio to bear; bid him beware!
"If the morning sun finds me here, I will not answer for the result; too much pressure will burst open the hidden recesses of earth, and cause the caverns of ocean to resound with fearful echoes of mystery.
"Can he think San Pedro will bless avarice and oppression, even in the padre Antonio?"