The boy acted promptly. He added two more silver dollars to the amount
that he had proffered, put the whole in the old Indian's palm, took down
the serape, folded it over his arm, and with a "gracias, senor," backed
swiftly out of the shop. The old Indian was too much astonished to move
for at least a half minute. Then tightly clutching the silver in his
hand he ran into the street. But the tall young senor, with the serape
already wrapped around his shoulders, was disappearing in the darkness.
The Indian opened his palm and looked at the silver. A smile passed over
his face. After all, it was two good Spanish dollars more than he had
expected, and he returned contentedly to his shop. If such generous
young gentlemen came along every night his fortune would soon be made.
Ned soon left the shop far behind. It was a fine serape, very large,
thick and warm, and he draped himself in it in true Mexican fashion. It
kept him warm, and, wrapped in its folds, he looked much more like a
genuine Mexican. He had but little money left, but among the more
primitive people beyond the capital one might work his way. If suspected
he could claim to be English, and Mexico was not at war with England.
He bought a sombrero at another shop with almost the last of his money,
and then started toward La Viga, the canal that leads from the lower
part of the city toward the fresh water lakes, Chalco and Xochimilco.
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