“It is at least more beautiful than the country in which our mine is located,” Tom replied.

“Are you gentlemen, then, mine owners as well as mine experts?” inquired their host.

Tom told Don Luis briefly about their mine, the Ambition, in the Indian Smoke Range, Nevada.

“And is your mine a profitable one?” inquired the Mexican.

“It hasn’t made us millionaires,” Tom rejoined, modestly, “but it pays us more money, every month, than we really need.”

Don Luis glanced covertly at his secretary, with a look that conveyed: 

“If these young Gringos have all the money they want, and more, then we may find it difficult to appeal to their avarice.”

Dr. Tisco’s return glance as much as said: 

“I am all the more certain that we shall find them difficult.”

Don Luis commented to the two young men on the country through which they were passing.  Finally the car drew up before the entrance to El Sombrero Mine.  There was the shaft entrance and near it a goodly-sized dump for ore.  Not far from the entrance was a small but very neat looking office building, and a second, still smaller, which might have been a timekeeper’s office.

“Hello, Pedro!” called Don Luis.

Out of the office building sprang a dark-featured Mexican, perhaps forty years of age.  He was truly a large man—­more than six feet in height, broad of shoulder and deep of chest, a splendid type of manhood.

“My good Gato,” purred Don Luis, “pay your respects to Los Caballeros Reade and Hazelton.”

Gato approached, without offering his hand.  His big, wolfish eyes looked over the young American pair keenly.

“So Don Luis has brought you here to show whether you are any good?” said the mine manager, in a voice as big as his frame.  “I shall soon know.”

Before the big, formidable manager Harry Hazelton remained silent, while Don Luis and his secretary slid softly into the office building.

“Gato, just what do you mean by your remark?” asked Tom Reade, very quietly.

“I mean that I shall put you at work and find out what you can do,” leered the mine manager.

“Mistake number one!” rejoined Tom coolly.  “I do not understand that you have any authority to give us orders.”

“You shall soon learn, then!” growled the man.  “I am the mine manager here.”

“And we are the engineers about to be placed in charge,” Tom continued.  “If we stay, Gato, you will assist us in all ways that you can.  Then, when you have received our instructions you will carry them out according to the best of your ability.”

The two looked each other sternly in the eyes, Pedro Gato appearing as though he enjoyed young Americans better than any other food in the world.  Indeed, he might have been expected to eat one of them right then and there.

Behind a shade in the office building Dr. Tisco stirred uneasily.