As it was nearly noon by this time, we cooked our dinner, and while doing so were visited again by a number of the Indians.  Don Juan intimated to them that several of his oxen had strayed off during the night, and the Navajos kindly offered to go in search of them for a remuneration.  They demanded a stack of tortillas a foot high and a sack of flour.  Nolens-volens, squatted Don Mestal before the fire and baked bread for the wily Indians as a ransom for his cattle.  Of course then the missing oxen were soon brought up, and we lost no time in getting under way.

Until midnight we traveled, as Don Juan was very anxious to get away from the reservation of these Indians, which is seventy-five miles across.  This night we experienced a repetition of the tactics of the night before, as regarded the safety of our herd, but Don Juan had to pay a higher ransom in the morning.  While we were awaiting the arrival of the Indians with our lost steers, Chief Manuelito honored us again with his presence.  He sat down at our fire, and producing a greasy deck of Spanish playing cards, he challenged Don Juan to a game of monte.  That was an irresistible temptation for my companion.  By the smiling expression of his wizened features I divined that he thought he saw his chance for revenge.  Manuelito undoubtedly had a strain of sporting blood in his veins, as he offered to stake his horses, blankets, squaws, and everything he had against the Mexican’s wagons and cargo.  I warned Don Juan to have a care, as I knew the cunning of the Navajo tribe, having dealt with them before, and advised him to play the traps he had bought from them with liquor against a chipper little squaw who was richly dressed and had come with Chief Manuelito, mounted on a white pony.  I believed her to be the chief’s daughter.  When she understood the import of the conversation, she looked haughtily and in a disdainful manner at Don Juan, but appeared to be pleased with me and eyed me with symptoms of curiosity.  Of course, I expected her to defy Don Juan to take her, and simply ride off in case he should win the game.  At any rate, I meant to take her under my protection, if necessary, and send her home to her people.  In fact, the liquor which Don Juan had sold these Indians had belonged to me and had been presented to me by a friend as an antidote for possible snake bites on the road to Arizona.

The gambling began, and my Mexican companions became so engrossed in the enjoyment of their alluring national game of monte that they forgot everything else.  The drivers were as interested as their employer and bet the poor trinkets they possessed on the result of the game.  There arrived more Indians continually, and I observed a familiar face amongst these and saw that I myself was recognized.  The game was ended as I had foreseen, with Don Juan as the loser.  He was an easy prey for these Indians, who are as full of tricks as the ocean is of water.