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 say. Instructed by their master, the men answered to the queries of the visitors with consummate cunning, so as to transform into marvels the evils of the place.

Buyers are accustomed to interrogate unexpectedly, being suspicious of the information given by the proprietors. Therefore, if this happened—and it always happened, because Moreira was the personification of the contriver of chance situations,—there occurred dialogues such as these:

"Is there much frost about here?"

"Very little, and that only in bad years."

"Do beans grow well here?"

"Holy Mother! This very year I planted five measures and harvested fifty alqueires. And what beans!"

"Do the cattle have ticks?"

"Why, no! only one or another here and there. For raising, none better. No weeds or wild beans. The trouble is, the master has no strength. If he had the means this would become a fine fazenda!"

Having warned the informants, that night the preparation for receiving their guest was discussed, all happy with the renewal of their lost hopes.

"I bet that this time the thing goes!" said the vagabond son and declared that for his part he needed three contos to set himself up in business.

"What kind of business?" asked the father astonished.

"A grocery store at Volta Redonda …"

"At Volta Redonda! I was already surprised at a sensible idea in this crazy head.