Page:The Road to Monterey (1925).pdf/20

 returned, both thought and eyes on the immense load of hides.

He hurried on past Don Abrahan as he spoke, to clamber on a hub, and from there to a wheel-top, where he stood lifting the corners of the hides, as if counting them to form an estimate of the number.

"Must have a hundred and fifty here," he ventured, turning sharply to Don Abrahan.

"Two hundred," Don Abrahan corrected him loftily, yet with gentlemanly indifference.

"That'll bring you up to twenty-eight hundred," the captain said briskly, descending from the wagon, bristling with business.

"And forty-three," Don Abrahan amended, fixing the Yankee captain with accusing eye.

"Not by a dam' sight!" the captain blustered, his weathered face darkening.

"My mayordomo reports to me"—Don Abrahan spoke slowly, each word standing precisely and distinctly alone—"that your count disagreed with mine by forty-three on yesterday."

"I don't doubt you had that many when you piled them: up here, colonel," the captain allowed. "We had a hard off-shore blow here at the harbor night-before-last, it's just likely some of your hides were whisked out to sea. I know I didn't git 'em, anyhow."

"We will balance the difference. Perhaps some mistake"

"Not by a jugful, we won't, old feller! You can take my count or you can leave it, but I tell you