It was now pitch-dark. Howard had some difficulty in finding his way back to camp. No one accompanied him, but the faint light of the camp-fire flickering in the distance guided him.
“Well, what did the great doctor achieve?” Dobbs asked when the old man came near.
“It wasn’t anything to speak of. Artificial respiration and some boy-scout tricks and he came along fine. I think it was more shock than drowning. He hadn’t swallowed much water, as far as I could tell. Perhaps he was stunned when diving. Now what about my part of the supper? Any meat left?”
“Plenty. Don’t you worry,” Curtin laughed and heaped his plate.
3
Dawn saw the partners already on their march again. They wished to reach the village of Tominil, where they would try to cross the high passes of the Sierra Madre.
At noon they stopped to give themselves and the animals a rest, as the sun was mercilessly hot.
They were just ready to pack up again when Curtin exclaimed: “Now what the devil is coming? Looks as if we have something on our heels.”
“Where?” Dobbs asked. At the same moment he had caught sight of a group of Indians on horseback.
It was not long before they reached the partners, who recognized four of the men as the same who last night had come to their camp to ask for help. Two others Howard knew had been in the house when he had treated the boy.
The Indians greeted the travelers, and one of the men asked: “Senores, why did you leave our neighborhood so soon?”
Howard laughed. “We weren’t running away, senores. The fact is we have to go to Durango, to attend to our business, which is very important.”
“Business?” the father of the rescued boy questioned. “What is business, after all? Just hustle and worry. Business can wait. There is no business in this world which is urgent, senores. Urgent business is nothing but sheer imagination. Death finishes the most important and the most urgent business in a second. So what? There are more days coming, as long as there is a sun in the heavens. Every new day you can use to do business. Why just today? There is always a manana, always a tomorrow, which is just as good as today. What’s the difference between today and tomorrow? It’s only imaginary. And so I say, senores, you cannot go. You cannot leave me like that. No, senor. You cannot leave me in debt to you. I invite you to stay with me. You rescued my boy from certain death. For having done this great service I should be damned and burn in hell for all eternity if I allowed you to go without first showing you my deep gratitude. What is more, all the people in the village would believe me a sinner and a devil if I did not reward you properly for what you have done for me and my family.”
Dobbs pushed Curtin in the ribs and said in a low voice: “Seems to me a similar story to that told us by the old man the other day about the doctor who cured the eyes of the son of an Indian chief, and this time it’s us that gets the benefit. Sure, that guy knows a lost gold mine he’s going to offer us. I bet you.”
“Keep quiet and let’s listen first,” Curtin said.
The Indian continued his speech. “You see, senores, the only way I can show you my gratitude is by inviting you to be my guests for at least two weeks.”
Dobbs looked sour.
“No, senores, let’s make it six weeks; that would be better. I have good milpas, very fine acres. Lots of corn. I have many goats and quite a number of sheep. I am not so poor as I may look. Each day I shall have a turkey roasted for you, and as many eggs and as much goat’s milk and roast kid as you can eat. I have already ordered my wife to make you at least three times a week the very best tamales she can make. In fact, she has been hard at work since long before sunrise to prepare a great feast for you. You cannot well leave her now with all the good food cooked. She would die of shame, thinking you believe her a bad cook. She isn’t; my wife is a great cook. I think she is the best cook for miles around.”
“I thank you for your kindness, for your very great kindness indeed,” Howard responded, falling in with the elaborate speech his would-be host had used. “To tell you the truth, I’m very sorry we can’t stay on. We have to go to Durango. Unless I am in Durango inside of a week, I’ll lose all my business.”
