Nicolas served them carefully, as always.
"We're not through much too early, anyway," Tom murmured.

"Here come Don Luis and his artful shadow." The touring car stopped, at a little distance from camp.

After the two passengers had alighted the chauffeur drove on two hundred yards further ere he drew up to wait for them.
"Good morning," hailed Don Luis, cordially.

"I see you are waiting for us." "We have been ready for you since we first rose," Tom answered.
"Is your answer ready ?" Don Luis demanded, eyeing them searchingly.
"Don Luis," Tom replied, instantly, "the report that you wanted us to sign for you would hardly answer the purpose with shrewd American investors.

That report goes back too far; it covers too many points that you might be supposed to know were true, but which engineers who had been here but a few weeks could hardly be expected to know at first hand.