Do you think we could find that mountain of gold and precious stones you were telling me about ?" "I never entertained any idea so absurd.

I merely mentioned poor old Zamorra's crank as an instance of how credulous people could be." "Well, perhaps the idea is not quite so absurd as you suppose.

Even stranger things have happened; and we do know that there is gold pretty nearly everywhere on this continent, to say nothing of the treasure hidden in times past by Indians and Spaniards, and we might find both gold and diamonds." "Of course we might; and as we cannot stay here, we may as well make the attempt." "You are not forgetting that it will be very dangerous?
We shall carry our lives in our hands." "That will be nothing new; I have carried my life in my hands ever since I came to Venezuela." "True, and if you are prepared to encounter the risk and the hardship--As for myself, I must confess that the idea pleases me.

But have you any money?
We shall have to equip our expedition.

If there are only four of us we shall not get beyond the Rio Negro.