Turning to the cause of the disturbance, who had joined in the cry about destroying the moulds, I said to him, "Come, come, we are waiting for you to break the moulds." No one made a move toward destroying our plaster-work, so I said, "No, you know quite well you will not break the moulds; if you did, you know what would happen; I should take you all as prisoners to Toluca." At that moment, catching sight of the old _presidente_ who was passing on the road, I clapped my hands and beckoned him.

When the old man came I laid the matter fairly before him, telling him the agreement that had been made, the time taken for the work, and the fact I had offered the man the _peso_ promised; that he now demanded five _pesos_, refusing to take the proffered money.

The old man looked a moment at me, then at the angry indian; then at me, and again at the indian; then, stepping up to him, he patted him on the back as a father might a spoiled child, saying, "Come, come, son; don't be a fool; three good days' wages for an hour's time; take your _peso_ and be gone." We had feared the incident would cast a damper on our work and hinder other subjects.

Far from it.

We were supplied as rapidly as our men could work at the same price we paid our first subject..