Q: CHAPTER V

WOLF'S OFFER

Jefferson sat in the shade of the bougainvillea and pondered some letters. Austin lounged in a basket-chair opposite and read the _Diario_. They had combined their business as far as possible, but Pancho Brown would not agree to a formal amalgamation. All was quiet. One heard the fountain splash and Betty's typewriter rattle. Sometimes a voice came from the room where Jefferson's Spanish clerks were occupied, but this was all.

Presently Austin put down the newspaper.

"The tomato crop was light and the vines are doing badly. It's ominous that the Palma import houses are cutting down their orders."

"Martinez allowed he wanted to get out of the deal in chemical fertilisers. Trade is looking sick," Jefferson agreed.

"When I joined Pancho Brown I used to study the accounts and congratulate myself when I saw our credits going up," Austin remarked with a smile. "To feel I could write a cheque for a good sum was something very new. Now I'm bothered because we have money at the bank. I don't see how it's going to be usefully employed."

"You want to keep money moving. Well, I met Wolf a day or two since, and he hinted he knew about a deal. I wasn't keen, but he said he might come around and see us. I rather expect him."

"You don't trust the fellow?"

"Sure thing! Reckon it's instinctive. I like straightforward folks. Wolf's a mystery man."

Austin looked up and laughed. "He's coming."

Wolf crossed the flags, and when he stopped by the bougainvillea his face was red. He was fat and his thin, black alpaca jacket looked very tight.

Answer the following questions:
1. Was Jefferson sitting in the shade?
2. Of what?
3. What was he thinking about?
4. Who was lounging near him?
5. What was he reclined in?
6. What newspaper was he reading?
7. Is Austin Jefferson's wife?
8. What kind of partners are they?
9. Did Jefferson have any clerks around?
10. What country did they hail from?
11. Who was typing somewhat noisily?
12. Is the tomato crop doing well?
13. Who wanted to get out of fertilizers?
14. What houses are cutting down their orders?
15. What company had Austin joined?
16. What did he study then?
17. When did he tell himself he had done a good job?
18. Was it a new experience being able to write a large check?
19. Where does it bug him now to have money kept?
20. Who hinted he knows about a deal and is expected to come around?
A: 1. Yes
2. The bougainvillea
3. Some letters
4. Austin
5. a basket-chair
6. The Diario
7. unknown
8. Business
9. Yes
10. Spain
11. Betty
12. No
13. Martinez
14. Palma import houses
15. Pancho Brown
16. The accounts
17. When the credits went up
18. Yes
19. At the bank
20. Wolf

Answer the questions at the end based on the text.

CHAPTER IX: HONOURS

In half an hour Paolo returned leading two horses. By their trappings and appearance both had evidently belonged to officers.

"Take off the trappings," Hector said, "then put a saddle on one for me; shift your own saddle on to the other, and picket your own with the spare horses of the staff, then we will ride over and get my saddle, bridle, holsters, and trappings. The horse has carried me well ever since I left Paris, and I am grieved indeed to lose it."

"So am I, master; it was a good beast, but I think that either of these is as good, though it will be long before I get to like them as I did Scotty. We shall want housings for this second horse, master."

"Yes; there will be no difficulty about that. There are scores of dead horses on the field; choose one without any embroidery or insignia. You may as well take another pair of holsters with pistols."

Riding across to the spot where Enghien and his officers were forming up the prisoners, talking courteously to the Spanish officers and seeing to the wounded, Hector, leaving Paolo to find his fallen horse and shift his trappings to the one that he rode, cantered up to the spot where Enghien's white plume could be seen in the midst of a group of officers, among whom was General Gassion. He saluted as he came up.

"I am glad indeed to see you, Captain Campbell," Enghien said warmly, holding out his hand; "I feared that you were killed. Some of my friends told me that you were struck down in the third charge, and that they had not seen you since and feared that you were slain."

1. How many horses did Paolo bring?
2. What could be guessed about the horses' origins?
3. How long was he gone?
4. What did he need to ride and fetch?
5. Did he miss his own horse?
6. Where is he from originally?
7. Were there many dead horses in the battlefield?
8. Who was organizing prisoners?
9. What distinguishing feature did he have?
10. Which General saluted them?
11. Was Enghien happy to see him?
12. What rumor had he heard?
13. During which charge?
14. Who had told him this rumor?
15. Where did Hector tell Paolo to take holsters and pistols from?

Numbered answers:

A:
1. two
2. they had belonged to officers.
3. half an hour
4. saddle, bridle, holsters, and trappings
5. Yes
6. Paris
7. Yes
8. Enghien
9. white plume
10. General Gassion
11. Yes
12. he was killed
13. the third
14. Some of his friends
15. dead horse