"For the sake of Miguelito," Jacket urged. "CARAMBA! What a hard-
hearted father begot that boy!"
"Hush!" The fisherman was scowling. To O'Reilly he said, "You do
wrong to tempt a poor man."
"My brother Esteban is sick. He is a frail little lad with a
crooked back. God will reward you."
"Perhaps! But how much will YOU pay?"
"Ten Spanish sovereigns like this--all that I have."
"No! It is not enough."
O'Reilly took Jacket's hand and turned away. "I'm sorry," said he.
"I wish I might offer you more." He had taken several steps before
Morin hailed him.
"Come back to-morrow," the fisherman cried, crossly. "We will try
to talk like sensible people."
The brothers Villar were back at Morin's fish-stand on the
following afternoon and they returned daily thereafter until they
at last prevailed over the Spaniard's fears and won his promise of
assistance. That much accomplished, they made several cautious
purchases, a coat here, a shirt there, a pair of trousers in
another place, until they had assembled a complete boy's outfit of
clothing.
At first Rosa refused absolutely to desert her two faithful negro
friends, and O'Reilly won her consent to consider his plan of
escape only after he had put the matter squarely up to Asensio and
his wife and after both had refused to enter into it. Asensio
declared that he was too sick to be moved, and asserted that he
would infinitely prefer to remain where he was, provided he was
supplied with sufficient money to cover his needs.
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