"These are matters we do not often hear about in the Banda Oriental,"
he said. "But the English know everything--even the secrets of a flower.
They are also able to do most things. Did you ever, sir botanist, take
part in acting a comedy?"
After all, I had wasted my flower and scientific knowledge on the
animal for nothing! "Yes, I have!" I replied rather angrily; then,
suddenly remembering Eyebrows' teaching, I added, "and in tragedy
also."
"Is that so?" he exclaimed. "How amused the spectators must have been!
Well, we can all have our fill of fighting presently, for I see the
_White Flower_ coming this way to tell us that breakfast is ready.
Batata's roast beef will give something for our knives to do; I only
wish we had one of his own floury namesakes to eat with it."
I swallowed my resentment, and when Margarita came to us, looked up
into her matchless face with a smile, then rose to follow her into the
kitchen.
CHAPTER X
After breakfast I bade a reluctant good-bye to my kind entertainers,
took a last longing, lingering look at lovely Margarita, and mounted
my horse. Scarcely was I in the saddle before Marcos Marco, who was
also about to resume his journey on the fresh horse he had borrowed,
remarked:
"You are travelling to Montevideo, good friend; I am also going in
that direction, and will take you the shortest way.
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