Frank Merriwell in Mexico: The Search for the Silver Palace — page 8: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

6. FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO. PBnally revealed itself as a drove of sheep, ; | _ urged along by peons. Groups of natives were strolling in both! “That’s nodded Professor -Scotch. | They were successful in finding a native right,”? F directions, seeking the shadows along the ‘undertaker, but the fellow was very lazy, ~eanal. The women were in straw hats, | ‘and he did not want to do anything till . with their black hair plaited, and little, ‘the next day. » children strung to their backs; the men ~ ‘wore serapes and sandals, and smoked ; 4 cigarettes. ‘“To-morrow, senors, to-morrow,’’ he said. : That did not satisfy, however, and he Along the side of the canal were scat-| Was soon aroused by the sight of money. oe scores of natives of all ages and both : Learning where the corpse was, he pro- ~-gexes, lolling beneath the bushes or soak- cured a cart and a burro, and they again» » ing their bodies in the water, while their - heads rested on the ground. ‘Those stretched in the shadow of the | ~ bushes had taken their bath, and were) waiting for their bodies to a covered | ‘ simply by serapes. | . From beneath such a covering -dar - eyed native girls. .stared curiously at the: - passing trio, causing: Hans no small --amoumt of confusion. , — *T say, Vrankie,’’ said tie Dutch boy, ~ “yot you dinks apoudt dot pusiness uf --dakin’ a path in bublic mit der roadt '. beside?”? a _. “Tt seems to be the custom of the - country,’’? smiled Frank; ‘‘and they do not seem to think it-at all improper.’’ _ -. “Vell, somepody better toldt dem to < stob id. Id keeps mein plood mein face “jn so much dot I shall look like you hat “ peen drinking.” a the professor. ‘You will notice with what ~_deftness they disrobe, slipping out of their clothes and into the water without ex- posing much more than a bare toe.” | ‘“‘Oxcuse you!’ fluttered Hans. ‘‘I _ -don’d ‘like to took mein chances py look- : ing. Somepody mighd make a misdake.” _ The sun was low down as they rode - into the town. ““We have no time to lose,” said - Frank. ‘We must move lively, if we mean to return to the hut before night- - fall. - ‘set out along the road. They found whole families soaking in groups in the canal, sousing their. babies in the water, a ‘bank. and draining them on the. Young Indian girls in groups were | 7 ‘combing out their hair and chatting ‘merrily among themselves and with ‘friends in the water. ‘*Dere. oughter peen some law for dot;”’ imuttered Hans. | Leaving the canal, they set out upon the sand-plain, the undertaker’s burro crawling along at an aggravating pace, its settling in a blue haze on the plain when ithe hut was reached. | | Frank lighted a pocket lamp he always | carried, and entered. te: A cry of astonishment broke from his ~ > “They think nothing of it,’’ eepleieal lips. ‘Professor ! protest” he called; “the body is gone!”? | | sm Serre en ermaNaE! ST CHAPTER IIL HELD FOR RANSOM. “tone! {93 The professor was astonished. “‘Shimminy Gristmas! you dot!”? Hans Dunnerwust was dazed. ‘Ves, gone,’’? repeated Frank, throw- master refusing to whip it up, despite | The sun’ had set, and darkness was I don’d toldt Conn iGoool S (CO) in