He made much vainglorious boast about
his weapon at the outset of the journey, though, to the discredit of
his generalship, it was suffered to hang unloaded behind his saddle.
According to our stipulations, the man from whom we hired the horses
was to be at the expense of their feed and stabling on the journey, as
well as of the maintenance of our Biscayan squire, who of course was
provided with funds for the purpose; we took care, however, to give
the latter a private hint, that, though we made a close bargain with
his master, it was all in his favor, as, if he proved a good man and
true, both he and the horses should live at our cost, and the money
provided for their maintenance remain in his pocket. This unexpected
largess, with the occasional present of a cigar, won his heart
completely. He was, in truth, a faithful, cheery, kind-hearted
creature, as full of saws and proverbs as that miracle of squires, the
renowned Sancho himself, whose name, by the by, we bestowed upon
him, and like a true Spaniard, though treated by us with companionable
familiarity, he never for a moment, in his utmost hilarity,
overstepped the bounds of respectful decorum.
Such were our minor preparations for the journey, but above all we
laid in an ample stock of good humor, and a genuine disposition to
be pleased, determining to travel in true contrabandista style, taking
things as we found them, rough or smooth, and mingling with all
classes and conditions in a kind of vagabond companionship.
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