José — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

46 JOSE. mules began to move forward over the soft, level ground with more uniformity of motion, Bill, who drove the leading team, sent his long whip-cord through the air in a series of zig-zag gyrations as if to vent his heari’s delight in the loud detonations of his trusty quirt. This done, he pushed back his hat and turned his attention to the little Mexican who, seated upon a mule, was gazing into the dis- tance with a thoughtful look. “There!” he began; “I reckon things will go smoothly now, at least for a while. Now, young eentleman, be kind enough to tell me where you have been for the past three days. I want to know if you call this fair treatment?” “Wasn’t I promptly on hand, Uncle Bill, and did I not do my share of the work?” answered the youth, with a sly side-glance at the freighter. “Oh!” grumbled Bill, with a slight contraction of his brows; that’s what you call doing the square thing by your friends, even when they worry about you!” “Did you really worry about me, Uncle Bill?” At this moment Green and his German friend came dashing up alongside the caravan. Baumann seemed intent on completely absorbing in his view the far-stretching landscape, which, interspersed with groves of trees of every shade and form, here assumed a peculiar interest. His face reflected re- newed animation, which seemed to expand his breast; while Green’s thoughts, on the contrary, seemed to turn to the practical, the condition of the train; his glance, as he rode by, took in every ob- ject and detail, and when he had passed up the long line of wagons, he reined in his horse by the side of the leading team, while Baumann, wholly absorbed m Gomichookssco