know?"

"Yes--the coast is an ugly one, except four
months in the year. Site is twelve miles from San
Juan, exposed to the rake of the sea; bottom coral,
I understand; labor cheap and good for nothing,
and appliances none--except what can be shipped
from here." This came with the air of one who
knew.

I now took charge of the negotiations:

"We have refused to erect the structure or be
responsible for it after it leaves our dock. We told
Senor Garlicho so."

Onativia lowered his chin, arched his eyebrows
and looked at me over his glasses.

"I don't want you to erect it," he said in a purring
tone with a patronizing strain through it. "I'll do
that. What I want to know is what it would cost
HERE? That's what I came to New York to find out."

"Has Senor Garlicho been awarded the contract?"
I asked. It was useless to distribute any more bread
upon the waters; certainly not on the ripples washing
the shores of Moccador. If there were any business
in sight I could very easily give either one of them
an approximate cost; if there were none the bakery