"I am yours to do with as you wish.

Beat me, if I do not perform my work well." "But I wouldn't beat a dog.

Almost any dog is too fine a fellow to be served in that fashion," Tom explained.
"_Caballeros_, I am here to receive your pleasure and commands concerning breakfast." "Is it ready ?" demanded Harry hopefully.
"The kitchen is open, and the cooks there," Nicolas responded.
"When your excellency's orders have been given the cooks will prepare your meal with great dispatch." "Has Don Luis come down yet ?" Tom inquired.
"No; for his great excellency has not yet eaten," answered the _peon_.
"Oh! Then your master eats in his own room ?" Tom asked.
"Don Luis eats always his breakfast in bed," Nicolas told them.
"Then I guess we were too fresh, Tom, in getting up," laughed Harry.
As this was spoken in English, Nicolas, not understanding, paid no heed.

Tom and Harry, on the other hand, had a conversational smattering of Spanish, for in Arizona they had had a large force of Mexican laborers working under them.
"Nicolas, my good boy," Tom went on, "we are quite new to the ways of Mexico.

We shall have to ask you to explain some matters to us." "I am a dog," said Nicolas, gravely, "but even a dog may speak according to his knowledge." "Then of what does the breakfast here usually consist ?" "Of anything in Don Luis's larder," replied the _peon_ grandly.
"Yet surely there must be some rule about the meal." "The only rule, excellency, is the pleasure of the host." "What does Don Luis, then, usually order ?" "Chocolate," replied the servant.
"Nothing else ?" "And a roll or two, excellency." "What does he eat after that ?" Harry demanded, rather anxiously.
"Nothing, _caballero_, until the next meal." "Chocolate and a roll or two," muttered Harry.