246 CRUISE OF THE BARRERA 



along the base of the sierra beyond. About noon 

 the party reassembled at the house of Sefiora Piad 

 and received a delightful welcome from that 

 hospitable family. We must indeed have made a 

 formidable party for any hostess to invite to 

 luncheon. At the table an amusing incident 

 occurred, that, for a brief moment, embarrassed 

 the Sefiora, but set us all into a whirl of laughter, 

 establishing an entente cordiale which only the 

 general appreciation of a humorous situation can 

 bring about. A venturesome chicken entering 

 the dining-room suddenly flew upon the dinner 

 table and made a dive for the nearest platter of 

 food \Those sitting close to the scene of the raid 

 attempted to shoo away the unwelcome guest, 

 but only succeeded in driving it down the full 

 length of the table, leaping from one side to the 

 other to escape threats from every quarter. Dur- 

 ing this running of the gauntlet, the chicken 

 managed to step (actually!) into every platter of 

 food on the table and at the farther end, amid 

 a general hostile demonstration, it succeeded in 

 seizing a steak from Bartsch's plate and carrying 

 it overboard in its retreat. Any fowl that could 

 accomplish so much, deserved the booty, but such 



