I saw at once that the fellow was no gypsy: the women said nothing, but I could hear the grandmother growling to herself, something after the manner of an old grimalkin when disturbed. “_Carracho_,” reiterated the fellow, “how came this companion here?” “_No le penela chi_, _min chaboró_,” said the black _Callee_ to me, in an undertone; “_sin un balichó de los chineles_;” {126} then looking up to the interrogator, she said aloud, “He is one of our people from Portugal, come on the smuggling lay, and to see his poor sisters here.” “Then let him give me some tobacco,” said the fellow; “I suppose he has brought some with him.” “He has no tobacco,” said the black _Callee_; “he has nothing but old iron. This cigar is the only tobacco there is in the house; take it, smoke it, and go away!” Thereupon she produced a cigar from out her shoe, which she presented to the _alguazil_. “This will not do,” said the fellow, taking the cigar; “I must have something better. It is now three months since I received anything from you. The last present was a handkerchief, which was good for nothing; therefore hand me over something worth taking, or I will carry you all to the _Carcel_.” “The _Busnó_ will take us to prison,” said the black _Callee_; “ha! ha! ha!” “The _Chinel_ will take us to prison,” giggled the young girl; “he! he! he!” “The _Bengui_ will carry us all to the _estaripel_,” grunted the gypsy grandmother; “ho! ho! ho!” The three females arose and walked slowly round the fellow, fixing their eyes steadfastly on his face; he appeared frightened, and evidently wished to get away. Suddenly the two youngest seized his hands, and whilst he struggled to release himself, the old woman exclaimed, “You want tobacco, _hijo_—you come to the gypsy house to frighten the _Callees_ and the strange _Caloró_ out of their _plako_—truly, _hijo_, we have none for you, and right sorry I am; we have, however, plenty of the dust _á su servicio_.” {127} Here, thrusting her hand into her pocket, she discharged a handful of some kind of dust or snuff into the fellow’s eyes; he stamped and roared, but was for some time held fast by the two _Callees_. He extricated himself, however, and attempted to unsheath a knife which he bore at his girdle; but the two younger females flung themselves upon him like furies, while the old woman increased his disorder by thrusting her stick into his face; he was soon glad to give up the contest, and retreated, leaving behind him his hat and cloak, which the _chabí_ gathered up and flung after him into the street. “This is a bad business,” said I; “the fellow will of course bring the rest of the _justicia_ upon us, and we shall all be cast into the _estaripel_.” “_Ca_!” said the black _Callee_, biting her thumb-nail, “he has more reason to fear us than we him. We could bring him to the _filimicha_; we have, moreover, friends in this town—plenty, plenty.”