WeremainedthreedaysintheCapaBlancaIslands. Thereweretworeasonswhywestayedtheresolongwhenwewerereallyinsuchahurrytogetaway. Onewastheshortageinourprovisionscausedbytheableseaman'senormousappetite. Whenwecametogooverthestoresandmakealist,wefoundthathehadeatenawholelotofotherthingsbesidesthebeef. Andhavingnomoney,weweresorelypuzzledhowtobuymore. TheDoctorwentthroughhistrunktoseeiftherewasanythinghecouldsell. Buttheonlythinghecouldfindwasanoldwatchwiththehandsbrokenandthebackdentedin;andwedecidedthiswouldnotbringusinenoughmoneytobuymuchmorethanapoundoftea. BumposuggestedthathesingcomicsongsinthestreetswhichhehadlearnedinJolliginki. ButtheDoctorsaidhedidnotthinkthattheislanderswouldcareforAfricanmusic. Theotherthingthatkeptuswasthebullfight. Intheseislands,whichbelongedtoSpain,theyhadbullfightseverySunday. ItwasonaFridaythatwearrivedthere;andafterwehadgotridoftheableseamanwetookawalkthroughthetown. Itwasaveryfunnylittletown,quitedifferentfromanythatIhadeverseen. Thestreetswerealltwistyandwindingandsonarrowthatawagoncouldonlyjustpassalongthem. Thehousesoverhungatthetopandcamesoclosetogetherthatpeopleintheatticscouldleanoutofthewindowsandshakehandswiththeirneighborsontheoppositesideofthestreet. TheDoctortoldusthetownwasvery,veryold.ItwascalledMonteverde. Aswehadnomoneyofcoursewedidnotgotoahoteloranythinglikethat. Butonthesecondeveningwhenwewerepassingbyabed-maker'sshopwenoticedseveralbeds,whichthemanhadmade,standingonthepavementoutside. TheDoctorstartedchattinginSpanishtothebed-makerwhowassittingathisdoorwhistlingtoaparrotinacage. TheDoctorandthebed-makergotveryfriendlytalkingaboutbirdsandthings. Andasitgrewneartosupper-timethemanaskedustostopandsupwithhim. Thisofcoursewewereverygladtodo.Andafterthemealwasover(verynicedishestheywere,mostlycookedinolive-oil—Iparticularlylikedthefriedbananas)wesatoutsideonthepavementagainandwentontalkingfarintothenight. Atlastwhenwegotup,togobacktoourship,thisveryniceshopkeeperwouldn'thearofourgoingawayonanyaccount. Hesaidthestreetsdownbytheharborwereverybadlylightedandtherewasnomoon.Wewouldsurelygetlost. Heinvitedustospendthenightwithhimandgobacktoourshipinthemorning. Well,wefinallyagreed;andasourgoodfriendhadnosparebedrooms,thethreeofus,theDoctor,BumpoandI,sleptonthebedssetoutforsaleonthepavementbeforetheshop. Thenightwassohotweneedednocoverings. Itwasgreatfuntofallasleepoutofdoorslikethis,watchingthepeoplewalkingtoandfroandthegaylifeofthestreets. ItseemedtomethatSpanishpeopleneverwenttobedatall. Lateasitwas,allthelittlerestaurantsandcafesarounduswerewideopen,withcustomersdrinkingcoffeeandchattingmerrilyatthesmalltablesoutside. Thesoundofaguitarstrummingsoftlyinthedistancemingledwiththeclatterofchinawareandthebabbleofvoices. SomehowitmademethinkofmymotherandfatherfarawayinPuddleby,withtheirregularhabits,theeveningpractiseonthefluteandtherest—doingthesamethingeveryday. Ifeltsortofsorryfortheminaway,becausetheymissedthefunofthistravelinglife,whereweweredoingsomethingnewallthetime—evensleepingdifferently. ButIsupposeiftheyhadbeeninvitedtogotobedonapavementinfrontofashoptheywouldn'thavecaredfortheideaatall.Itisfunnyhowsomepeopleare. 
