第2章

To complete the confusion of his appearance, he was called "Senor"Perkins, for no other reason, apparently, than his occasional, but masterful, use of the Spanish vernacular.

Steadying himself by one of the quarter stanchions, he waved his right hand oratorically towards the sinking coast.

"Look at it, sir.One of the finest countries that ever came from the hand of the Creator; a land overflowing with milk and honey;containing, sir, in that one mountain range, the products of the three zones--and yet the abode of the oppressed and down-trodden;the land of faction, superstition, tyranny, and political revolution.""That's all very well," said Banks irritably, "but Mazatlan is a well-known commercial port, and has English and American correspondents.There's a branch of that Boston firm--Potter, Potts & Potter--there.The new line of steamers is going to stop there regularly."Senor Perkins' soft black eyes fell for an instant, as if accidentally, on the third mate, but the next moment he laughed, and, throwing back his head, inhaled, with evident relish, a long breath of the sharp, salt air.

"Ah!" he said enthusiastically, "THAT'S better than all the business you can pick up along a malarious coast.Open your mouth and try to take in the free breath of the glorious North Pacific.

Ah! isn't it glorious?"

"Where's the captain?" said Banks, with despairing irritation."Iwant to see him."

"The captain," said Senor Perkins, with a bland, forgiving smile and a slight lowering of his voice, "is, I fear, suffering from an accident of hospitality, and keeps his state-room.The captain is a good fellow," continued Perkins, with gentle enthusiasm; "a good sailor and careful navigator, and exceedingly attentive to his passengers.I shall certainly propose getting up some testimonial for him.""But if he's shut up in his state-room, who's giving the orders?"began Banks angrily.

Senor Perkins put up a small, well-kept hand deprecatingly.

"Really, my dear boy, I suppose the captain cannot be omnipresent.

Some discretion must be left to the other officers.They probably know his ideas and what is to be done better than we do.You business men trouble yourselves too much about these things.You should take them more philosophically.For my part I always confide myself trustingly to these people.I enter a ship or railroad car with perfect faith.I say to myself, 'This captain, or this conductor, is a responsible man, selected with a view to my safety and comfort; he understands how to procure that safety and that comfort better than I do.He worries himself; he spends hours and nights of vigil to look after me and carry me to my destination.Why should I worry myself, who can only assist him by passive obedience? Why'--" But here he was interrupted by a headlong plunge of the Excelsior, a feminine shriek that was half a laugh, the rapid patter of small feet and sweep of flying skirts down the slanting deck, and the sudden and violent contact of a pretty figure.

The next moment he had forgotten his philosophy, and his companion his business.Both flew to the assistance of the fair intruder, who, albeit the least injured of the trio, clung breathlessly to the bulwarks.

"Miss Keene!" ejaculated both gentlemen.

"Oh dear! I beg your pardon," said the young lady, reddening, with a naive mingling of hilarity and embarrassment."But it seemed so stuffy in the cabin, and it seemed so easy to get out on deck and pull myself up by the railings; and just as I got up here, Isuddenly seemed to be sliding down the roof of a house.""And now that you're here, your courage should be rewarded," said the Senor, gallantly assisting her to a settee, which he lashed securely."You are perfectly safe now," he added, holding the end of the rope in his hand to allow a slight sliding movement of the seat as the vessel rolled."And here is a glorious spectacle for you.Look! the sun is just rising."The young girl glanced over the vast expanse before her with sparkling eyes and a suddenly awakened fancy that checked her embarrassed smile, and fixed her pretty, parted lips with wonder.

The level rays of the rising sun striking the white crests of the lifted waves had suffused the whole ocean with a pinkish opal color: the darker parts of each wave seemed broken into facets instead of curves, and glittered sharply.The sea seemed to have lost its fluidity, and become vitreous; so much so, that it was difficult to believe that the waves which splintered across the Excelsior's bow did not fall upon her deck with the ring of shattered glass.

"Sindbad's Valley of Diamonds!" said the young girl, in an awed whisper.

"It's a cross sea in the Gulf of California, so the mate says,"said Banks practically; "but I don't see why we"...

"The Gulf of California?" repeated the young girl, while a slight shade of disappointment passed over her bright face; "are we then so near"--"Not the California you mean, my dear young lady," broke in Senor Perkins, "but the old peninsula of California, which is still a part of Mexico.It terminates in Cape St.Lucas, a hundred miles from here, but it's still a far cry to San Francisco, which is in Upper California.But I fancy you don't seem as anxious as our friend Mr.Banks to get to your journey's end," he added, with paternal blandness.

The look of relief which had passed over Miss Keene's truthful face gave way to one of slight embarrassment.

"It hasn't seemed long," she said hastily; and then added, as if to turn the conversation, "What is this peninsula? I remember it on our map at school.""It's not of much account," interrupted Banks positively."There ain't a place on it you ever heard of.It's a kind of wilderness.""I differ from you," said Senor Perkins gravely."There are, Ihave been told, some old Mexican settlements along the coast, and there is no reason why the country shouldn't be fruitful.But you may have a chance to judge for yourself," he continued beamingly.