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A servant in private livery admitted us to a spacious drawing-room and Señor de Jiminez, arrayed in a regulation dress suit, in which he appeared far more imposing than in the flashy attire he had before worn, advanced quickly to greet us. At a center table sat an aged, pleasant faced lady and crouching in a chair by the fireplace was a youth of about my own age, who bore so strong a facial resemblance to De Jiminez that it needed no shrewdness to guess he was his son.
Our host led us first to the lady.
"Young gentlemen," said he, as with profound deference he bowed before her, "I have the honor to present my mother, Señora de Jiminez."
She smiled graciously and extended her hands to us.
"It is unfortune," he added, "that she is not with your English language familiar."
"Oh, but I speak Spanish -- a little," said I; for I had learned it during a sojourn in Panama. Then I told the lady I was glad to meet her, speaking in her own tongue, and she bade me welcome.
De Jiminez seemed pleased. He next led me to the young fellow by the fire, who had not risen nor even glanced toward us, but seemed tremendously interested in his own thoughts. These could not have been very pleasant, judging from the somber expression of his face.
"My son Alfonso," said our host, introducing us. "Alfonso, I present Mr. Steele and Mr. Herring, two young American gentlemen I have recently met."
The boy looked up quickly.
"Not of the _Seagull_! " he exclaimed in English.
"Yes."
"Then -- " he began eagerly; but his father stopped him with a gesture.
"I am making consideration of a proposition they have made to me," he observed with dignity.
"Perhaps, Alfonso, we may sail back to Colombia in the _Seagull_."
The boy's eyes glistened. They were dark and restless eyes, very like those of his parent. He rose from his chair and shook hands with us with an appearance of cordiality. We now saw he was remarkably short of stature. Although he was sixteen the crown of his head scarcely reached to my shoulder. But he assumed the airs and dress of a man and I noticed he possessed his father's inordinate love for jewelry.
"Would you prefer in the hotel restaurant to dine, or in our private salon? " inquired the elder De Jiminez.
"It is unimportant to us, sir," I returned. "Do not alter your usual custom on our account, I beg of you."
"Then," said he, "I will order service in the salon. " He seemed relieved and went to consult his servant.
Meantime young Alfonso looked at us curiously.
"You do not own the _Seagull_, I suppose," he remarked.