several great trees which
grew there, the house and gallery ran down one other side of it; and the
two remaining sides were made up of a series of low cabins, these forming
the various outhouses and the kitchen. At the far end of this gallery a
sallow, buxom lady sat sewing at a table, and Xavier saluted her very
respectfully.

"Madame," he said, "I have brought you from St. Louis with Michie
Gratiot's compliments two young American gentlemen, who are travelling to
amuse themselves."

The lady rose and beamed upon us.

"From Monsieur Gratiot," she said; "you are very welcome, gentlemen, to
such poor accommodations as I have. It is not unusual to have American
gentlemen in New Orleans, for many come here first and last. And I am
happy to say that two of my best rooms are vacant. Zoey!"

There was a shrill answer from the court below, and a negro girl in a
yellow turban came running up, while Madame Bouvet bustled along the
gallery and opened the doors of two darkened rooms. Within I could dimly
see a walnut dresser, a chair, and a walnut bed on which was spread a
mosquito bar.

"Voila! Messieurs," cried Madame Bouvet, "there is still a little time
for a siesta. No siesta!" cried Madame, eying us aghast; "ah, the
Americans they never rest--never."

We bade farewell to the good Xavier, promising to see him soon; and Nick,
shouting to Benjy to open the saddle-bags, proceeded to array himself in
the clothes which had made so much havoc at St. Louis. I boded no good
from this proceeding, but I reflected, as I watched him dress, that I
might as well try to turn the Mississippi from its course as to attempt
to keep my cousin from the search for gallant adventure. And I reflected
that his indulgence in pleasure-seeking would serve the more to divert
any suspicions which might fall upon my own head. At last, when the
setting sun was flooding the court-yard, he stood arrayed upon the
gallery, ready to venture forth to conquest.

Madame Bouvet's tavern, or hotel, or whatever she was pleased to call it,
was not immaculately clean. Before passing into the street we stood for
a moment looking into the public room on the left of the hallway, a long
saloon, evidently used in the early afternoon for a dining room, and at
the back of it a wide, many-paned window, capped by a Spanish arch,
looked out on the gallery. Near this window was a gay party of young men
engaged at cards, waited on by the yellow-turbaned Zoey, and drinking