account of
his father's business and estates, that the latter had made up his
mind to be introduced to an "India Palace' counting-room. Judge of
his surprise, then, when George led the way into an old, dirty-looking
counting-room, very small and dingy, containing two dilapidated high
desks, standing against the wall. They were made of pitch pine, painted
and grained, but so scarred and whittled as to have the appearance
of long use and abuse. In one corner was an old-fashioned low desk,
provided with an ink-stand, sundry pieces of blotting-paper, the
pigeon-holes filled with loose invoices, letters, and bills of lading,
very promiscuously huddled together; while hanging suspended on a
large nail, driven in the side, and exposed to view, was an enormous
dust-brush. A venerable-looking subject of some foreign country stood
writing at one desk, a little boy at the other, and George's veritable
"old man" at the low desk. Here and there around the floor were baskets
and papers containing samples of sea-island and upland cotton. George
introduced the Captain to his father with the suavity of a courtier. He
was a grave-looking man, well dressed, and spoke in a tone that at once
enlisted respect. Unlike George, he was a tall, well-formed man, with
bland, yet marked features, and very gray hair. He received the Captain
in a cold, yet dignified manner-inquired about his voyage, and who
he had consigned to, and what steps he had taken to proceed with
his business,--all of which the Captain answered according to the
circumstances.

"What! then you have consigned already, have you?" said little George,
with surprise.

"Oh yes," returned the Captain, "I have left my business in the hands
of the consul, and shall follow his directions. It's according to my
sailing orders. But there's so much difficulty, I shouldn't wonder if I
had to leave the port, yet!"

"Not so, Captain; I'll take care of that!" said George, giving his
father a statement of the Captain's trouble about Manuel's imprisonment,
and begging that he would bestow his influence in behalf of his
friend the Captain. Although George coupled his request with a seeming
sincerity, it was evident that he felt somewhat disappointed at the
consignment. The old gentleman looked very wise upon the subject, lifted
his gold-framed spectacles upon his forehead, gratified his olfactory
nerves with a pinch of snuff, and then said in a cold, measured tone,
"Well, if he's a nigger, I se