close to the weedy sidewalk of a crooked and
straggling street. It was apparent that this was not in the aristocratic
quarter of the city, if it had one. A door in the middle of the house
swung open as they arrived, and the boatman who carried Ned's bag put it
down on the threshold. The lanterns went away with him and his fellow
rowers, but other lights made their appearance quickly,--after the door
had closed behind Ned and Colonel Tassara. Not one of the boat's crew
had obtained a peep into the house, or had seen any of its occupants.
Ned was now aware that he had entered a broad hall-like passageway,
which appeared to run through the house, and to have several doors on
each side. One of these doors had opened to let the new light in, and
through it also came Senor Zuroaga, two other men, and a young girl, who
at once threw her arms around the neck of Colonel Tassara.

"O father!" she exclaimed, "I am so glad! Mother and I were so
frightened! We were afraid you would be drowned."

"My dear little daughter," he responded, sadly, "I fear there will be
more than one lot of poor fellows drowned to-night. This storm is
fearful!"

It seemed, in fact, to be getting worse every minute, and Ned was
thinking of the _Goshhawk_ and the state of her cable, even while he was
being introduced to the pretty Senorita Felicia Tassara, and then to her
mother, a stately woman, who came to meet her husband without
condescending to say how badly she had been alarmed on his account.

"She's just about the proudest-looking woman I ever saw," thought Ned,
for, although she welcomed him politely, she at once made him aware
that she did not consider him of any importance whatever. He was only a
young gringo, from nobody knew where, and she was a Mexican lady of high
rank, who hated Americans of all sorts.

Ned's only really hearty greeting came from Senor Zuroaga, who seemed to
him, under the circumstances, like an old friend.

"Carfora, my dear fellow," he said, "you and the colonel must come in to
your supper----"

"Why, senor," expostulated Ned, "I'm wet through, and so is he."

"I declare!" exclaimed Zuroaga. "What's in my head that I should
overlook that? You must change your rig. Come this way with me."

Ned followed him, bag in hand, through a narrow passage which opened at
the right, and they went on almost to the end of it. The room which they
then entered was only seven feet wide, but it was three times as long,
and it was