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She quickly withdrew her hand； and rose。 〃I smell the breakfast；〃
she said laughingly。 〃Don't be horrified； Mr。 Brace； but I'm very
hungry。〃 She laid the hand she had withdrawn lightly on his arm。
〃Now help me down to the cabin。〃
CHAPTER II。
ANOTHER PORTENT。
The saloon of the Excelsior was spacious for the size of the
vessel； and was furnished in a style superior to most passenger…
ships of that epoch。 The sun was shining through the sliding
windows upon the fresh and neatly arranged breakfast…table； but the
presence of the ominous 〃storm…racks；〃 and partitions for glass and
china； and the absence of the more delicate passengers； still
testified to the potency of the Gulf of California。 Even those
present wore an air of fatigued discontent； and the conversation
had that jerky interjectional quality which belonged to people with
a common grievance； but a different individual experience。 Mr。
Winslow had been unable to shave。 Mrs。 Markham； incautiously and
surreptitiously opening a port…hole in her state…room for a whiff
of fresh air while dressing； had been shocked by the intrusion of
the Pacific Ocean； and was obliged to summon assistance and change
her dress。 Jack Crosby； who had attired himself for tropical
shore…going in white ducks and patent leathers； shivered in the
keen northwest Trades； and bewailed the cheap cigars he had
expected to buy at Mazatlan。 The entrance of Miss Keene； who
seemed to bring with her the freshness and purity of the dazzling
outer air； stirred the younger men into some gallant attention；
embarrassed； however； by a sense of self…reproach。
Senor Perkins alone retained his normal serenity。 Already seated
at the table between the two fair…headed children of Mrs。 Brimmer；
he was benevolently performing parental duties in her absence； and
gently supervising and preparing their victuals even while he
carried on an ethnological and political discussion with Mrs。
Markham。
〃Ah； my dear lady；〃 continued the Senor； as he spread a hot biscuit
with butter and currant jelly for the youngest Miss Brimmer； 〃I am
afraid that； with the fastidiousness of your sex； you allow your
refined instincts against a race who only mix with ours in a menial
capacity to prejudice your views of their ability for enlightened
self…government。 That may be true of the aborigines of the Old
Worldlike our friends the Lascars among the crew〃
〃They're so snaky； dark； and deceitful…looking；〃 interrupted Mrs。
Markham。
〃I might differ from you there； and say that the higher blonde
types like the Anglo…Saxonto say nothing of the wily Greekswere
the deceitful races： it might be difficult for any of us to say
what a sly and deceitful man should be like〃
〃Oor not detheitfuloor a dood man；〃 interpolated the youngest
Miss Brimmer； fondly regarding the biscuit。
〃Thank you； Missie；〃 beamed the Senor； 〃but to return： our Lascar
friends； Mrs。 Markham； belong to an earlier Asiatic type of
civilization already decayed or relapsed to barbarism； while the
aborigines of the New World now existing have never known itor；
like the Aztecs； have perished with it。 The modern North American
aborigine has not yet got beyond the tribal condition； mingled with
Caucasian blood as he is in Mexico and Central America； he is
perfectly capable of self…government。〃
〃Then why has he never obtained it？〃 asked Mrs。 Markham。
〃He has always been oppressed and kept down by colonists of the
Latin races； he has been little better than a slave to his
oppressor for the last two centuries；〃 said Senor Perkins； with a
slight darkening of his soft eyes。
〃Injins is pizen；〃 whispered Mr。 Winslow to Miss Keene。
〃Who would be free； you know； the poet says； ought themselves to
light out from the shoulder； and all that sort of thing；〃 suggested
Crosby； with cheerful vagueness。
〃True； but a little assistance and encouragement from mankind
generally would help them；〃 continued the Senor。 〃Ah！ my dear Mrs。
Markham； if they could even count on the intelligent sympathy of
women like yourself； their independence would be assured。 And
think what a proud privilege to have contributed to such a result；
to have assisted at the birth of the ideal American Republic； for
such it would bea Republic of one blood； one faith； one history。〃
〃What on earth； or sea； ever set the old man off again？〃 inquired
Crosby； in an aggrieved whisper。 〃It's two weeks since he's given
us any Central American independent flapdoodlelong enough for
those nigger injins to have had half a dozen revolutions。 You know
that the vessels that put into San Juan have saluted one flag in
the morning； and have been fired at under another in the
afternoon。〃
〃Hush！〃 said Miss Keene。 〃He's so kind！ Look at him now； taking
off the pinafores of those children and tidying them。 He is kinder
to them than their nurse； and more judicious than their mother。
And half his talk with Mrs。 Markham now is only to please her；
because she thinks she knows politics。 He's always trying to do
good to somebody。〃
〃That's so；〃 exclaimed Brace； eager to share Miss Keene's
sentiments； 〃and he's so good to those outlandish niggers in the
crew。 I don't see how the captain could get on with the crew
without him； he's the only one who can talk their gibberish and
keep them quiet。 I've seen him myself quietly drop down among them
when they were wrangling。 In my opinion；〃 continued the young
fellow； lowering his voice somewhat ostentatiously； 〃you'll find
out when we get to port that he's stopped the beginning of many a
mutiny among them。〃
〃I reckon they'd make short work of a man like him；〃 said Winslow；
whose superciliousness was by no means lessened by the community of
sentiment between Miss Keene and Brace。 〃I reckon； his political
reforms； and his poetical high…falutin' wouldn't go as far in the
forecastle among live men as it does in the cabin with a lot of
women。 You'll more likely find that he's been some sort of steward
on a steamer； and he's working his passage with us。 That's where
he gets that smooth； equally…attentive…to…anybody sort of style。
The way he skirmished around Mrs。 Brimmer and Mrs。 Markham with a
basin the other day when it was so rough convinced ME。 It was a
little too professional to suit my style。〃
〃I suppose that was the reason why you went below so suddenly；〃
rejoined Brace； whose too sensitive blood was beginning to burn in
his cheeks and eyes。
〃It's a shame to stay below this morning；〃 said Miss Keene；
instinctively recognizing the cause of the discord and its remedy。
〃I'm going on deck againif I can manage to get there。〃
The three gentlemen sprang to accompany her； and； in their efforts
to keep their physical balance and hers equally； the social
equilibrium was restored。
By noon； however； the heavy cross…sea had abated； and the Excelsior
bore west。 When she once more rose and f