nely,
for the purpose of telling me of a piece of good fortune that has just
been sent to me."

"True," returned Lawrence, "and in the bustle of the moment when you
told me I forgot to congratulate you, whatever the good fortune may be.
What was it?"

"Good old Ignacio little knew," continued Pedro, sipping his coffee with
an air of supreme contentment, "what glad news I had in store for
himself about my little Mariquita--the light of my eyes, the very echo
of her mother! The good fortune he had to tell me of was but as a
candle to the sun compared with what I had to reveal to _him_, for what
is wealth compared with love? However, the other piece of good news is
not to be sneezed at."

"But what _is_ this good news, Pedro?" asked Lawrence, with a touch of
impatience, for his curiosity was aroused, and Pedro's mode of
communicating glad tidings was not rapid.

Before he could reply their attention was attracted by the noisy and
self-assertive entrance of two jovial British sailors, who, although not
quite drunk, were in that condition which is styled by some people
"elevated"--by others, debased. Whatever view may be taken of their
condition, there could be only one opinion as to their effusive
good-humour and universal good-will--a good-will which would probably
have expanded at once into pugnacity, if any one had ventured to suggest
that the couple had had more than enough of strong drink.

"Now then, Bill," cried one, smiting the other with facetious violence
on the back, "what'll you have?" Then, without waiting for a reply, he
added, to the waiter, "Let's have some brary-an'-warer!"

The brandy and water having been supplied, Bill nodded his head, cried,
"Here's luck, Jim," and drained his first glass. Jim responded with the
briefer toast, "Luck!" and followed the other's draining example.

"Now, I'll tell you wot it is, Jim," said Bill, setting down his glass
and gazing at the brandy bottle with a solemnly virtuous look, "I
wouldn't go for to see another bull-fight like that one we saw just
before we left Monte Video, no, not if you was to give me a thousan'
pound down."

"No more would I," responded Jim, regarding the water-jug with a
virtuously indignant air.

"Such dis-_gusting_ cruelty," continued Bill. "To see two strong men
stand up o' their own accord an' hammer their two noses into somethin'
like plum duff, an' their two daylights into one, ain't more nor a
or'nary seaman can stand; but to