down the coast to
one of the larger towns where there is a harbour."

"I see a ship out there loading up with bananas," said Smith. "Any
passengers come on her?"

"That's the _Karlsefin_," said the consul. "She's a tramp
fruiter--made her last trip to New York, I believe. No; she brought
no passengers. I saw her boat come ashore, and there was no one.
About the only exciting recreation we have here is watching steamers
when they arrive; and a passenger on one of them generally causes
the whole town to turn out. If you are going to remain in Coralio
a while, Mr. Smith, I'll be glad to take you around to meet some
people. There are four or five American chaps that are good to know,
besides the native high-fliers."

"Thanks," said the yachtsman, "but I wouldn't put you to the trouble.
I'd like to meet the guys you speak of, but I won't be here long
enough to do much knocking around. That cool gent on the beach spoke
of a doctor; can you tell me where I could find him? The _Rambler_
ain't quite as steady on her feet as a Broadway hotel; and a fellow
gets a touch of seasickness now and then. Thought I'd strike the
croaker for a handful of the little sugar pills, in case I need 'em."

"You will be apt to find Dr. Gregg at the hotel," said the consul.
"You can see it from the door--it's that two-story building with the
balcony, where the orange-trees are."

The Hotel de los Estranjeros was a dreary hostelry, in great disuse
both by strangers and friends. It stood at a corner of the Street of
the Holy Sepulchre. A grove of small orange-trees crowded against one
side of it, enclosed by a low, rock wall over which a tall man might
easily step. The house was of plastered adobe, stained a hundred
shades of colour by the salt breeze and the sun. Upon its upper
balcony opened a central door and two windows containing broad
jalousies instead of sashes.

The lower floor communicated by two doorways with the narrow,
rock-paved sidewalk. The _pulperia_--or drinking shop--of the
proprietress, Madama Timotea Ortiz, occupied the ground floor. On the
bottles of brandy, _anisada_, Scotch "smoke" and inexpensive wines
behind the little counter the dust lay thick save where the fingers
of infrequent customers had left irregular prints. The upper story
contained four or five guest-rooms which were rarely put to their
destined use. Sometimes a fruit-grower, riding in from his plantation
to confer with his agent, would pass a melancholy ni