Brandon of the Engineers

Early next morning Dick stood in front of the Hotel Magellan, where he

had slept for a few hours after his return, and was somewhat surprised to

see that Jake had got up before him and was talking to a pretty,

dark-skinned girl. She carried a large bunch of flowers and a basket of

fruit stood close by, while Jake seemed to be persuading her to part with

some.

Dick stopped and watched them, for the glow of color held his eye. Jake's

white duck caught the strong sunlight, while the girl's dark hair and

eyes were relieved by the brilliant lemon-tinted wall and the mass of

crimson bloom. Her attitude was coquettish, and Jake regarded her with an

ingratiating smile. After a few moments, however, Dick went down the

street and presently heard his comrade following him. When the lad came

up, he saw that he had a basket of dark green fruit and a bunch of the

red flowers.

"I thought you were asleep. Early rising is not a weakness of yours," he

said.

"As it happens, I didn't sleep at all," Jake replied. "Steering that

unhandy coal-scow rather got upon my nerves and when she took the awkward

sheer as we came through the reef the tiller knocked Maccario down and

nearly broke my ribs. I had to stop the helm going the wrong way

somehow."

Dick nodded. It was obvious that the lad had been quick and cool at a

critical time, but his twinkling smile showed that he was now in a

different mood.

"You seem to have recovered. But why couldn't you leave the girl alone?"

"I'm not sure she'd have liked that," Jake replied. "It's a pity you have

no artistic taste, or you might have seen what a picture she made."

"As a matter of fact, I did see it, but she has, no doubt, a half-breed

lover who'd seriously misunderstand your admiration, which might lead to

your getting stabbed some night. Anyhow, why did you buy the flowers?"

"For one thing, she was taking them to the Magellan, and I couldn't stand

for seeing that blaze of color wasted on the guzzling crowd you generally

find in a hotel dining-room."

"That doesn't apply to the fruit. You can't eat those things. They

preserve them."

"Eat them!" Jake exclaimed with a pitying look. "Well, I suppose it's the

only use you have for fruit." He took a stalk fringed with rich red bloom

and laid it across the dark green fruit, which was packed among glossy

leaves. "Now, perhaps, you'll see why I bought it. I rather think it

makes a dainty offering."

"Ah!" said Dick. "To whom do you propose to offer it?"

"Miss Kenwardine," Jake replied with a twinkle; "though of course her

proper color's Madonna blue."

Dick said nothing, but walked on, and when Jake asked where he was going,

answered shortly: "To the telephone."