Mrs. Sebastian, Shirley and Mabel soon found themselves in the first boat and making shoreward at a good clip.
“We shall be back in plenty of time,” Mrs. Sebastian had called to Mr. Willing just before they took their places in the boat.
The men nodded and waved their hands, and the occupants of the boat returned the salute.
Now the small boat scraped the shore, and an officer sprang out and lent a hand to the passengers. Mrs. Sebastian was the first to go ashore, and Shirley and Mabel followed a moment later.
The little street that ran along the water front was crowded with natives, dirty, ragged and unkempt, with here and there a gaily bedecked Mexican. They did not present a very inviting aspect, and the two girls shrank close to Mrs. Sebastian.
The latter paid no attention to the natives, but pushed her way through the crowd with never a glance to right or left. She continued along the street until they came upon a long line of dilapidated cabs.
She signalled to one of the drivers, who opened the door. Mrs. Sebastian motioned the girls to climb in, spoke a few quick words in Spanish to the driver and entered the cab. A moment later they were being driven through the dirty streets as fast as the old horse could go.
“I thought my friend might be at the landing to meet me,” the woman explained, “but as I didn’t see anything of her, I thought best to drive right to her home.”
Shirley and Mabel nodded their understanding of this, and turned to view the passing sights.
After an hour’s drive the cab pulled up before a house somewhat larger than the rest, and the cabman dismounted and threw open the door.