"Yes, in mine pawket, and I come dthree steps by a time up here to your door."
"Heavens!" I say, "did you want to shoot me?"
"No, I vould safe you!"
"What was the pistol for?"
"You zee a Peruvian vill dthink qvick by a time like zo—he vill zay: 'I must safe dthe life of Señorita—dthere vill be boats, but dthere vill be many to crowd in and all vill be lost. So I vill take von leedle boat and I put dtherein Madame Steele and Señorita; if any people try to growd in, I hold dthem back; if any inseest, I shoot dthem dead, and safe Señorita.'"
"Very humane of you.—Señor Noma," I call out suddenly, as that fiery gentleman is passing by, "I want to hear how heroic you were last night."
"Ah, mees," says the Guatemalan deprecatingly, as he stops before us, "I did sit one meeserable quarter-hour by the rail with two life presairvairs and try to raimember one Ave Maria."
Acting on Mrs. Steele's wise suggestion, I keep the Peruvian at bay as much as possible; but this is not so easy as it might seem, and my best safeguard is to stay with Mrs. Steele every moment and insist I understand only English. Baron de Bach observes a day or two after this:
"Señorita's knowledge of French and Jherman ees better zome days dthan odthers. But it ees gude for me that I vill learn spik zo beautiful Eenglish."
"Forgif me, Señorita," he says, beginning afresh after a pause, "but vhat blue eyes you haf!"