“Now,” said Lieutenant Ethel, on taking a temporary leave of them, “I have some official business with the authorities here which must be attended to at once; so I shall have to leave you for a while; but I will send a man with you, and when you have found, and are settled in your hotel for the present, you can send him back to the ship with your address, and I will forward all your luggage without further trouble to yourself.”
“You pursue us with benefits,” said Justin, cordially pressing his hand.
“And if I succeed in seeing the parties I wish to see, and getting my business through in time, I will join you and spend the evening with you. By the way, when do you go on to Washington?”
“By the first train to-morrow. I should go on to-night, but it is absolutely necessary that I should write to a friend there to prepare my sister for my arrival. You know that she must long have looked upon me as lost.”
“Yes. Then, if you go on to-morrow, I think that I shall be able to accompany you. You are aware that I am the bearer of dispatches to the Secretary of the Navy.”
“Certainly.”
“Well! Good-morning! I hope you will find pleasant quarters. Martin, do you go with Mr. Rosenthal’s party,” said the young lieutenant. And then, raising his cap to Miss Conyers, he struck into a by-street and was soon out of sight.
The sailor left in attendance upon Mr. Rosenthal stood hat in hand, waiting orders.
“Martin,” said Justin, “go and call a carriage.”
The man started on the errand.