The stern face of the old Castilian melted into a fascinating smile, as he offered his hand to the judge, and said courteously:
"I esteem myself happy in being able to restore to the senor his slave. The boy is absent now exercising my favorite saddle horse; but as soon as he returns he shall be sent to the senor."
Our party then arose to depart; but Don Filipo would not allow them to go before they had partaken of a tempting repast of cakes, fruits, sweetmeats, and wine.
Then, with a real regret at parting with this "fine old Spanish gentleman," they took leave and returned to their hotel.
In the course of the afternoon Jim arrived in the custody of Don Filipo's steward, and was regularly delivered over to the safe- keeping of Judge Merlin.
The meeting of poor Jim with his old master and friends, and with his mother and his sweetheart, was at once so touching and so absurd, that it inclined the spectator at the same time to tears and laughter.
"Now," said Judge Merlin, as they sat together in his rooms that evening, "our work is over. And this is Tuesday evening, and we cannot sail until Saturday morning! What the deuce shall we do with the three intervening days?"
"To-morrow," answered Ishmael, "we had better see to providing ourselves with an outfit for the voyage. Remember that since our wardrobe was lost on the 'Oceana,' we have had nothing but the single change provided us by the captain of the 'Santiago.'"
"True, we must have an outfit. The purchase of that will occupy one day; but there will be still two left to dispose of."
"On Thursday we can spend the morning in seeing whatever is interesting in the city and its suburbs, and in the evening you know we are engaged to dine with Mr. Tourneysee."