Mr. Force found, on inquiring at the office, that the house was full; there was not a room or a bed to spare; but the house could give them breakfast.
So they waited in the public parlor until the breakfast hour came, when they went down into the saloon and took their morning meal.
After breakfast Mr. Force went into the reading room to inquire about the Argente and to look at the morning papers.
The rest of his party waited for him at the foot of the stairs leading to the parlor.
At last he came and said:
“The Argente has not yet reached the navy yard, nor has she been heard from since leaving New York yesterday morning, but she is expected to-day.”
“And what are we to do next?” inquired Mrs. Force.
“You and the girls will remain here, in the ladies’ parlor, and read the newspapers, or amuse yourselves in any way you please. Capt. Grandiere is going to see the secretary of the navy to report the capture of his clipper, the Kitty, by the Argente. Enderby will go out with me in search of lodgings. We must find some place to sleep in this overcrowded city. And we must get out of it as soon as we can. As soon, that is, as the Argente business is settled and Leonidas gets his leave. We shall all return here in time for dinner.”
With these words Mr. Force opened the door of the parlor and saw the ladies of his party in.
It was yet so early that the parlor was quite empty.