Dan, too, was puzzled, but he concealed his perplexity better than Sam had. Davis was growing quite at his ease. It seemed to him as though he had always been with people of this sort, and he found himself talking easily and well, discussing many subjects with which the average sailor is not expected to be familiar.
"I take it that you lads hope to be petty officers one of these days," said Señor Martinez.
"We have already won our ratings in that class, sir."
"Indeed. What is your rating, if I may ask?"
"I am a gunner's mate on the Battleship 'Long Island.' My friend is a coxswain connected with the same ship."
"Do you—do you shoot the big guns?" questioned Señorita Inez, with a brilliant smile.
"I hope to do so, some day—that is, I hope to do so at target practice, though I trust the time may never come when I shall have to train a gun on the ship of another government."
"I am with you in that, my lad. I hope it may never be your lot to do so. Of course you have ambitions to rise in your profession?"
"Yes, sir; it is our hope to become officers of the line at some time in the distant future."
The ambassador nodded thoughtfully.