Jake took his charges all round the city next day and showed them the sights of what is now one of the most beautiful towns in South America.
The gardens, the fountains, the churches and palaces, the flowers and fruit, and feathery palm-trees, all things indeed spoke of delightfulness, and calm, and peace.
And far beyond and behind all this was the boundless forest primeval.
This was not their last drive through the city, and this good fellow Jake, though his business took him from home most of the day, delighted to take the children to every place of amusement he could think of. But despite all this, these children of the forest wilds began to long for home, and very much rejoiced were they when one evening, after dinner, Jake told them they should start on the morrow for Bona Vista, near to which town the little steamer lay, and so up the great river and home.
Jake had done all his business, and done it satisfactorily, and could return to the old plantation and Burnley Hall with a light and cheerful heart.
He had even sold the mine, although it was not to be worked for some time to come.
[CHAPTER VII--"A COLD HAND SEEMED TO CLUTCH HER HEART"]
Many months passed away pleasantly and happily enough on the old plantation. The children--Roland, by the way, would hardly have liked to be called a child now--were, of course, under the able tuition of Mr. Simons, but in addition Peggy had a governess, imported directly from Pará.
This was a dark-eyed Spanish girl, very piquant and pretty, who talked French well, and played on both the guitar and piano.
Tom St. Clair had not only his boy's welfare, but his niece's, or adopted daughter's, also at heart.