The young fellow flushed hotly. The tone of the man's voice, the implied insult, the utter contempt these men felt for his position, made him tingle with a violent anger; then, with the quick subduing of his resentment came the thought of the old captain's advice. A moment more and he had made a decision that in calm self-possession would have been utterly at variance with his judgment. Following the captain's suggestion he walked with considerable dignity across the room, wrote his name across the ledger with a flourish, ordered the best room the tavern afforded, then asked to be directed to the bar where he gave orders for a box of cigars and a bottle of champagne to be sent to his room.
The first effect of his action was in the attention of the negro who had driven him up from the boat and was now filling the part of waiter; the fellow fairly danced before him in his endeavours to anticipate his wishes. He flung open the door of the bedroom with a superb flourish as if he were admitting some royal personage, bowing obsequiously as the young man passed in. When two cigars had been added to a dollar tip, the negro nearly lost his balance in getting back down stairs to impart his information to the others. Passing through the barroom one of the men at the table outside called to him.
"Who's the limping Yankee, Jonas?"
"Mr. Sargent Everett, Boss, an' a sho' 'nough gentleman too, sir."
"Schoolteacher, Jonas?"
"Lawdy, no-o, Boss, not him. He's a gentleman of means—he is. Ordered a bottle of champagne and a box of cigars soon's he done got in de house."
The questioner whistled.
"Well—that sounds pretty good for a Yankee. Let's ask him down, boys, what do you say? Maybe he can give us some news from Washington."
"By all means; let's have him down and find out what he is," the others assented.
In a few minutes the young traveller was greeted by his black friend with the information that Lawyer Lemuel Jervais presented his compliments and would be pleased to have Mr. Sargent Everett join him and his friends in a round of juleps.