"I have no business," replied the witness with a smile.
"Why do you come to Gibraltar?" asked the judge, evidently puzzled by the answer and the manner of the young gentleman.
"I am going all over the world in my steam-yacht, the Guardian-Mother, which lies at the New Mole in Gibraltar; and we put in there to see the place," replied Louis, blushing in spite of himself, for he felt compelled to speak the exact truth.
"Muy ricos!" (Very rich!) exclaimed the judge.
"Si, su merced."
"You are only a boy!"
"No, su merced. My mother is with me;" whereupon Captain Ringgold and Mr. Gaskette laughed, and there was a smile on the face of the judge.
Louis did not like to "blow his own horn," even so far as to state the facts in regard to himself as the owner of the steam-yacht, and he took the liberty to explain that his mother was his guardian, and that the trustee of his property was present, and would inform him fully as to his affairs.
He was then called upon to give his evidence in respect of the capture of the Salihé by the smugglers. He gave the details of the excursion as well as he could in Spanish, and he talked with considerable fluency, though doubtless he made some mistakes. He appeared to be perfectly understood by all in the court-room, and only twice did the judge ask him to repeat anything he had said. Everybody seemed to be deeply interested in him and in his narrative, perhaps because he was "muy ricos."
"You were intoxicated, were you not?" asked his honor.