"Might as well start for the dining room," proposed Jo. "I hate leaving Tom and Juarez to their fate this way."
"I more than hate it," protested Jim, "but as you can't hurry these people, we will make the best time by falling in with their way of doing business."
Then they went out into a passageway and, taking the wrong turn, which was quite easy in the rambling old house, they came to a door that entered into the courtyard.
"My, but this is beautiful," exclaimed Jo. "It makes you appreciate California better when you see a place like this."
"That hammock looks good to me," said Jim. "I would like to stretch out in it right now."
Just then the door opened on the verandah and a really beautiful young girl stepped out. She was probably seventeen years of age, dressed in white, with a black mantilla over her equally black hair and her dark cheeks glowed with color. A very romantic meeting, Messieurs, the gallant young Americans at one end of the verandah and the Senorita at the other. Then she saw Jim and Jo with their scarred and bruised faces. With a little shriek, and clasping her hand to her eyes, she retreated quickly to her room.
"What did you do to scare that girl, Jo?" inquired Jim severely of his brother.
"Nothing," declared Jo, stoutly. "It was the sight of your face. It would give a wooden Injun a chill." Jim felt of the said face reflectively.
"I guess you are right, Jo," he admitted, "but you ain't so charming in appearance that you would do any damage."
"Let's walk along this side," proposed Jo. "Perhaps we will locate the breakfast."
So they stalked along, more or less conscious that a pair of dark blue eyes were regarding them, and they thought they heard a trill of laughter, but it might have been one of the maids. They need not have felt embarrassed for there was the grace in their movements that goes with strength and youth and suppleness.
They were walking under a perfect bower of flowers anyway. For this side was beautifully latticed and over the lattice work grew vines with purple and golden flowers, that would give a grateful shade when the California sun would drive the fog away.
Under foot there was a double flagging of stone with trodden dirt on either side.