As he stood there, Stedman came in from the other room, fresh
and smiling from his morning's bath.

"Good-morning," he said, "where's the consul?"

"The consul," said Albert, gravely, "is before you. In me you
see the American consul to Opeki.

"Captain Travis," Albert explained, "has returned to the
United States. I suppose he feels that he can best serve his
country by remaining on the spot. In case of another war,
now, for instance, he would be there to save it again."

"And what are you going to do?" asked Stedman, anxiously.
"You will not run away too, will you?"

Albert said that he intended to remain where he was and
perform his consular duties, to appoint him his secretary, and
to elevate the United States in the opinion of the Opekians
above all other nations.

"They may not think much of the United States in England," he
said; "but we are going to teach the people of Opeki that
America is first on the map and that there is no second."

"I'm sure it's very good of you to make me your secretary,"
said Stedman, with some pride. "I hope I won't make any
mistakes. What are the duties of a consul's secretary?"

"That," said Albert, "I do not know. But you are rather good