smile. "I ain't a great hand for locatin' who folks look like. How are
you, boy? Glad to see you. I'm your grandfather, you know."

They shook hands, while each inspected and made a mental estimate of the
other. Albert saw a square, bearded jaw, a firm mouth, gray eyes with
many wrinkles at the corners, and a shock of thick gray hair. The eyes
had a way of looking straight at you, through you, as if reading your
thoughts, divining your motives and making a general appraisal of you
and them.

Captain Zelotes Snow, for his part, saw a tall young fellow, slim and
straight, with black curly hair, large black eyes and regular features.
A good-looking boy, a handsome boy--almost too handsome, perhaps, or
with just a touch of the effeminate in the good looks. The captain's
glance took in the well-fitting suit of clothes, the expensive tie, the
gold watch chain.

"Humph!" grunted Captain Zelotes. "Well, your grandma and I are glad
to have you with us. Let me see, Albert--that's your right name, ain't
it--Albert?"

Something in his grandfather's looks or tone aroused a curious feeling
in the youth. It was not a feeling of antagonism, exactly, but more of
defiance, of obstinacy. He felt as if this big man, regarding him so
keenly from under the heavy brows, was looking for faults, was expecting
to find something wrong, might almost be disappointed if he did not find
it. He met the gaze for a moment, the color rising to his cheeks.

"My name," he said deliberately, "is Alberto Miguel Carlos Speranza."