pite their homeliness of face and feature, win us by
their genial nature and honest, outspoken ways. No one ever saw a finer
set of big, white teeth, nor a broader smile, which scarcely ever was
absent from the Irishman's countenance. He shook hands with each lad in
turn, giving a warm pressure and expressing his pleasure at meeting
them. "I'm glad to greet ye, me friends," he said, as the whole party
moved out of the way of the hurrying, bustling swarm who were rushing
back and forth, each intent on his own business; "not only on your own
account, but on account of me friend Jiff."

"I do not quite understand you," said Roswell with a smile.

"Well, you see, I've met Jiff before, and formed a rather fair opinion
of him; but whin a gintleman like mesilf is engaged on some important
business, them as are to be favored with me confidence must have their
credentials."

"And you accept our presence with him as proof that he is what he
should be?"

Tim gravely inclined his head.

"Do ye think I would admit Jiff as a partner if it was otherwise? Not
I."

"But," interposed Frank, "how is it with _us_? You never saw us
before."

"One look at them faces is enough," was the prompt reply; "ye carry a
certificate wid ye that no one can dispoot."

"And I should like to know," said Jeff, with assumed indignation, "what
credential _you_ have to present to us, young man."

"Mine is the same as the young gintlemen," answered Tim, removing his
thick fur cap and displaying his whole wealth of fiery red hair;
"obsarve me countenance."

His face became grave for the first time, while all the rest laughed.

"I'm satisfied and hungry," said Jeff; "take us where we can get
something to eat."

"I knew by that token that I had forgot something, and it's me
breakfast and dinner. In honor of yer coming, I've engaged the best
quarters at the leading hotel. Come wid me."

It was but a short distance up the street to a frame hotel, which was
kept by a corpulent German who had been in the country for a couple of
years. The men registered, during which Tim remarked to the landlord,
who seemed never to be without his long-stemmed meerschaum pipe between
his lips:

"This gintleman isn't the burglar that ye would think from his looks.
He belongs to a good family, or ye wouldn't obsarve him in my company.
The young gintlemen are two princes that are travelling _in cog_. In
consideration of all of them having delicate appetites like mesil