was on the back platform of the one passenger coach, ready to
get off. The engine stopped so suddenly that the cars bumped and the
party on the rear platform were thrown violently into each other's arms.

The expression on old Mr. Penrose's face was so fiendish as Mrs. C. D.
Budlong toppled backward and stood on his bunion that Wallie forgot the
graceful speech of welcome he had framed. Mr. Penrose had travelled all
the way in one felt slipper and now, as the lady inadvertently ground
her heel into the tender spot, Mr. Penrose looked as he felt--murderous.

"Get off my foot!" he shouted.

Mrs. Budlong obeyed by stepping on his other foot.

Mr. Appel, who had lurched over the railing, observed sarcastically:

"They ought to put that engineer on a stock train."

The party did not immediately recognize Wallie in his Western clothes,
but when they did they waved grimy hands at him and cried delightedly:

"Here we are, Wallie!"

Wallie made no reply to this self-evident fact and, indeed, he could
not, for he was too aghast at the shabby appearance of his wealthy
friends to think of any that was appropriate. They looked as if they had
ransacked their attics for clothes in which to make the trip.

The best Wallie could immediately manage was a limp handshake and a
sickly grin as the coal baron and street-railway magnate, Mr. Henry
Appel, stepped off in a suit of which he had undoubtedly been defrauding
his janitor for some years.

Mrs. J. Harry Stott was handed down in a pink silk creation, through the
lace insertion of which one could see the cinders that had settled in
the fat crease of her neck. While Mrs. Stott recognized its
inappropriateness, she had decided to give it a final wear and save a
fresh gown.

Upon her heels was Mr. Stott, in clothes which bore mute testimony to
the fact that he led a sedentary life. Mr. Stott was a "jiner" for
business purposes and he was wearing all his lodge pins in the
expectation of obtaining special privileges from brother members while
travelling.

C. D. Budlong wore a "blazer" and a pair of mountain boots that had
involved him in a quarrel with a Pullman conductor, who had called him a
vandal for snagging a plush seat with the hob-nails. At his wife's
request, Mr. Budlong was bringing a canvas telescope filled with a
variety of tinned fruits. It was so heavy that it sagged from the handle
as he bore it in front of him with both hands, so no one was deceived by
his heroic