t that moment, and answered his
call. Overdale asked where the tavern-keeper was, as he wanted too see
him. He didn't want to be imposed upon, if he was from the country, and
considered it a huge imposition to put a man into a room which was right
over an asafoetida factory. The waiter comprehended the nature of Mr.
Overdale's difficulty, and explained to him the nature of carburetted
hydrogen, and the mistake that he had made in blowing out the light,
instead of turning off the gas. Mr. Overdale thanked the waiter for his
valuable information, and after waiting for the room to be well
ventilated, he retired to rest--this time, however, in the bed, the
waiter having kindly explained to him that the bed-clothing was nicely
adjusted for the express purpose of being rumpled up, in order to give
employment to a useful class of the community known as chambermaids.

In the morning, by one of those curious coincidences which we know do
happen, but for which we cannot account, our three rural friends found
themselves, at precisely eight o'clock, in the bar-room, before the bar,
and calling upon the major for something to drink. Each drank, after
which they went in to breakfast.

The bill of fare not being so complicated as the one on the dinner-table
the day previous, and being printed in good readable English, they had
no difficulty in procuring breakfast entirely to their satisfaction.
After arising, and supplying themselves with cigars, they started out on
an exploring expedition through the city.

Overdale, having read a good deal about the various "lions" of the town,
assumed to know all about it, and therefore Dennis and Wagstaff
acquiesced in his taking the lead; Wagstaff taking notes of everything
for the benefit of his children when he returned home.

They strayed into Taylor's saloon, which Overdale informed them was the
Crystal Palace. Gurney's Daguerreotype Gallery he stated was the
American Art Union. The three then took the cars on the corner of Canal
street and Broadway, Overdale remarking that he hoped all their lives
were insured, as they were now on the Camden and Amboy Railroad. Dennis
hoped they would run off the track in such a way that his wooden leg
would be again broken. He would then retire for a few weeks, swear that
he had lost a leg by the accident, sue the company for fifty thousand
dollars damages, compromise by accepting ten thousand, and then go to
Kansas and set up a faro bank. As they passed