e storm caught us and we thought we had better stop here for the
night than try to go on any farther."

"Where do you come from?" inquired the woman, who busied herself
lighting two candles while she was talking.

"We came from Albany this morning," replied Fred, who did not think it
necessary to go more into details concerning their expedition.

"My, you must have come pretty fast. Now, if you'll follow me I'll show
you to your rooms."

Fred glanced uneasily behind him as from the bar-room at that moment
there came another noisy outburst that was almost alarming in its
character.

"How many men are there in there?" inquired Fred, nodding his head
toward the room as he spoke.

"It's about full," replied the landlady. "A stormy night like this
drives a good many of the boatmen and the hands under cover."

"They are a noisy lot," suggested Fred.

"They are a tough crowd," said the woman feelingly. "Sometimes they go
off and don't pay me a cent. That's one reason why I make everybody pay
before I give them a room."

"Do you mean that we'll have to pay before we take the room?" inquired
John.

"Yes, sir, that's just what I say. That's the rule o' this house."

"Well, I guess we'll see the rooms first then," said George.

Conversation ceased as the woman, who was stout and consequently slow
in her movements, led the way up the creaking stairway and then through
the hall on the second floor. The floor here also was loose and every
step was announced by creakings, while various other sounds were
emitted as the boards resumed their accustomed places.

"Here you be," said the woman at last as she stopped before the rooms
at the end of the hall-way.

"We're directly over the bar-room, aren't we?" inquired John as another
noisy outburst came from below.

"Yes, but you won't mind that after a bit," explained the landlady.
"You'll get used to it same as I have. I go to sleep and don't pay no
more attention to the noises than I do to the wind that blows."

By this time she had opened the doors, which were unlocked, and entered
the rooms.

The boys looked ruefully at one another when they became aware in the
dim light of the condition of the rooms to which they had been shown.

"I don't believe those windows have seen soap and water since the Erie
Canal was built," whispered George to Grant. "When did you say that
was?"

"Keep quiet a minute, Pop," retorted Grant.

The rain was beating against the windows wit