et," spoke Tom
quietly. "Let the surgeon send me the bill. I'm sorry for the fellow,
for I'm indirectly the cause of his being hurt. The main cause of his
misfortune was due to his being in bad company."

"Come out of that hotel," ordered Jim Duff, his eyes blazing as he
stepped forward, though with Hawkins's cold, hard eyes on him the
gambler was careful to keep his hands at his sides. "You can't get
anything to eat in there!"

"Do you own the hotel?" Tom inquired coolly.

"No; but you can't eat there."

"Join us at lunch, Mr. Hawkins!" Tom invited, turning away from the
gambler. The superintendent nodded, for he had no intention of leaving
the young engineers for the present.

All three entered the hotel, while the small mob outside hooted and
jeered. Tom led the way to a table in the dining room, signing to one of
the waiters.

Hardly had the waiter reached them when Jim Duff and the proprietor of
the Mansion House came in. Jim, after saying a few words in a low tone,
halted, while the proprietor came forward.

"Good morning, Mr. Ashby," nodded Tom, when he saw the proprietor headed
their way. The latter looked rather embarrassed, but he moved a hand to
signal the waiter to withdraw.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Reade, but I can't have you any longer at this hotel,"
began Ashby.

"Any particular reason?" Tom inquired, looking the man straight in the
eye.

"Yes; some of my other guests object to your presence here."

"Meaning Jim Duff?" questioned Reade coolly.

"I don't care to discuss the matter with you, Mr. Reade, but I can't
entertain you here any longer."

"Does that apply even to this meal, Mr. Ashby?"

"It does."

"Very good," nodded Tom, rising. Harry and Hawkins shoved their chairs
back, too, and stood up.

"Say, but I don't like the looks of that!" announced a voice
from another table. There were five men seated there, all of them
well-dressed and prosperous-looking traveling salesmen, who had arrived
that morning.

"This is a very regrettable necessity on my part, gentlemen," began
Proprietor Ashby hurriedly, and plainly ill at ease. "Some of my regular
guests object to the presence of these young men, and so--"

"These young gentlemen have gotten in bad by objecting to having their
men fleeced here in town, haven't they?" inquired the boldest of the
drummers. "I heard something about it this morning."

"Perhaps you haven't heard all the circumstances," suggested Ashby in
growing embarrassme