hotel office, and heard Mr. Magruder give
directions about Jack's room and bill.

"He's going to pay for me for one day," Jack said to himself, "and
until the evening boat goes to-morrow."

"Ogden," said Mr. Magruder, "I can't ask you to dine with us. It's a
private party--have your dinner, and then wait for me here."

"All right," said Jack, and then he stood still and tried to think what
to do.

"I must go to my room, now, and leave my satchel there," he said to
himself. "I don't want anybody to know I never was in a big hotel
before."

He managed to get to his room without making a single blunder, but the
moment he closed the door he felt awed and put down.

"It's the finest room I was ever in in all my life!" he exclaimed.
"They must have made a mistake. Perhaps I'll have a bedroom like this
in my own house some day."

Jack made himself look as neat as if he had come out of a bandbox,
before he went down-stairs.

The dining-room was easily found, and he was shown to a seat at one of
the tables, and a bill of fare was handed him; but that was only one
more puzzle.

"I don't know what some of these are," he said to himself. "I'll try
things I couldn't get in Crofield. I'll begin on those clams with
little necks."

So the waiter set before him a plate of six raw clams.

That was a good beginning; for every one of them seemed to speak to him
of the salt ocean.

After that he went farther down the bill of fare and selected such
dishes as, he said, "nobody ever saw in Crofield."

It was a grand dinner, and Jack was almost afraid he had been too long
over it.

He went out to the office and looked around, and asked the clerk if Mr.
Magruder had been inquiring for him.

"Not yet, Mr. Ogden," said the clerk. "He is not yet through dinner.
Did you find your room all right?"

"All right," said Jack. "I'll sit down and wait for Mr. Magruder."

It was an hour before the railway gentlemen returned. There were twice
as many of them now, however, and Mr. Magruder remarked:

"Come, Ogden, we won't detain you long. After that you can do what you
like. Thank you very much, too."

Jack followed them into a private sitting-room, which seemed to him so
richly furnished that he really wished it had been plainer; but he
found the men very straightforward about their business.

They all sat down around the table in the middle of the room.

"We'll finish Ogden first, and let him go," said Mr. Magruder,
l