man tell the old farmer.

"Then thet suits me," answered Josiah Bean. "I'll go in an' git a room
fer the night."

"I think I might as well do the same," said Henry Davis. "I don't care
to go away over to my boarding house at Fairmount Park."

The pair walked into the hotel, and Joe saw them register and pass down
the corridor in the company of a bell boy. Then our hero entered the
place.

"Can I get a room here for the night?" he asked of the clerk behind the
desk.

"Certainly."

"What is the charge?"

"Seventy-five cents."

"That suits me."

The register was shoved forward and Joe wrote down his name. Then he
was shown to a small room on the third floor. The building was but four
stories high.

Joe was tired and soon went to bed. In the next room he heard a murmur
of voices and made out that the old farmer and his friend were talking
earnestly.

"They must be very friendly," was his comment, and thinking the matter
over he fell asleep.

Bright and early in the morning our hero arose, dressed himself, and
went below. He had breakfast in the restaurant attached to the hotel
and was just finishing up when the old farmer and the slick-looking
individual came in.

"Hullo!" cried Josiah Bean. "What are you doin' here?"

"I got a room overnight," answered our hero.

"We're stopping here, too. This is my friend, Mr. Henry Davis."

"Good morning," said the slick-looking man. He did not seem to fancy
meeting Joe.

They sat down close at hand and, while eating, the farmer asked Joe half
a dozen questions.

He spoke about his own business until Henry Davis nudged him in the
side.

"I wouldn't tell that boy too much," he said in a low tone.

"Oh, he's all right," answered the old farmer.

Joe heard the slick-looking individual's words and they made his face
burn. He looked at the man narrowly and made up his mind he was not a
fellow to be desired for an acquaintance.

Having finished, our hero paid his bill and left the restaurant.
He scarcely knew which way to turn, but resolved to look over the
newspapers first and see if any positions were offered.

While in the reading room he saw Josiah Bean and his acquaintance leave
the hotel and walk in the direction of Broad street.

A little later Joe took from the paper he was reading the addresses of
several people who wanted help, and then he, too, left the hotel.

The first place he called at was a florist's establishment, but the pay
was so small h