acquainted Roger with the trouble
he was having with the shoe-dealer and the man who sold men's
furnishings.

"We can take a horse and cutter and be back before lunch," said Dave.

"I'll be glad to go," answered the senator's son. "I haven't had a
ride in a cutter this winter."

They were soon on the way, Dave this time driving a black horse that
could not only cover the ground well, but was thoroughly reliable. By
ten o'clock they found themselves in Coburntown, and made their way to
the establishment run by Asa Dickley. The proprietor of the store was
busy with a customer at the time, and a clerk came forward to wait on
the new arrivals.

"I wish to speak to Mr. Dickley," said Dave; and he and Roger waited
until the man was at leisure. Mr. Dickley looked anything but pleasant
as he walked up to our hero.

"I got a very strange letter from you, Mr. Dickley. I can't understand
it at all," began Dave.

"And I can't understand why you treat me the way you do," blurted out
the shopkeeper. "You promised to come in here and settle up over a
week ago."

"Mr. Dickley, I think there is a big mistake somewhere," said Dave, as
calmly as he could. "I don't owe you any money, and I can't understand
why you should write me such a letter as this," and he brought forth
the communication he had received.

"You don't owe me any money!" ejaculated Asa Dickley. "I just guess
you do! You owe me twenty-six dollars."

"Twenty-six dollars!" repeated Dave. "What is that for?"

"For? You know as well as I do! Didn't you come in here and get a
fedora hat, some shirts and collars and neckties, and a pair of
fur-lined gloves, and a lot of underwear? The whole bill came to just
twenty-six dollars."

"And when was this stuff purchased?" went on Dave.

"When was it purchased? See here, Porter, what sort of tom-foolery is
this?" cried Asa Dickley. "You know as well as I do when you got the
things. I wouldn't be so harsh with you, only you promised me
faithfully that you would come in and settle up long before this."

"Mr. Dickley, I haven't had any goods from you for a long, long
time--and what I have had I have paid for," answered Dave, doing his
best to keep his temper, because he knew the storekeeper must be
laboring under a mistake. "As a matter of fact, I haven't been in your
store for several months."

"What!" ejaculated the storekeeper. "Do you mean to deny that you
bought those goods from me, young man?"

"I certainly do