here all the rest are."

The Verandah, situated on the Plaza, was crowded to the doors. Behind
the bar slaved a half dozen busy drink-mixers. The girl, and a very
pretty girl she was, passed the drinks over the counter, and took in the
dust.

"She's straight," observed the captain sagaciously, after inspection;
"if she wasn't there wouldn't be such a gang. The other sort is plenty
enough."

We did not try to get near the bar, but after a few moments regained the
street. The captain said farewell; and we hunted up, by his direction,
the New York Tonsorial Emporium. There we had five dollars' worth of
various things done to us; after which we bought new clothes. The old
ones we threw out into the street along with a vast collection of others
contributed by our predecessors.

"Now," said Johnny, "I feel like a new man. And before we go any farther
I have a little duty to perform."

"Which is?"

"Another drink at the sign of the Glass Pillars, or whatever they call
the place."

"We don't want anything more to drink just now," I protested.

"Oblige me in this one treat," said Johnny in his best manner.

We entered the Arcade, as the bar was called. At once the loafers moved
forward. Johnny turned to them with an engaging air of friendliness.

"Come on, boys, let's all take a drink!" he cried.

The glasses were poured. Johnny raised his. The others followed suit.
Then all drained them simultaneously and set down the empty glasses.

"And now," went on Johnny in the same cheerful, friendly tone, "let's
all pay for them!"

The loafers stared at him a moment. One growled menacingly, but fell
silent under his clear glance. One or two others forced a laugh. Under
Johnny's compelling eye they all paid. Billy, behind the bar, watched
with sardonic amusement. When Johnny proffered his dust, the barkeeper
thrust it back.

"My treat here," said he briefly.

"But----?" objected Johnny.

"It's a privilege."

"If you put it that way, I thank you, sir," said Johnny in his grandest
manner; and we walked out. "Those bums made me tired," was his only
comment to us. "Now let's go hunt up Talbot. I'll bet my extinct
toothbrush that he's a well-known citizen around here."

Johnny's extinct toothbrush was perfectly safe. The first man of whom we
inquired told us where our friend lived, and added the gratuitous
information that the Ward Block was nearing completion. We looked up the
hotel, a new one on Montgomery Street. The