ey might put us out as adventurers."

"We are not adventurers!" cried Sandy, indignantly. "We are gentlemen
when we are at home, able to pay our debts. We are overtaken by an
accident," he added, chuckling to himself. "Distressed gentlemen,
don't you see?"

"But we might have gone to a cheaper place," moaned Charlie. "Here we
are in the highest-priced hotel in St. Louis. I know it, for I heard
that Baltimore chap say so. We might have put up at some third-rate
house, anyhow."

"But it is the third-rate house that asks you for your baggage, and
makes you pay in advance if you don't have any," cried Sandy,
triumphantly. "I don't believe that a high-toned hotel like this duns
people in advance for their board, especially if it is a casual
traveller, such as we are. Anyhow, they haven't dunned us yet, and
when they do, I'll engage to see the party through, Master Charlie; so
you set your mind at rest." As for Charlie, he insisted that he would
keep out of the sight of the hotel clerk, until relief came in the
shape of money to pay their bill.

Oscar, who had been reading attentively a printed card tacked to the
door of the room, broke in with the declaration that he was hungry,
and that supper was served until ten o'clock at night. The others
might talk all night, for all he cared; he intended to have some
supper. There was no use arguing about the chances of being dunned for
their board; the best thing he could think of was to have some board
before he was asked to pay for it. And he read out the list of hours
for dinner, breakfast, and supper from the card.

"There is merit in your suggestion," said Charlie, with a grim smile.
"The dead-broke Boy Settlers from the roaring Republican Fork will
descend to the banquet-hall." Charlie was recovering his spirits under
Oscar's cool and unconcerned advice to have board before being in the
way of paying for it.

After supper, the lads, feeling more cheerful than before, sauntered
up to the clerk's desk, and inspected the directory of the city. They
found their uncle's name and address, and it gave them a gleam of
pleasure to see his well-remembered business card printed on the page
opposite. Under the street address was printed Mr. Bryant's place of
residence, thus: "h. at Hyde Park."

"Where's that?" asked Sandy, confidently, of the clerk.

"Oh! that's out of the city a few miles. You can ride out there in the
stage. Only costs you a quarter."

Only a quarter! And the