“Heavens, what a hole!” exclaimed John, and as he performed his ablutions (not with the sassafras soap) he promised himself a speedy flitting.  There came a knock at the door, and his host appeared to announce that his “tea” was ready, and to conduct him to the dining-room—­a good-sized apartment, but narrow, with a long table running near the center lengthwise, covered with a cloth which bore the marks of many a fray.  Another table of like dimensions, but bare, was shoved up against the wall.  Mr. Elright’s ravagement of the larder had resulted in a triangle of cadaverous apple pie, three doughnuts, some chunks of soft white cheese, and a plate of what are known as oyster crackers.

“I couldn’t git ye no tea,” he said.  “The hired girls both gone out, an’ my wife’s gone to bed, an’ the’ wa’n’t no fire anyway.”

“I suppose I could have some beer,” suggested John, looking dubiously at the banquet.

“We don’t keep no ale,” said the proprietor of the Eagle, “an’ I guess we’re out o’ lawger.  I ben intendin’ to git some more,” he added.

“A glass of milk?” proposed the guest, but without confidence.

“Milkman didn’t come to-night,” said Mr. Elright, shuffling off in his carpet slippers, worn out in spirit with the importunities of the stranger.  There was water on the table, for it had been left there from supper time.  John managed to consume a doughnut and some crackers and cheese, and then went to his room, carrying the water pitcher with him, and, after a cigarette or two and a small potation from his flask, to bed.  Before retiring, however, he stripped the bed with the intention of turning the sheets, but upon inspection thought better of it, and concluded to leave them as they were.  So passed his first night in Homeville, and, as he fondly promised himself, his last at the Eagle Hotel.

When Bill and Dick returned to the office after “obligin’ Ame,” they stepped with one accord to the counter and looked at the register.  “Why, darn it,” exclaimed Bill, “he didn’t sign his name, after all.”

“No,” said Dick, “but I c’n give a putty near guess who he is, all the same.”

“Some drummer?” suggested Bill.

“Naw,” said Richard scornfully.  “What ‘d a drummer be doin’ here this time o’ year?  That’s the feller that’s ousted Chet Timson, an’ I’ll bet ye the drinks on’t.  Name’s Linx or Lenx, or somethin’ like that.  Dave told me.”

“So that’s the feller, is it?” said Bill.  “I guess he won’t stay ’round here long.  I guess you’ll find he’s a little too toney fer these parts, an’ in pertic’ler fer Dave Harum.  Dave’ll make him feel ’bout as comf’table as a rooster in a pond.  Lord,” he exclaimed, slapping his leg with a guffaw, “’d you notice Ame’s face when he said he didn’t want much fer supper, only beefsteak, an’ eggs, an’ tea, an’ coffee, an’ a few little things like that?  I thought I’d split.”

“Yes,” said Dick, laughing, “I guess the’ ain’t nothin’ the matter with Ame’s heart, or he’d ‘a’ fell down dead.—­Hullo, Ame!” he said when the gentleman in question came back after ministering to his guest, “got the Prince o’ Wales fixed up all right?  Did ye cut that pickled el’phant that come last week?”