When then morning came he took his departure, proceeding by the early train to New York; for he held it good policy to get away as speedily as possible, lest his arrival get noised over the city and he be called upon to address some public assemblage, which might put him to great inconvenience in the absence of his secretary; for though he boasted that he had a profound way of his own for effecting purposes, he was not expert at fine writing.

While then the train swept onward toward Philadelphia, various reflections crowded upon the general’s mind, and he said to himself:  “Perhaps it had been as well for me to have allowed the fellow fixed wages; for, being a critic, which means that he is not a man to comprehend the greatness of rewards that may be in the future, he might have said, ‘Heaven help me!’ and taken to his old business.”  Again it flashed across his mind that if Tickler’s courage was not quite up to the mark, he might have decided to try the virtue of his heels now, rather than trust them when facing a villainous enemy on the field of battle.  But all these speculations proved mere hauntings of the brain; since when he arrived at the Girard House in Philadelphia, he found to his great surprise that “Mr. and Mrs. Tickler” had stopped to take dinner while passing that way a couple of days ago.  “Faith of my father!” exclaimed the general, laughing in his sleeve, “either some one has told me, or I have read it in books, that all really good secretaries have a turn for these little gallantries.  And if I understand the matter right, it is an excellent proof that he has the capacity for as great a secretary as any of them.  In short, I have no doubt but that he is possessed of the rare faculty of giving his head to the nation, and his heart to as many damsels as may have a liking for it.”

Being informed that his secretary had taken the road to New York, the general was further encouraged by the hope of meeting him there, and therefore proceeded on his journey without further concern, arriving at the St. Nicholas in due season, to the great delight of every guest in the house.  Days and even weeks rolled past, but no tidings could be got of Mr. Tickler.  His faithful horse was there, and had so improved as to conduct himself quite like a youth.  Even his pig had not proved untrue to him.  In short, Duncan was a great favorite with the public, and so many good opinions had been given of him by the critics, that Barnum proposed to purchase him outright, to the end that he might make him a feature of his museum.  And although he offered for him a sum large enough to send three missionaries to Africa, the general said that the affection he bore the animal was such that he could not think of parting with him.  Indeed, everything but the general’s secretary seemed to have remained true to him.  He now began to feel himself overwhelmed with responsibilities; for while he fancied the nation demanding great things of him on one side, the Administration urged him to