at inventing, so you can invent a few. That should be your
first duty and you should attend to it at once. I will have
trouble enough finding work for myself. Your salary is five
hundred dollars a year; and now," he continued, briskly, "we
want to prepare for this reception. We can tell the King that
Travis was just a guard of honor for the trip, and that I have
sent him back to tell the President of my safe arrival. That
will keep the President from getting anxious. There is
nothing," continued Albert, "like a uniform to impress people
who live in the tropics, and Travis, it so happens, has two in
his trunk. He intended to wear them on State occasions, and
as I inherit the trunk and all that is in it, I intend to wear
one of the uniforms, and you can have the other. But I have
first choice, because I am consul."

Captain Travis's consular outfit consisted of one full dress
and one undress United States uniform. Albert put on the
dress-coat over a pair of white flannel trousers, and looked
remarkably brave and handsome. Stedman, who was only eighteen
and quite thin, did not appear so well, until Albert suggested
his padding out his chest and shoulders with towels. This
made him rather warm, but helped his general appearance.

"The two Bradleys must dress up, too," said Albert. "I think
they ought to act as a guard of honor, don't you? The only
things I have are blazers and jerseys; but it doesn't much
matter what they wear, as long as they dress alike."

He accordingly called in the two Bradleys, and gave them each
a pair of the captain's rejected white duck trousers, and a