men fleeced here in town, haven't they?" inquired the boldest of the
drummers. "I heard something about it this morning."

"Perhaps you haven't heard all the circumstances," suggested Ashby in
growing embarrassment.

"We've heard enough, anyway," replied the same drummer briskly. "So
these young men, who are a credit to their profession and to their home
towns, are ordered to leave here? Boys, I guess we leave, too, don't
we?"

The other traveling salesmen assented emphatically.

Now Proprietor Ashby felt dismal, indeed. These five men were occupying
the best quarters in his hotel, outside of those occupied by Jim Duff.
It was not the loss of patronage from these men alone that troubled
Ashby. Traveling salesmen have their own ways of "passing around the
word" and downing any hotel that depends largely on their patronage.

"You can have all our rooms, then, Mr. Ashby," proposed the same
drummer. "We'll have our things out and be ready for our bills within
twenty minutes."

"But, gentlemen, be calm about this," begged Ashby. "Finish your meals
first. There may be some way of arranging--"

"There is," returned the drummer, with a smile that was a fine duplicate
of Tom's own. "We know just where to arrange for the kind of
accommodations that we want. Mr. Reade," turning to Tom and Harry,
"will you allow me to introduce ourselves. We are aching to shake hands