arrived and the young railroad engineers were also most heartily
welcomed.

"Our meal time is nearly over, but I'll have something special cooked
for you right away, gentlemen," cried young Carter, bustling about, his
eyes aglow.

"Before you get that meal ready," said Pritchard, drawing young Carter
aside, "I want to ask you whether any man can ever be driven from this
hotel, just for being decent?"

"He certainly cannot," replied Proprietor Carter with emphasis.

"Live up to that, son," advised the drummer, "and I half suspect that
you'll prosper."

The meal finished, the three men from the railroad camp took leave of
their new salesmen friends, mounted and rode back to camp.

"The snakes are not all dead yet," mused Tom quizzically, as, in riding
through the "tough" street again they heard hisses from open windows at
which no heads appeared.

"There's a letter here for you, Mr. Reade," announced Foreman Payson,
who was sitting alone in the office.

"Who brought it?"

"I don't know his name. Never saw him before. He rode out here on
horseback."