were painfully conscious of having forever lost the good opinion of that
mulatto waiter.

"But for Dick Lee's being with us," they thought, "he and everybody else
would have known we were gentlemen. We'll never be caught in such a trap
again."

It is a very sad matter, no doubt, to lose the intelligent respect of
such gentlemen as Mr. Augustus Bellerington, but it sometimes has to be
done; that is, unless their good opinion is to be gained by some nice
little stroke of sneaking cowardice.

Joe and Fuz stood it out, indeed, mainly because they were in some way
more afraid of Dab and Ford and Frank than they were of even Augustus.

That, too, was strange; for they were older than either of the others,
and taller than any but Dabney himself.

The dinner was well eaten, and it was well paid for, as Dabney remarked
when he paid his share and half of Dick's; and then they were all in the
street again, marching along, and "sight-seeing," towards the Grand
Central Railroad Depot.





CHAPTER XXVI.

THE FIRST MORNING IN GRANTLEY, AND ANOTHER EXCELLENT JOKE.