sguisedly dirty, and likewise alive, he showed none; he was
strictly business.

"Vell, gentlemans, and vat vill you haf this time?" he inquired.

"Everything you've got," said Berwick shortly.

"A salad and after dinner coffee for my friend," put in Jim, "and I will
take"--and here Jim enumerated a bill of fare that would have done
credit to two men.

"The same for me," said the engineer, imperturbably, when James had
finished his little spiel.

"I denk you gentlemens are hungry," said Herr Scheff, as he saw a chance
to make a big profit.

"Mein Gottness!" it was the voice of Frau Scheff, "mein kindlins, you
are drowned, poor tings, come, fix you fine and gute. You go ahead and
cook dem blenty," she commanded her husband as she saw a frown on his
forehead.

He knew that tone of voice and obeyed. The two comrades followed her
into the cozy bedroom.

"I vill haf to give you mein Herr's clothes, it's all I haf," and she
smiled broadly.

"Thank you, Frau Scheff," replied Jim; "while ours are getting dry it
will give us more room to eat."

"Aye, dot is a true wort," and she laughed with a jolly, shaking
heartiness.

It was comical beyond words when they made the change in clothing,
while Frau Scheff had gone to the front to help her husband to prepare
the meal for the two guests. The engineer, who was short, was almost
lost in the voluminous trousers of mein host, and could have easily tied
them around his neck, while another pair came to half mast on the
long-legged Jim, and were much too large so that they flapped like a
sail.

"Talk about dressing for dinner, John, you ought certainly to be
pleased," said Jim with a grin.

"No time for humor," declared the engineer; "I am too weak to laugh."

At this saying, he tripped in his newly acquired garments and fell full
length, and Jim over him. They were both so exhausted from laughing they
could scarcely get up. Jim was the first to arise and he helped up the
other "end man," for that was the character the two suggested to each
other. When they got in the quaint restaurant car, the proprietor
accepted their appearance with professional gravity, only growling under
his breath, "It's a wonder Lena didn't let them have mein best suit."

What a repast the two comrades found on the little round table in the
corner, covered with a snowy cloth! Two big thick tender steaks well
garnished with potato salad, the handiwork of Frau Lena Scheff, creamed
potatoes, huge