y at their faces, and then answered:

"I don't see why I shouldn't try you--especially as I can't get any one
else," he added to himself. "My name is Higley, and I am a professor in
Coryale College. I have been sent out for the purpose I have told you,
and expect to be gone from here for seven or eight months, or perhaps a
year. Now, who are you?"

Lee told him their story, and the professor said, when he had finished:

"Very well, then. If you have no one from whom to get permission, I will
trust you without reference. I expected to pay a faithful and competent
man, who was willing to go with me, and encounter any danger or
privations which we may meet, fifty dollars a month; and of course he
would live the same as myself. Now, I'm willing to divide that sum
between you two lads, if you do well and earn it."

This offer sounded very large to Diego and Lee, who neither of them had
a copper of their own, especially when the excitement of discovery and
adventure was to be thrown in, and they closed with Professor Higley's
offer immediately, only stipulating that they were to go back to take
old Aunt Dolores her money and bid her good-by.

"Well, go; but be sure to be back here by three o'clock at the latest,
or I shall conclude you've changed your minds."

"Ah, it is settled at last," said the Spanish clerk. "Now that the
gentleman has been suited, he will leave me in peace to smoke my cigar.
These Americans and English have no idea of quiet, but must always be on
the go," he mumbled to himself, as he turned into his darkened retreat.

[TO BE CONTINUED.]

PLANTS IN A ROOM.

There is a widespread belief that the presence of growing plants and cut
flowers in a room is in some way prejudicial to those who sleep therein.
This belief is probably due to the fact, learned at school, that plants
give off at night carbonic acid, which is known to be deleterious to
health.

A recent writer has published the results of some experiments made in a
closed green-house, showing how fanciful are these fears. In this
green-house there were 6000 growing plants, and the average of three
experiments made early on three different mornings after the place had
been closed for more than twelve hours exhibited only 4.03 parts of
carbonic acid per 10,000.

We can judge by this experiment that from one or two plants the quantity
of gas given off must be far too small for recognition, and certainly
many hundred tim