living in New
York, had lost three boys, and fearing to lose Johnny, too, had sent him
to travel abroad, under Dr. Ward's care. Mr. Van Rasseulger was a native
of Germany, and thought there was no air so invigorating as that breathed
in on German soil. He had great hopes of its curing John's delicacy; and
Dr. Ward thought that a strange country and traveller's hardships would be
excellent aids in restoring the boy's natural health and good-nature.

Meanwhile, Eric was seeing Paris under Johnny's guidance. To be sure, he
could not see much in a day; but he took a look at the war column in the
_Place Vendome_, saw the _Palace of the Tuileries_, the _Jardin des
Plantes_, and entertained his little cousin with an account of his visit
to the King of Holland, and his submarine diving, both of which Johnny
thought very wonderful. Eric was not much concerned at seeing so little of
Paris at the time, for he knew that the doctor intended to spend a month
there, after visiting Munich. He bought a guide-book while out with
Johnny, and then they returned to their rooms in time to see the doctor
start for Heidelberg.

"Eric," said Johnny, when Dr. Ward had gone, "I must show you the American
railway here."

"Why?" said Eric; "I'm sure that is the last thing I came to Paris to
see."

"Now," said Johnny, importantly, "I suppose you think you know just what
it is; but you're quite as mistaken as if you were a donkey without
ears."

"John!" said his father, reprovingly.

"That was only a 'simile,' papa," answered Johnny, roguishly, as he led
Eric out again.

Sure enough, when they reached the railway, Eric found that his idea of it
had been far from correct.

"It is nothing at all but an omnibus running upon rails," he said: "I
don't see why they call it American."

"It isn't anything like as nice as our street cars--is it?" answered
Johnny, with a flourish of national pride quite pardonable in so young an
American.

Just then the conductor, supposing the two boys wished to be passengers,
saluted them politely, exclaiming, "_Complete, complete!_" and the omnibus
rolled off along the rails.

"What did he mean?" asked Eric, quite puzzled.

"He said the coach was full," Johnny replied. "They are never allowed to
carry more passengers than there are seats for."

"That is still less and less like an American railway," said Eric,
laughing, and thinking of the crowded cars and overstrained horses he had
so often seen and piti