' and he led the way to the
bar."

"You don't mean to say he stood treat into the bargain?" asked Fogg, in
surprise.

"Sure; like a prince, he did; and what's more, he made the remainder
of the day as pleasant as if every member of the company was a
first-floorer, paying bridal-party rates.

"That little episode made me very solid with my company. They knew the
actual condition of the exchequer, for obvious reasons, and wondered how
I was able to make things all right without the necessary wherewithal.
That's management, my boy. They never considered for the life of them,
that three-fourths or more of the business of the world is managed and
conducted on credit and promises to pay. I was merely working out the
principle in my own little bit of a way. So the day passed agreeably.
The people knew that everything in the hotel was all right and that I
had the railroad fares snugly stowed away in my inside pocket."

CHAPTER XVII

"The actors are at hand; and by their show you shall all know that
you are like to know."
--MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.

"We got into Bungtown early next day. I went at once to the theatre.
There I was happy to learn that the advance sale was good and the
prospects for the evening's performance A1. We opened to a full house,
and the audience appeared to enjoy the entertainment. The following
evening did not pan out quite so well, in consequence of a torchlight
procession through the streets and a big Grand Army parade. The night
after--our farewell performance. Great Scott! A rainstorm thinned the
attendance to the proportions of a fashionable church in the metropolis
during summer, when the popular preacher is absent on vacation abroad,
seeking after the health he never lost. How I felt can be better
imagined than described. I was up against it for fair. As I told you, I
was unable to settle the hotel bill at the last town, and in addition we
had now the handicap of an extra hotel and railroad fare for Breadland's
clerk, who according to agreement was to travel with the show until the
whole account with Breadland was squared up."

"The prospects were not encouraging."

"No; but we managed, somehow or other, to get out of town; though when
everything was fixed, including a few dollars to Breadland on account,
it was a close shave. Fortunately, the railroad fares to our next stand
were light and we had three days there. It was in that sylvan retreat by
the flowing river