cosy little nook with a brass knocker and a nice motherly
woman to look after you. You oughter have sent the municipality word
you was coming.' 'Thank you,' answers the poor boy, as serious as
can be; 'of course I shall be glad of such comforts, but I assure you
they are not indispensable. I'm an old campaigner,' he says, drawing
himself up to his poor little height and smiling proud-like. I tell
you, that knocked the wind out of our sails. It was too big to laugh
at. We just stuck for half a minute and looked at him, till the
mischief put it into old Huz-and-Buz's head to cackle out,
'Better send him right along to Flyheel Flo!' This put up a laugh,
and I saw in half a minute that the proposition had caught on.
It struck me as sort of funny, too, at the time. So I steps forward
and says, 'I know a lady who'd likely take you in and fix you up
comfortable. This kind of thing ain't exactly in her line; but no
doubt she'll put herself out to oblige a minister, specially if you
take her a letter of introduction from me. Miss Florence
Montmorency's her name, and she lives at No. 67 along the street
here. Here, pass along the ink-bottle and a pen,' I says (for,
barring Huz-and-Buz, I was about the only sinner present that hadn't
forgotten how to spell); and inside of five minutes I'd fixed up the
letter to Flo, and a dandy document it was! He took it and thanked
me like as if it was a school prize; and I guess 'twas then it began
to break in on me that we'd been playing it pretty low on the
innocent. However, Pete caught up his valise, and two or three of us
saw him along to Flo's door, and waited out on the sidewalk while he
knocked. At the second knock Flo came down and let him in. I saw
him lift his hat, and heard him begin with 'I believe I am addressing
Miss Montmorency'; and what Flo was making ready to say in answer I'd
give a dollar at this moment to know. But she looked over his
shoulder, and with the tail of her eye glimpsed us outside, and
wasn't going to show her hand before the boys. So quick as thought
she pulls the youngster in, with his valise, and shuts the door.

"'Well, _sir_, we cooled our heels outside there for a spell, but
nothing occurred. So at last we made tracks back here to the saloon,
owning to ourselves that Flo didn't need to be taught how to receive
a surprise party. 'But,' says I, 'you'll have the minister back here
before long; and I anticipate he'll ask questions.' I'd ha