hat limited along certain lines, but quite clear as
to others.

"Dis Graustark, 's fer as I know, is eeder a sort o' state or somet'ing
belongin' to de Umpire, governed by it's own rulers. Edelweiss is de
capital, d' big guns of d' land lives dere. I've walked out and saw d'
castle where d' Princess and d' royalty hangs out. D' people speak a
language of deir own, and I can't get next to a t'ink dey say. But once
in a while you find some guy dat talks French or German. Dey've got a
little standin' army of two t'ree t'ousand men an' dey've got de hottest
uniforms you ever did see--red an' black an' gold. I don't see why d'
United Rates can't get up somethin' foxy fer her soldiers to wear. Had a
war over here not long ago, I understand--somethin' like ten or fifteen
years ago. Dere's another little country up north of Graustark, and dey
got in a wrangle 'bout somethin', and dey tell me in Edelweiss dat for
'bout a year dey fought like Sam Patch."

"Which was victorious?" demanded Lorry, deeply interested.

"I'm not sure. To hear d' Edelweiss people talk you'd t'ink dey licked
d' daylights out of d' other slobs, but somehow I got next to d' fact
dat dem other fellows captured de city an' went after a slashin' big
war indemnity. I don't know much 'bout it, an' maybe I'm clear off but
I t'ink d' Graustark army was trashed. Every t'ing is prosperous now,
dough, an' you'd never know dere'd been a war. It's d'most peaceable
town I ever saw."

"Did you ever hear of the Guggenslockers?" asked the irrepressible
Anguish, and Lorry felt like kicking him.

"In Edelweiss? Never did. Friends of yours?"

"Acquaintances," interposed Lorry, hastily, frowning at Anguish.

"You won't have any trouble findin' 'em if dere anybody at all," said
Sitzky, easily. "D' hotel people ought to be able to tell you all 'bout
'em."

"By the way, what is the best hotel there?" asked Anguish.

"Dere's d' Burnowentz, one block north of d' depot." The travelers
looked at one another and smiled, Sitzky observing the action. "Oh," he
said, pleasantly, "dere's a swell joint uptown called d' Regengetz.
It's too steep fer me, but maybe you gents can stand it. It you'll hang
around d' depot fer a little while after we get in I'll steer you up
dere."

"We'll make it worth your while, Sitzky," said Lorry.

"Never mind dat, now. Americans ought to stick together, no matter where
dey are. We'll have a drink an' 'at's all, just to show we're fellow
countr