o use," groaned Charlie. "We saw Mr. Osterhaus. He was very
sorry--oh, yes!--awfully sorry; but he didn't know us, and he had no
responsibility for the letters that came to his place. It was only an
accommodation to people that he took them in his care, anyhow. Oh,
it's no use talking! Here we are, stranded in a strange place, knowing
no living soul in the whole town but good old Younkins, and nobody
knows where he is. He couldn't lend us the money, even if we were mean
enough to ask him. Good old Younkins!"

"Younkins!" cried Sandy, starting to his feet. "He will give us good
advice. He has got a great head, has Younkins. I'll go and ask him
what to do. Bless me! There he is now!" and as he spoke, the familiar
slouching figure of their neighbor came around the corner of a
warehouse on the levee.

"Why don't yer go aboard, boys? The boat leaves at noon, and it's past
twelve now. I just thought I'd come down and say good-by-like, for
I'm powerful sorry to have ye go."

The boys explained to the astonished and grieved Younkins how they had
been wrecked, as it were, almost in sight of the home port. The good
man nodded his head gravely, as he listened, softly jingled the few
gold coins in his trousers pocket, and said: "Well, boys, this is the
wust scald I ever did see. If I wasn't so dreadful hard up, I'd give
ye what I've got."

"That's not to be thought of, Mr. Younkins," said Charlie, with
dignity and gratitude, "for we can't think of borrowing money to get
home with. It would be better to wait until we can write home for
more. We might earn enough to pay our board." And Charlie, with a
sigh, looked around at the unsympathetic and hurrying throng.

"You've got baggage as security for your passage to St. Louis. Go
aboard and tell the clerk how you are fixed. Your pa said as how you
would be all right when you got to St. Louis. Go and 'brace' the
clerk."

This was a new idea to the boys. They had never heard of such a thing.
Who would dare to ask such a great favor? The fare from Leavenworth to
St. Louis was twelve dollars each. They had known all about that. And
they knew, too, that the price included their meals on the way down.

"I'll go brace the clerk," said Sandy, stoutly; and before the others
could put in a word, he was gone.

The clerk was a handsome, stylish-looking man, with a good-natured
countenance that reassured the timid boy at once. Mustering up his
waning courage, Sandy stated the case to him,