“Cold, indeed, sir,” agreed the professor; “but your little house looks bright, and warm, and comfortable.”
“So I think you will find it. You will stay to sup with me?”
“We hope you can give us accommodations overnight. Have you two rooms, one with a fire in it?”
“I have just what you want, I believe—two rooms with a door between, and a grate fire in one of them. You may be as comfortable as you please here.”
By this time the professor had learned that it was always best to bargain in advance for accommodations in England, and this he proceeded to do, haggling in a good-natured way with the landlord, who at first asked an exorbitant price.
“We’re not millionaires, my dear sir,” said Zenas. “We’re just plain, ordinary people, traveling through your beautiful country. The pennies count with us.”
“You’re from America, are you not?” asked the innkeeper, seeming greatly surprised at this confession.
“We are, but not all Americans have money to burn, even though the most of them who come abroad wish people to think so.”
Finally the landlord agreed to a price a full third lower than he had originally named, after which, having ushered them into a room with an open coal fire, he went away to prepare their rooms for them.
A servant came and removed the wraps, saying they would be taken to the rooms upstairs. He also took charge of the big hand bag, which contained their nightdresses and such toilet articles as they always carried with them.