“Our regular charge is two dollars and a half a day,” said the colonel, “but I’ll take you four for nine dollars a day.”
Phœnix made no answer, but for a moment his face seemed almost as long as Chap’s legs. Supper was now ready, and during the first part of the meal Phœnix said but little, and seemed to have no appetite; but the example of his companions soon had an effect upon him, and he began to eat as heartily as anybody.
“This is a tip-top place,” said Chap, as the three boys walked down the gravelled path after supper. “I don’t know when I’ve eaten such a gorgeous meal.”
“The meal is gorgeous enough,” said Phœnix, in a doleful tone, “but that isn’t all of it. The price is a great sight more gorgeous. What do you say to nine dollars a day for the four of us?”
“Nine dollars!” exclaimed Chap. “We can’t do anything like that. We haven’t got money enough, have we? After we’ve paid for the boat, we won’t begin to have enough.”
“We must go to some cheaper place,” said Phil. “Of course we can’t pay such rates as that.”
Adam and Brewer now joined the party, and as the identity of the latter had been established, he was paid the eight dollars that was due for the hire of the boat and the gun. He said he did not intend to start down the river that night, but further than this he seemed to have no plans, and strolled down toward the river.
“Adam,” said Phil, “we must get out of this place. It is too expensive for us. Where shall we find the cheapest kind of a hotel or boarding-house?”
Adam laughed.
“You can’t find it in this town,” he said. “If you want to stop in Titusville, you’ve got to stop in this house. There isn’t any other place to go to. Catch any of the people of this town takin’ boarders away from the colonel! They know better what’s good for ’em.”