"I laid out a route, and wrote it down on a piece of paper."
"But how will you get away? The doctor will keep watch of us all the time now," suggested Beckwith. "Besides, the other divisions of the squadron are coming to Moscow, and the principal may be there by the time we arrive."
"No matter if he is; we can easily manage it. You follow my lead, and I will bring you out all right."
By this time the droskies arrived at the railroad station, where the travellers dined, and obtained their tickets for Moscow. As the students paid their own fare, they were permitted to take first or second class cars, as they preferred. Following the example of the surgeon, most of them went first class, and when they came to take their seats it was found that only Scott and Beckwith had elected to go by the second class. There were very few passengers, and as the doctor gave the conductor a ruble, he disposed of the party so that there were only two or three in a compartment, which afforded them plenty of room to lie down and sleep. As a specimen of the Russian letter, we give a copy of the surgeon's ticket:—
It is translated:
Nijni Novgorod.
Moscow.
1st Class 12 R. 30 C.
The train arrived at Moscow at nine the next morning, and the tourists went to the Hotel de Hambourg. The third division of the squadron had come, and the second was to leave that day. Mr. Lowington and Mr. Fluxion were both at the hotel, and as soon as De Forrest saw the doctor shaking hands with the principal, he decided that he would not wait to be introduced to him. Nodding to Beckwith, he led the way through one of the long halls of the hotel, and found a staircase which led down to an arch under the house. On the other side of it was the dining room, which they entered. This room was on the ground floor, and the windows were open. No one was in sight, and they stepped out through one of them into the street.