"Who are all these people, Leopold?" asked Squire Moses Wormbury, as the young man was ascending the steps.
"Mr. Franklin Hamilton's party from New York," replied the young man hastily.
"Island Hotel, sir?" said Ethan Wormbury, approaching one of the gentlemen, whose wife was leaning upon is arm; "best hotel in the place, sir, and close to the wharf."
"If it is the best hotel in the place, that is where we wish to go," replied the gentlemen, with a slightly foreign accent in his tones.
"This way, if you please, sir," added Ethan, with enthusiasm, as he began to move up the wharf.
"Doctor," called Mr. Hamilton, "where are you going?"
"To the hotel. Thin man says he keeps the best one in this place."
"We are all going to the Sea Cliff House," added the chief of the party.
Ethan gnashed his teeth with rage, and so did the squire, his father. It was really horrible to see the whole party going to the Sea Cliff.
"How do you do, Mr. Hamilton?" said Squire Moses, extending his withered hand to the New York merchant. "Glad to see you come down to the old place once in a while."