"Come—all of you—turn out—but first pay me," and then he mentioned a considerable sum of money.
"Have you no mercy?" cried a fair-haired girl, pointing to the white and rain-drenched locks of her ancient parents.
"Not a bit, Miss," returned the semi-savage, with a hideous grin.
"And who are you, rude man?" she asked, plucking up in her very despair some spirit. "Are you the Captain?"
"Much the same thing—I am called the Conductor."
"And what is the name of this dreadful conveyance?" again questioned the damsel, with a shuddering glance at what seemed to be a straw-strewn cabin.
"It is called," replied the man, defiantly, "the Pirate Bus!" On hearing this, the entire party uttered a despairing cry, and fainted!
THE TRAVELLER'S FRIEND.
(A Hint for the coming Holidays.)