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which he wasn't ex…President anyway； bein' dead； but Jone he
whispered they was travelin' under nommys dess plummys （I told him
to say that）； an' he would fix it all right in the mornin'。 An'
then we got some supper； which it took them two lunertics a long
time to eat； for they was all the time forgettin' what particular
kind o' business they was about； an' then we was showed to our
rooms。 They had two rooms right across the hall from ours。 We
hadn't been inside our room five minutes before Mrs。 General
Jackson come a…knockin' at the door。
〃'Look a…here；' she says to me； 'there's a unforeseen contingency
in my room。 An' it smells。'
〃So I went right in； an' sure enough it did smell； for she had
turned on all the gases； besides the one that was lighted。
〃'What did you do that for？' says I； a…turnin' them off as fast as
I could。
〃'I'd like to know what they're made for；' says she； 'if they isn't
to be turned on。'
〃When I told Jone about this he looked real serious； an' jus' then
a waiter came upstairs an' went into the big man's room。 In a
minute he come out an' says to Jone an' me； a…grinnin'：
〃'We can't suit him no better in this house。'
〃'What does he want？' asks Jone。
〃'Why； he wants a smaller bed；' says the waiter。 'He says he can't
sleep in a bed as big as that； an' we haven't none smaller in this
house； which he couldn't get into if we had； in my opinion；' says
he。
〃'All right；' says Jone。 'Jus' you go downstairs； an' I'll fix
him。' So the man goes off； still a…grinnin'。 'I tell you what it
is；' says Jone； 'it wont do to let them two lunertics have rooms to
themselves。 They'll set this house afire or turn it upside down in
the middle of the night； if they has。 There's nuthin' to be done
but for you to sleep with the woman an' for me to sleep with the
man； an' to keep 'em from cuttin' up till mornin'。'
〃So Jone he went into the room where General Tom Thumb was a…
settin' with his hat on； a…lookin' doleful at the bed； an' says he：
〃'What's the matter with the bed？'
〃'Oh； it's too large entirely；' says the General。 'It wouldn't do
for me to sleep in a bed like that。 It would ruin my character as
a genuine Thumb。'
〃'Well；' says Jone； 'it's nearly two times too big for you； but if
you an' me was both to sleep in it； it would be about right；
wouldn't it？'
〃'Oh yes；' says the General。 An' he takes off his hat； an' Jone
says good…night to me an' shuts the door。 Our room was better than
Mrs。 General Jackson's； so I takes her in there； an' the fust thing
she does is to turn on all the gases。
〃'Stop that！' I hollers。 'If you do that again；I'llI'll break
the United States Bank tomorrow！'
〃'How'll you do that？' says she。
〃'I'll draw out all my capital；' says I。
〃'I hope really you wont；' says she； 'till I've been there；' an'
she leans out of the open winder to look into the street； but while
she was a…lookin' out I see her left hand a…creepin' up to the gas
by the winder； that wasn't lighted。 I felt mad enough to take her
by the feet an' pitch her out； as you an the boarder；〃 said Pomona；
turning to me； 〃h'isted me out of the canal…boat winder。〃
This； by the way； was the first intimation we had had that Pomona
knew how she came to fall out of that window。
〃But I didn't do it；〃 she continued； 〃for there wasn't no soft
water underneath for her to fall into。 After we went to bed I kep'
awake for a long time； bein' afraid she'd get up in the night an'
turn on all the gases and smother me alive。 But I fell asleep at
last； an' when I woke up； early in the mornin'； the first thing I
did was to feel for that lunertic。 But she was gone！〃
CHAPTER XVI。
IN WHICH AN OLD FRIEND APPEARS AND THE BRIDAL TRIP TAKES A FRESH
START。
〃Gone？〃 cried Euphemia； who； with myself； had been listening most
intently to Pomona's story。
〃Yes；〃 continued Pomona； 〃she was gone。 I give one jump out of bed
and felt the gases； but they was all right。 But she was gone； an'
her clothes was gone。 I dressed； as pale as death； I do expect；
an' hurried to Jone's room； an' he an' me an' the big man was all
ready in no time to go an' look for her。 General Tom Thumb didn't
seem very anxious； but we made him hurry up an' come along with us。
We couldn't afford to leave him nowheres。 The clerk down…stairsa
different one from the chap who was there the night beforesaid
that a middle…aged； elderly lady came down about an hour before an'
asked him to tell her the way to the United States Bank； an' when
he told her he didn't know of any such bank； she jus' stared at
him； an' wanted to know what he was put there for。 So he didn't
have no more to say to her； an' she went out； an' he didn't take no
notice which way she went。 We had the same opinion about him that
Mrs。 Jackson had； but we didn't stop to tell him so。 We hunted up
an' down the streets for an hour or more； we asked every policeman
we met if he'd seen her； we went to a police station； we did
everything we could think of； but no Mrs。 Jackson turned up。 Then
we was so tired an' hungry that we went into some place or other
an' got our breakfast。 When we started out ag'in； we kep' on up
one street an' down another； an' askin' everybody who looked as if
they had two grains of sense；which most of 'em didn't look as if
they had mor'n one； an' that was in use to get 'em to where they
was goin。' At last； a little ways down a small street； we seed a
crowd； an' the minute we see it Jone an' me both said in our inside
hearts： 'There she is！' An' sure enough； when we got there； who
should we see； with a ring of street…loafers an' boys around her；
but Mrs。 Andrew Jackson； with her little straw hat an' her green
carpet…slippers； a…dancin' some kind of a skippin' fandango； an' a…
holdin' out her skirts with the tips of her fingers。 I was jus'
agoin' to rush in an' grab her when a man walks quick into the ring
and touches her on the shoulder。 The minute I seed him I knowed
him。 It was our old boarder！〃
〃It was？〃 exclaimed Euphemia。
〃Yes it was truly him； an' I didn't want him to see me there in
such company； an' he most likely knowin' I was on my bridal…trip；
an' so I made a dive at my bonnet to see if I had a vail on； an'
findin' one； I hauled it down。
〃'Madam；' says the boarder； very respectful； to Mrs。 Jackson；
'where do you live？ Can't I take you home？' 'No； sir；' says she；
'at least not now。 If you have a carriage； you may come for me
after a while。 I am waiting for the Bank of the United States to
open； an' until which time I must support myself on the light
fantastic toe；' an' then she tuk up her skirts； an' begun to dance
ag'in。 But she didn't make mor'n two skips before I rushed in； an'
takin' her by the arm hauled her out o' the ring。 An' then up
comes the big man with his face as red as fire。 'Look' here！' says
he to her； as if he was ready to eat her up。 'Did you draw every
cent of that money？' 'Not yet； not yet；' says she。 'You did； you
purse…proud cantalope；' says he。 'You know very well you did； an'
now I'd like to know where my ox…money is to come from。' But Jone
an' me didn't intend to wait for no sich talk as