"Do I register?" asked Ned, hoping that he would not have to put down another false name. "Register nothin'," the clerk replied. "They go by numbers here. Yours is seventeen," and Ned, looking at the tag on his key, saw what the clerk meant. "I'm glad there's no thirteen in this," the boy thought. "How do I get to my room?" he asked. "Right along the corridor. You can't miss it. Go on until you strike the right number and go in. Do you snore?" "No. Why?" "Because there is a man in the next room to you who says he'll punch my face in, if I put any one near him who snores. It's all right. Go ahead. If you want a bath it's the last room at the end of the hall, but you have to furnish your own soap and towels." "That settles the bath question," thought Ned; "that is unless I dry myself on a pocket handkerchief, and I guess I'd better save that." "Lock your door," the clerk called after him. "We're not responsible for anything stolen from the rooms." Ned had not expected much for twenty-five cents, and the small room, the little narrow iron cot, and the scanty supply of coverings did not disappoint him. The room was merely separated from the others, in the row of which it was, by partitions that did not extend all the way to the ceiling. Ned sat down on the chair and gazed about him. He could hear men in the next rooms breathing heavily. It was rather chilly for there was no fire in the bedrooms. "I can use my overcoat for a blanket," Ned inadvertently spoke aloud. The next moment a voice, from the room on his left startled him. "Hello, in seventeen!" called a man. "Well?" asked Ned. "Do you snore?" "No." "All right. If you do there'll be trouble. I'm a light sleeper." Ned wondered who his unseen questioner was, but he was too tired to care much. He undressed, and crawled into bed. His overcoat answered well for a blanket, and soon he began to feel warm and drowsy, in spite of his strange surroundings. He must have slept for several hours when he was suddenly awakened by a pounding on his door. "What is it? Is the place afire?" he called, sitting up in bed. "Fire nothing! I want my money you took!" It was the voice of the man who had asked him if he snored. "I haven't your money," Ned answered, thinking the man might be a lunatic. "Yes, you have! You sneaked into my room and took it! I woke up just in time! Open the door or I'll break it down!" Ned sprang from his bed and turned the key. The door flew open and a big man with a red moustache entered. "Give me my money!" he demanded, striding up to Ned. CHAPTER XXI NED FLEES AGAIN "I tell you I haven't your money!" exclaimed Ned. "What do you mean?" "You know what I mean well enough! I had a lot of dollar bills under my pillow! You sneaked in and took them! I want my money!" "And I tell you I haven't it and didn't take it!" Ned repeated. "This is my room, and you'd better get out of it!" "Not until I have my money! Where is it?"