"These confounded people won't let a fellow have his meals only at their own convenience, and the feelin' of earthquakes keeps a growing on me every time I look down out of that window. I've got to quit it." Aunt Sarah shared the same feeling, but John and Fanny decided that it was not half as high as they wanted to go before they left Chicago. [Illustration: "Say, Mister, I've paid fare once on this tarnal machine."] In due time the city awoke, with a rush and a roar, to the business of the day. Uncle found the office of the boarding house syndicate a few doors away, and the family were soon safely housed in more congenial quarters. "The Fair, Father, the Fair! When will we ever get to see the Fair? I just heard a man say that it's ten o'clock, and here we are a-fussing about in the rooms and missin' the sights." Johnny was impatient, but not long after, the family hailed a passing street car and were on their way at last. "Twenty cents is the fare for four of you." The conductor rang the fares and passed on. The new scenes of the city absorbed their attention, but Uncle soon began shifting in his seat, and at last whispered to Aunt Sarah: "Say, I noticed that we went clear 'round a hull lot of blocks, and it 'pears ter me that we air goin' right backards to where we ought to go, or else this 'ere town has got two parts a blamed sight alike." "Fare, please!" "Say, Mister, I've paid fare once on this tarnal machine. How often do you have to pay--every once in a while?" "Are you riding around for your health, or do you want to go somewhere?" "That's it, Mister, exactly. I wish you'd drive this riding machine at once to the World's Fair. You've got it pasted on the front of your engine, and yet you're takin' us right back past where we got on." "Sure, old man, you're all right, only you got on a car going the wrong way, and so went on around the loop. But you're all right now. I'll land you at the grounds; but twenty cents, please." Twenty cents were forthcoming, and shortly the family found themselves in a maze of booths, people, streets and vehicles. It was not difficult to follow the crowd, and in a few minutes the amazed family were walking the streets of the great White City. "Guides, World's Fair Guides!" Uncle stopped a moment as a boy planted himself in front of him, thus calling him from the amazement of the wonderful city down to the realities of the earth. [Illustration] "Guides, Mister, only twenty-five cents. This little book contains all you want to know about yonder lovely city--for the price of one small quarter you have a key to all the doors of the Fair--with this book no Columbian guard can call you down--you are free and independent of everybody with this book in your hands--it's only a quarter, remember, only twenty-five cents! Illustrated, tells you everything."