After dinner I started out again with the flavoring extract. At the third house I entered, an old gentleman asked if I could get him the agency for it. He said it wasn't necessary for him to do anything of the kind, as he owned a nice home and a small farm and had some money on interest, but he didn't like to spend his time in idleness. I told him that our house had no vacancies, but I could intercede in his behalf in making him an agent for a patent flour-sifter. He asked what terms he could make. I told him they retailed for fifty cents each, but in order to secure the exclusive sale in his town he would have to pay the regular retail price for the first four hundred, after which he could have all he wanted at half that price. He said he wouldn't care to invest more than one hundred dollars anyhow, and expressed a desire to see one of them. "Well," said I, "I am always glad to do a man a favor, and I will run down town and bring one up to you." I went immediately to where the gentleman was unpacking his sifters, and asked if he would be willing to sell two hundred and give the exclusive sale. He refused to do so, and I saw there was little use in trying to persuade him, when I explained the nature of my case. He said it wouldn't pay him to sell so few. "Then I'll tell you what I'll do," said I. "You see if I was to sell two hundred at the price I have quoted, I'd make fifty dollars. Now if you will let me make the sale I'll give you half of my profits." He agreed, and I returned to my victim and put the deal through in less than an hour, and pocketed twenty-five dollars--my share of the profits. I then returned at once to my flavoring extract and sold over three dollars' worth that afternoon, making a clear profit of thirty-five dollars for my day's work. I then joined Frank at Sturgis, and after settling up our affairs there, he left for Ohio with the understanding that I would meet him at Elmore three days later. [Illustration] CHAPTER XVI. ARRIVING AT ELMORE, OHIO, STRANDED--RECEIVING EIGHT DOLLARS ON A PATENT-RIGHT SALE--DUNNED IN ADVANCE BY THE LANDLORD--CHANGING HOTELS--MY VISIT TO FREMONT--MEETING MR. KEEFER AND BORROWING MONEY--OUR VISIT TO FINDLAY--A BIG DEAL--LOSING MONEY IN WHEAT--FOLLOWED BY OFFICERS WITH A WRIT OF REPLEVIN--OUTWITTING THEM--A FOUR-MILE CHASE--HIDING OUR RIG IN A CELLAR. I stopped at Bronson, where my wife and boy were visiting her people and in a couple of days we all started for Elmore, where we arrived bag and baggage without a cent. My wife said she couldn't see why I should want her to accompany me when I was meeting with such poor success. I explained that it would possibly come very handy to have her Saratoga trunk along occasionally to help satisfy the landlords of our responsibility. "O, I see you want to sort of pawn us, occasionally for hotel bills, don't you?" "Well, yes," I answered, "it might be convenient to do so should we get cornered."