suppose this is the residence of the american minister continued ben the moment an american sets his foot on that threshold he is on united states territory is he then let s set our feet on it immediately shall we call on the minister why not asked the captain who considered himself equal to the occasion we have no one to introduce us we are strangers i can t say mr minister allow me to introduce my friend captain haven because mr minister might very naturally reply before you introduce your friend captain haven perhaps you will be so good as to get some one to introduce you he would be an fellow to do that let s try at all events persisted the captain if we are going to be the and the and all that sort of thing of the next generation we are not going to be frightened at the prospect of meeting an old gentleman come on ben was never behind any one and they entered the stone and walked up the alley on the rough pavement for as people who live in these grand young america in france and never walk there was no smooth u y a t il four service called an old woman in the of tones exclaimed ben clearing his throat for as he was in the it was a choking operation for a to speak it we � that is � desirous le responded the woman coming out of the dark hole where she sat � and where it may be added she ate and drank and cooked and slept and lived with her husband and two children though the visitors were not informed of the fact � and on the rough pavement with her wooden shoes au fond � au fond de la a son excellence est je ne pas ce au fond � au fond a i whistled ben that s a big dose of french but i caught enough of it to know where to go his is at home and we are to turn to the left at the foot of the court we ll try it the old woman was a french institution her tongue went like a railroad train she was an creature she wore a yellow handkerchief tied around her head and an immense blue apron with one great pocket in the centre of it they would have drowned her as a witch if they had caught her in whispered captain haven up to the age of about thirty french women of the o palace and cottage or lower class are blooming merry and as pretty looking as one would wish to see after they pass that age they dry up like withered apples their faces become yellow and wrinkled their forms and their finger joints knotted and and taking them all together they are very women give them the and they seem to be ready for a flight in the air after seeing a few of them one is not greatly surprised to read that the women were worse than the men in the which have paris the ancient saw that the young gentlemen did not yet know where to go and she wildly towards the back of the court yard la la jar cried she pointing with her fingers la si do i sang ben striking the notes of the scale at the end of the court yard stood quite a handsome house on which was the same sign they had seen at the door rang the bell and a neat looking man servant dressed in black with a white neck tie and gloves opened the door le said ben the man who was polite polished good looking and attentive � the very reverse of the old woman � desired them to have the kindness to walk in to take the trouble to sit down and to be good enough to give him their cards with which he disappeared within an inner room the apartment in which the visitors sat was neatly but not furnished young america in france and on the wall hung an of washington which reminded them of home and called forth some patriotic remarks from ben who declared the original was ever so much more of a man than the kings and of europe the minister made his appearance and gave the young gentlemen a cordial welcome the shoulder and bands of captain haven did not escape his attention and in a short time the story of the of the had been told including the capture of the his had heard of the academy before and was pleased to learn of the arrival of the students in paris can i do anything to make your stay in the city more agreeable asked the minister you seem however to be in good hands if you are attended by a lieutenant of police and the de yes sir we are well cared for but some of us would like to go to court if you can manage it for us to court exclaimed the minister well i have a great many but perhaps i can arrange it captain haven was amazed at the audacity of his companion but he did not object to putting his feet within the court of they took their leave and strayed next into the des habits de said captain haven reading a sign in the window of a fashionable tailor court clothes added ben the sign i never thought of that i wonder if we mustn t get a monkey dress to go to court in palace and cottage or on added captain reading another sign in the window � english spoken here we will go in and see about the court dresses they went in and captain haven stated his business ye ne pas interposed the his shoulders and shaking his head demanded ben un why don t you speak it then laughed 