CHAPTER XVI
SOME NEW EXPERIENCES
Roy passed out through the outer rooms of Caleb Annister's suite ofoffices. He noted the eavesdropping act of the boy, but said nothingto the small chap, who seemed much embarrassed. Then Roy, with hishead somewhat in a whirl over what he had just gone through, went intothe tiled corridor.
He got into an elevator, but, no sooner had the attendant closed theiron-grilled door than the car seemed to fall to the bottom of theelevator well with a sickening suddenness.
"Look out!" cried the boy from the ranch, startled out of his reverieconcerning Mr. Annister, by the fear that the car had broken from thecable. "She's going to smash!" he cried.
Down, down, down fell the car, but, to Roy's surprise no one seemed tomind it. To him it felt, as he expressed it, "as if the bottom haddropped out of his stomach."
Roy clung to one side of the iron grating which formed the car. Everymoment he expected the cage to be dashed to pieces. Then some onelaughed. Roy knew something was going on that he didn't understand.
A moment later the car came to a gradual stop, amid a hissing of air.
"Say, stranger, does it often break loose and go on a stampede thatway?" asked Roy of the attendant who opened the door at the groundfloor.
"What's the matter? Did it scare you?"
"Well, it was a pretty good imitation of it," replied Roy, while theother passengers broke into laughter. "I sure thought I was going toChina. What was the matter?"
"Nothing. This is an express elevator, and it drops from the twentiethstory to the ground in about fifteen seconds. It lands into an airchamber, as soft as a piece of rubber. There's no danger. I do it ahundred times a day."
"You'll have to excuse me the next time," said Roy, with a smile as hegot out. "I don't exactly cotton to elevators anyhow, but when theydrop you like a steer falling over a cliff, why it'll be walk thestairs for mine, after this. It sure will."
"Guess you're from out West, ain't you?"
"That's what I am, and it's a mighty good place. Say, that trip suremade me dizzy."
Indeed there is a curious feeling about being dropped twenty stories ina swift elevator, and Roy might well be excused for his sensation.
However, he soon recovered himself, and, as it was noon time, and hehad a good appetite, he looked about for a place to get something toeat.
He noticed a small restaurant nearby, and went in.
Instead of seeing tables set out in the place, he beheld rows ofchairs, with one arm made very large, so that it served as a shelf onwhich to place plates, cups and saucers. In fact it was a chair andtable combined.
He saw men eating, and others hurrying to and fro, so he took a vacantplace, and sat there, expecting a waiter to come to him and take hisorder. He remained there for some time, noting that the men seated ina row on either side of him, were busy with their food, but noattendant came to him.
"This is queer," thought the boy. "The waiters must be terribly busy.They don't keep you waiting like this at my hotel."
Finally a man, seeing that Roy was a stranger, spoke to him, saying:
"You have to wait on yourself here."
"Wait on yourself?"
"Yes. You go up to that counter over there," pointing to it, "and takewhatever you want. You'll find plates, knives, forks and so on. Then,if you want coffee, you take a cup, go to that counter, where the manstands, and he'll draw a cup for you."
"Thanks," replied Roy, proceeding to put these directions into use.Then for the first time he noticed that the other patrons of therestaurant were doing the same thing.
Roy helped himself to some sandwiches, crullers, a piece of cheese andsome pie.
"I wonder who I pay?" he thought, as he saw no one behind the foodcounter to take any money. "Guess it must be the man at the coffeeurn."
He carried his food to a chair, placing it on the broad arm. Then hewent back for a cup of coffee.
"I got some grub back there," he said to the man. "What's the damage?"
"Pay the girl at the desk when you go out," replied the man shortlywithout looking around. "Tell her what you had, and she'll tell youhow much it is."
"Well, isn't that the limit," exclaimed Roy, half to himself, as he gothis coffee. "This is certainly a new-fangled way of getting your grub."
Still he rather liked the novelty of it. Certainly it was quick, onceone learned how to go about it. Roy made a good though not very fancymeal, and then walked up to the desk, where he observed other menpaying.
"Well," asked the young lady, who seemed to have a very large amount oflight hair, piled up on top of her head in all sorts of waves andfrizzes.
"What'd you have?"
She spoke briskly, making change for one man, and handing another one abox of cigars, that he might take one, and, all the while she neverstopped chewing gum.
Roy named over the articles.
"Twenty cents!" exclaimed the girl. "Here, that's a lead nickel!" sheadded quickly, to the customer just ahead of Roy. "Don't try any ofthem tricks on me."
Roy laid down two dimes, wondering at the cheapness of the meal, andfeeling quite confused by the rush and excitement about him.
He walked out, wondering what his next move should be. He had not gonea dozen steps up the street, before he suddenly remembered that he hadforgotten to mention to the young lady at the desk that he had a pieceof pie.
"I've got to go right back and pay her for that pie!" thought the lad."She'll think I'm trying to cheat her. Lucky I thought of it when Idid, or they might have sent a policeman after me."
He hurried back, and made his way to the desk through a crowd of mencoming out.
"Say," he began to the cashier, "I'm awfully sorry, but I made amistake."
"No mistakes corrected after you leave the desk. See that sign?" andthe girl pointed to one to that effect. "You should count your changewhile you're here. You can't work that game on me."
"I'm not trying to work any game," and Roy felt a little hurt that hisgood motive should thus be mistaken. "I had a piece of pie and Iforgot to tell you of it. I came back to pay the five cents."
"Oh!"
The girl's manner changed, and she looked a little embarrassed."That's all right. You could have paid me to-morrow.
"But I might not be here to-morrow."
Roy laid down a five-cent piece.
"Say, but you're honest!" exclaimed the cashier, as she put back astraggling lock of her yellow hair. "You can't live in New York."
"Now I wonder why she said that?" reasoned Roy, as he walked along thestreet. "Can it be that every one in New York is dishonest? Well, Icertainly think Mr. Annister is. I must write to father, and tell himwhat took place. Then I wander what I had better do next."
Roy was quite perplexed. He would have been more worried had he knownwhat was passing through the mind of Caleb Annister at that moment.