"I heard something about it this morning." "Perhaps you haven't heard all the circumstances," suggested Ashby in growing embarrassment.
"We've heard enough, anyway," replied the same drummer briskly.

"So these young men, who are a credit to their profession and to their home towns, are ordered to leave here?
Boys, I guess we leave, too, don't we ?" The other traveling salesmen assented emphatically.
Now Proprietor Ashby felt dismal, indeed.

These five men were occupying the best quarters in his hotel, outside of those occupied by Jim Duff.
It was not the loss of patronage from these men alone that troubled Ashby.

Traveling salesmen have their own ways of "passing around the word" and downing any hotel that depends largely on their patronage.
"You can have all our rooms, then, Mr.Ashby," proposed the same drummer.

"We'll have our things out and be ready for our bills within twenty minutes." "But, gentlemen, be calm about this," begged Ashby.