In the race-week at Doncaster it is no uncommon thing for visitors who have not bespoken apartments to pass the night in their carriages at the inn doors.

As for the lower sort of strangers, I myself have often seen them, at that full time, sleeping out on the doorsteps for want of a covered place to creep under.

Rich as he was, Arthur's chance of getting a night's lodging (seeing that he had not written beforehand to secure one) was more than doubtful.

He tried the second hotel, and the third hotel, and two of the inferior inns after that, and was met everywhere with the same form of answer.

No accommodation for the night of any sort was left.