CHAPTER V.
I APPRECIATE THE SITUATION.
The flight of time brought no alleviation to the troubles of Aureataland.

If an individual hard up is a pathetic sight, a nation hard up is an alarming spectacle; and Aureataland was very hard up.
I suppose somebody had some money.

But the Government had none; in consequence the Government employees had none, the officials had none, the President had none, and finally, I had none.

The bank had a little--of other people's, of course--but I was quite prepared for a "run" on us any day, and had cabled to the directors to implore a remittance in cash, for our notes were at a discount humiliating to contemplate.

Political strife ran high.