The boys looked up as he spoke, and saw the conductor and the porter near them. As their tickets were taken and the berths assigned, Bob said:—
“Jock, you say you’ll take the berth in the next section. There won’t be any room left for you, I’m thinking. That’s all spoken for now.”
For the first time Jock noticed who was seated in the adjoining section. A woman was there, but never in all his life had he seen one so stout. It almost seemed as if she completely filled the seat, and it was evident from her manner that she was far from feeling at her ease. She glanced nervously about the car, and not for a moment relaxed her grasp on the seat. Her eyes, too, betrayed her alarm, and it was plain that the experience she was then undergoing was a new and not altogether pleasurable one.
As the boys glanced at her, her fear seemed to increase. She rose from the seat, but a sudden lurch of the car sent her back again with an exclamation of anger which could be heard by all.
“Here, you!” she called. “I say, mister, come here!”
It was the colored porter to whom she was speaking, and as he turned back respectfully to listen to what she had to say, his face beamed with good nature and amusement.
“What is it, madam?” he said kindly.
“I thought they told me this was a sleepin’ car.”
“So it is.”