After what seemed an interminable length of time they heard a shuffling of feet in the corridor. The sound of the steps ceased, and some one rapped at the door.
"Something foh you, gemmen?"
"Yes—let us out of here!"
The porter tried the handle of the door.
"By golly," he observed, "you done lock yo'selves in."
"We didn't lock ourselves in. Somebody locked us in. Haven't you got a key?"
"Jes' a minute."
They heard the porter shuffling away. After a while he returned with the sleeping car conductor, a key clicked in the lock, and then the door swung open.
"How on earth did that happen?" asked the conductor, mystified. He looked at the porter accusingly. "Did you lock these boys in there?"
"No, sah! No, sah!" protested the porter. "Ah didn't have nuffin to do with it, sah! Dey come on at Chicago wif an older man and I done showed 'em to de compa'tment and dat's all Ah knows about it."