“Sometimes it’s all I can do to get it eaten—other times I’m not so hard pressed, but it’s never got over without interruption, more or less.”
“Are breakfast and tea as bad?”
“Not quite,” replied Sam with a laugh; “about breakfast time the traffic ain’t quite so fast and furious, and I takes tea at home.”
“How long are you here at a time?” asked the inquisitive Gertie.
“Twelve hours, my dear, and no time allowed for meals.”
“Surely you must be very tired?”
“Sometimes, but they talk of shortening the hours soon. There’s a want of signalmen just now, that’s how it is. But what good fortune has sent you here this evenin’, Gertie?”
“I want to ask you about a ring, Sam.”
“A ring! What! you ain’t goin’ to get married already, are you?”
Gertie replied by bursting into a hearty fit of laughter; when she had sufficiently recovered her gravity, she revealed her troubles to the sympathising signalman.