Part 27 (1/2)

”A whole convention last trip! Just my luck!”

The unenlightened conductor turned to call back: ”Say, up in the forward car we got a couple of undertakers. They be of any use to you?”

”Not yet.”

Then Mallory dawdled on into the smoking room, where he found his own porter, who explained that he had been ”promoted to the bottlery.”

”Do we come to a station stop soon?” Mallory asked.

”Well, not for a considerable interval. Do you want to get out and walk up and down?”

”I don't,” said Mallory, taking from under his coat Snoozleums, whom he had smuggled past the new conductor. ”Meanwhile, Porter, could you give him something to eat to distract him?”

The porter grinned, and picking up a bill of fare held it out. ”I got a meenuel. It ain't written in dog, but you can explain it to him.

What would yo' canine desiah, sah?”

Snoozleums put out a paw and Mallory read what it indicated: ”He says he'd like a filet Chateaubriand, but if you have any old bones, he'll take those.” The porter gathered Snoozleums in and disappeared with him into the buffet, Mallory calling after him: ”Don't let the conductor see him.”

Dr. Temple advanced on the disconsolate youth with an effort at cheer: ”How is our bridegroom this beautiful afternoon?”

Mallory glanced at his costume: ”I feel like a rainbow gone wrong.

Just my luck to have to borrow from everybody. Look at me! This collar of Mr. Wellington's makes me feel like a peanut in a rubber tire.” He turned to Fosd.i.c.k.

”I say, Mr. Fosd.i.c.k, what size collar do you wear?”

”Fourteen and a half,” said Fosd.i.c.k.

”Fourteen and a half!--why don't you get a neck? You haven't got a plain white s.h.i.+rt, have you? Our English friend lent me this, but it's purple, and Mr. Ashton's socks are maroon, and this peac.o.c.k blue tie is very unhappy.”

”I think I can fit you out,” said Fosd.i.c.k.

”And if you had an extra pair of socks,” Mallory pleaded,--”just one pair of unemotional socks.”

”I'll show you my repertoire.”

”All right, I'll see you later.” Then he went up to Wellington, with much hesitance of manner. ”By the way, Mr. Wellington, do you suppose Mrs. Wellington could lend Miss--Mrs.--could lend Marjorie some--some----”

Wellington waved him aside with magnificent scorn: ”I am no longer in Mrs. Wellington's confidence.”

”Oh, excuse me,” said Mallory. He had noted that the Wellingtons occupied separate compartments, but for all he knew their reason was as romantic as his own.

CHAPTER XXIII

THROUGH A TUNNEL

Mrs. Jimmie Wellington, who had traveled much abroad and learned in England the habit of smoking in the corridors of expensive hotels, had acquired also the habit, as travelers do, of calling England freer than America. She determined to do her share toward the education of her native country, and chose, for her topic, tobacco as a feminine accomplishment.