Part 40 (1/2)

”Ha! Ha!” said my companion, ”that's better. Give us room to stretch our legs. Do you bet?”

”No,” I said, ”never.”

”Good, lad! Don't; very bad habit. I do; I've lots of bad habits. But I was going to say, I'll bet you an even half-crown that we don't have another pa.s.senger from here to London.”

”I hope we shall not,” I said as I thought of a nap on the seat.

”So do I, sir--so do I,” he said, nodding his head quickly. ”I vote we lie down and make the best of it--by and by. Have a cigar first?”

”Thank you; I don't smoke,” I said.

”I do. Will you excuse me if I have a cigar? Not a smoking carriage-- more comfortable.”

I a.s.sured him that I should not mind; and he took out a cigar, lit it, and began to smoke.

”Better have one,” he said. ”Mild as mild. They won't hurt you.”

I thanked him again and declined, sitting back and watching him as he smoked on seeming to enjoy his cigar, and made a remark or two about the beautiful night and the stars as the train dashed on.

After a time he took out a flask, slipped off the plated cup at the bottom, and unscrewed the top, pouring out afterward some clear-looking liquid.

”Have a drink?” he said, offering me the flask-cup; but I shook my head.

”No, thank you,” I said; and somehow I began thinking of the water I had drunk at the works, and which had made me so terribly sleepy.

I don't know how it was, but I did think about that, and it was in my mind as he said laughingly:

”What! Not drink a little drop of mild stuff like that? Well, you are a fellow! Why it's like milk.”

He seemed to toss it off.

”Better have a drop,” he said.

I declined.

”Nonsense! Do,” he cried. ”Do you good. Come, have a drink.”

He grew more persistent, but the more persistent he was the more I shrank from the cup he held in his hand; and at last I felt sorry, for he seemed so kind that it was ungracious of me to refuse him so simple a request.

”Oh, very well!” he said, ”just as you like. There will be the more for me.”

He laughed, nodded, and drank the contents of the cup before putting the screw-top on the flask, thrusting it in his breast-pocket, and then making a cus.h.i.+on of his railway wrapper he lay at full length upon the cus.h.i.+on, and seemed to compose himself to sleep.

It was such a good example that, after a few minutes' silence, I did the same, and lay with my eyes half-closed, listening to the dull rattle of the train, and thinking of the works at Arrowfield, and what a good job it was that I spoke to Uncle Bob about the trap.

Then I hoped he would not be incautious and hurt himself in letting off the spring.

I looked across at my fellow-traveller, who seemed to be sleeping soundly, and the sight of his closed eyes made mine heavy, and no wonder, for every other night I had been on guard at the works, and that seemed to shorten my allowance of sleep to a terrible degree.

I knew there could be no mistake, for I was going as far as the train went, and the guard would be sure to wake me up if I was fast asleep.