Part 22 (2/2)

The next stop was at Fayetteville and after that came Charleston. Long before this the snow had disappeared and the fields looked as green as in the fall at home.

”We'll be at Jacksonville when you wake up in the morning,” said Dunston Porter, as they turned into their berths the second night on the train.

”Good! We can't get there any too quick for me!” answered Dave.

”You mustn't expect too much, Dave. You may be bitterly disappointed,”

remarked his uncle, gravely.

”Oh, we've just got to catch Merwell and Jasniff, Uncle Dunston!”

”Yes, but they may not be guilty. You'll have to go slow about accusing them.”

”Well, I want to catch them and question them anyway. I can have them detained on the old charge, you know-that is, if they try to get away from me.”

Dave and Phil slept on one side of the car, with Dunston Porter and Roger on the other. As the steam heat was still turned on, it was uncomfortably warm, and as a consequence Dave was rather restless. He tumbled and tossed in his berth, which was the upper one, and wished that the night were over and that they were in Jacksonville.

”Oh, pshaw! I really must get some sleep!” he told himself. ”If I don't, I'll be as sleepy as an owl to-morrow and not fit to hunt up those rascals. Yes, I must go to sleep,” and he did what he could to settle himself.

He had just closed his eyes when a peculiar noise below him made him start up. Phil was thras.h.i.+ng around wildly.

”What's the matter, Phil?” he asked, in a low tone.

”Something is in my berth, some animal, or something!” answered the s.h.i.+powner's son. ”I can't go to sleep for it. Every time I lie down it begins to move.”

”Maybe it's a rat.”

”Whoever heard of a rat in a sleeping-car?” snorted Phil.

”Perhaps you were dreaming. I didn't hear anything,” went on Dave.

”No, I wasn't dreaming-I heard it as plain as day.”

”Better go to bed and forget it, Phil,” and then Dave lay down again.

The s.h.i.+powner's son grumbled a little under his breath, then turned off his electric light, and sank on his pillow once more.

Dave remained quiet for several minutes and then sat bolt upright and gave a low cry. There was no mistake about it, something had moved over his feet and given him a slight nip in the toe.

”Phil!” he called, softly. ”Did you do that? Come, no fooling now. This is no place for jokes.”

”Do what?”

”Pinch me in the toe.”

”I haven't touched your toe. How can I from the lower berth?”

”Well, something nipped me.”

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