aunty, for thinking of the hot supper.  It’s such a relief to my mind!  You can understand, can’t you, aunty dear, how anxious I must have been to have my only brother and my only—­my husband—­get on nicely together?  My life would be a wreck, simply a wreck, if they didn’t.  And Willis and I not having seen each other since I was a child makes it all the worse.  I do hope they’re sitting down to a hot supper.

AN ANGRY VOICE from the next berth but one.  I wish people in sleeping-cars—­

A VOICE from the berth beyond that.  You’re mistaken in your premises, sir.  This is a waking-car.  Ladies, go on, and oblige an eager listener.

[Sensation, and smothered laughter from the other berths.]

MRS. ROBERTS (after a space of terrified silence, in a loud whisper to her AUNT.) What horrid things!  But now we really must go to bed.  It was too bad to keep talking.  I’d no idea my voice was getting so loud.  Which berth will you have, aunty?  I’d better take the upper one, because—­

AUNT MARY (whispering).  No, no; I must take that, so that you can be with the baby below.

MRS. ROBERTS.  Oh, how good you are, Aunt Mary!  It’s too bad; it is really.  I can’t let you.

AUNT MARY.  Well, then, you must; that’s all.  You know how that child tosses and kicks about in the night.  You never can tell where his head’s going to be in the morning, but you’ll probably find it at the foot of the bed.  I couldn’t sleep an instant, my dear, if I thought that boy was in the upper berth; for I’d be sure of his tumbling out over you.  Here, let me lay him down. [She lays the baby in the lower berth.] There!  Now get in, Agnes—­do, and leave me to my struggle with the attraction of gravitation.

MRS. ROBERTS.  Oh, poor aunty, how will you ever manage it?  I must help you up.

AUNT MARY.  No, my dear; don’t be foolish.  But you may go and call the porter, if you like.  I dare say he’s used to it.

[MRS. ROBERTS goes and speak timidly to THE PORTER, who fails at first to understand, then smiles broadly, accepts a quarter with a duck of his head, and comes forward to AUNT MARY’S side.]

MRS. ROBERTS.  Had he better give you his hand to rest your foot in, while you spring up as if you were mounting horseback?

AUNT MARY (with disdain). Spring!  My dear, I haven’t sprung for a quarter of a century.  I shall require every fibre in the man’s body.  His hand, indeed!  You get in first, Agnes.

MRS. ROBERTS.  I will, aunty dear; but—­

AUNT MARY (sternly).  Agnes, do as I say. [MRS. ROBERTS crouches down on the lower berth.] I don’t choose that any member of my family shall witness my contortions.  Don’t you look.

MRS. ROBERTS.  No, no, aunty.

AUNT MARY.  Now, porter, are you strong?

PORTER.  I used to be porter at a Saratoga hotel, and carried up de ladies’ trunks dere.