not
seen me. But what was he doing on the Boston train?

Without lingering to solve the question, I stole gently from my seat and
passed into the forward car.

This was very awkward, having the Admiral on board. I couldn't
understand it at all. Could it be possible that the old boy had got
tired of land and was running away to sea himself? That was too absurd.
I glanced nervously towards the car door now and then, half expecting to
see him come after me.

We had passed one or two way-stations, and I had quieted down a good
deal, when I began to feel as if somebody was looking steadily at the
back of my head. I turned round involuntarily, and there was Sailor
Ben again, at the farther end of the car, wrestling with the Rivermouth
Barnacle as before.

I began to grow very uncomfortable indeed. Was it by design or chance
that he thus dogged my steps? If he was aware of my presence, why didn't
he speak to me at once? 'Why did he steal round, making no sign, like a
particularly unpleasant phantom? Maybe it wasn't Sailor Ben. I peeped at
him slyly. There was no mistaking that tanned, genial phiz of his. Very
odd he didn't see me!

Literature, even in the mild form of a country newspaper, always had the
effect of poppies on the Admiral. 'When I stole another glance in his
direction his hat was tilted over his right eye in the most dissolute
style, and the Rivermouth Barnacle lay in a confused heap beside him. He
had succumbed. He was fast asleep. If he would only keep asleep until we
reached our destination!

By and by I discovered that the rear car had been detached from the
train at the last stopping-place. This accounted satisfactorily for
Sailor Ben's singular movements, and considerably calmed my fears.
Nevertheless, I did not like the aspect of things.

The Admiral continued to snooze like a good fellow, and was snoring
melodiously as we glided at a slackened pace over a bridge and into
Boston.

I grasped my pilgrim's bundle, and, hurrying out of the car, dashed up
the first street that presented itself.

It was a narrow, noisy, zigzag street, crowded with trucks and
obstructed with bales and boxes of merchandise. I didn't pause to
breathe until I had placed a respectable distance between me and the
railway station. By this time it was nearly twilight.

I had got into the region of dwelling-houses, and was about to seat
myself on a doorstep to rest, when, lo! there was the Admiral trundling
along on the opp