ve some acquaintances
in common?

CAMPBELL. Look here, Agnes, do you always shout at the top of your voice
in this way when you converse in a sleeping-car?

MRS. ROBERTS. Was I talking loud again? Well, you can't help it if you
want to make people hear you.

CAMPBELL. But there must be a lot of them who don't want to hear you. I
wonder that the passengers who are not blood-relations don't throw things
at you--boots and hand-bags and language.

MRS. ROBERTS. Why, that's what they've _been_ doing--language, at
least--and I'm only surprised they're not doing it now.

THE CALIFORNIAN (rising). They'd better not, ma'am.

[He patrols the car from end to end, and quells some rising murmurs,
halting at the rebellious berths as he passes.]

MRS. ROBERTS (enraptured by his companionship). Oh, he _must_ be some
connection. [She glances through the window.] I do believe that was
Newton, or Newtonville, or West Newton, or Newton Centre. I must run and
wake up baby, and get him dressed. I shan't want to wait an instant
after we get in. Why, we're slowing up! Why, I do believe we're there!
Edward, we're there! Only fancy being there already!

MR. ROBERTS. Yes, my dear. Only we're not quite there yet. Hadn't we
better call your aunt Mary?

MRS. ROBERTS. I'd forgotten her.

CAMPBELL. Is Aunt Mary with you?

MRS. ROBERTS. To be sure she is. Didn't I tell you? She came on
expressly to meet you.

CAMPBELL (starting up impetuously). Which berth is she in?

MRS. ROBERTS. Right over baby.

CAMPBELL. And which berth is baby in?

MRS. ROBERTS (distractedly). Why, that's just what I can't _tell_. It
was bad enough when they were all filled up, but now since the people
have begun to come out of them, and some of them are made into seats I
can't tell.

THE CALIFORNIAN. I'll look for you, ma'am. I should like to wake up all
the wrong passengers on this car. I'd take a pleasure in it. If you
could make sure of any berth that _ain't_ the one, I'll begin on that.

MRS. ROBERTS. I can't even be sure of the wrong one. No, no; you
mustn't--[THE CALIFORNIAN moves away, and pauses in front of one of the
berths, looking back inquiringly at MRS. ROBERTS.] Oh, don't ask _me_!
_I_ can't tell. [To CAMPBELL.] _Isn't_ he amusing? So like all those
Californians that one reads of--so chivalrous and _so_ humorous!

AUNT MARY (thrusting her head from the curtains of the berth before which
THE CALIFORNIAN is