passengers smiling, and he wondered if they were laughing
at him, or if he had made a mistake. He resolved to be careful, as he
did not want it known that he was making a long journey for the first
time.

"Heah's youh seat," went on the porter, escorting Roy to a deep, soft
chair. "I'll be right back yeah, an' if youh wants me, all youh has to
do is push this yeah button," and he showed Roy an electric button
fixed near the window.

"Well, I don't know what I'll want of you," said the boy, trying to
think what excuse he could have for calling the colored man.

"Why, sah, youh might want to git breshed off, or youh might want a
book, or a cigar--"

"I don't smoke," retorted Roy promptly.

"Well, I'm here to wait on passengers," went on the negro, "and if youh
wants me all youh has to do is push that yeah button."

"All right--er--" he paused, not knowing what to call the porter.

"Mah name's George Washington Thomas Jefferson St. Louis Algernon
Theophilus Brown, but folks dey gen'ally calls me George, sah," and the
porter grinned so that he showed every one of his big white teeth.

"All right--George," said Roy, beginning to understand something of
matters. "I'll call you if I want you."

"Dey calls out when it's meal time."

"What's that?"

"I say dey calls out when it's meal time. De dining car potah will
call out when it's time fo' dinner."

"Oh," remarked Roy, rather dubiously, for he did not know exactly what
was meant.

The porter left him, laughing to himself at the lack of knowledge shown
by the boy from the ranch, but for all that George Washington St. Louis
Algernon Theophilus Brown resolved to do all he could for Roy. As for
the young traveler he was so interested in the scenery, as it appeared
to fly past the broad windows of the car, that he did not worry about
what he was going to do when it came meal time.

Still, after an hour or so of looking out of the window it became a
little tiresome, and he turned around to observe his fellow passengers.
Seated near him was a well-dressed man, who had quite a large watch
chain strung across his vest. He had a sparkling stone in his necktie,
and another in a ring on his finger.

"Your first trip East?" he asked, nodding in a friendly way to Roy.

"My first trip, of any account, anywhere. I haven't taken a long
railroad journey since I was a baby, and I don't remember that."

"I thought you looked as if you hadn't been a very great distance