he commanded. "It's lucky neither of us is very fat or we
couldn't both sit in one chair. That's right," as Nan obediently "moved
over" but still kept her face to the window. "Now say you forgive me for
being such an old bear. After all, honey," and she patted Nan's shoulder
soothingly, "I suppose it isn't your fault if Walter likes you best."

Nan's shoulder moved impatiently.

"But he doesn't," she insisted, staring out of the window. "It isn't
so."

"All right," agreed Bess soothingly. But it was lucky Nan could not see
the twinkle in her eye. "Have it your own way, Nan. Only stop turning
your back to me. It isn't polite. And, oh!" she added, with a little
sigh, "I'm hungry."

At this sudden and very unromantic change in the subject Nan laughed.
And as laughter and ill-temper never go hand in hand, it was not long
before Nan had forgotten all about Walter--almost.

She produced the lunch box, and for once Bess was too ravenously hungry
to protest at the "commonness" of it, and they set to at its delicious
contents with a will.

It was eight o'clock when they went into the sleeping car, as they had
been unable to secure a berth in Tillbury, and had had to telegraph
ahead to have one reserved on a coach which was attached to the train
further along the line.

"This is more like it," said Nan, as they entered the sleeping car.
"I'll be glad enough to go to bed just as soon as we can see no more of
the scenery we are passing."

"Who is to take the upper berth, you or I?" demanded her companion.

"Maybe we had better toss up for it," said Nan.

Just then the girls observed a lady on the opposite side of the aisle
telling the colored porter not to fix the upper berth at all, that she
and her daughter would both sleep below.

"Let's do that," suggested Nan.

"By all means," answered Bess; and so it was settled.

"Lots o' folks don't use dat dar upper berth," explained the porter as
he fixed the lower bed only. "They leaves it up and dat gives 'em so
much more room to stand up an' dress an' undress."

"It will just suit us," declared Bess.

Soon the berth was ready and a little later the girls retired.

Being together they had thought to have a good "talk-fest," as Bess
called it. But alas! both were so tired out that they fell asleep almost
before they knew it. And neither woke up until morning, when they were
rolling into New York City.

"Gracious; time to get up!" and Nan lost no time in dressing and