"Dining car caught up with us?" gasped Nan and Bess together.

"What sort of a yarn have you been giving these passengers, Nick?"
demanded the conductor.

"Well, Ah jes' done got t' tell 'em sumpin' t' pacify 'em," whispered the
darkey. "No use lettin' 'em think dey gwyne t' starb t' death. Ah tell
'em yo' done sent back t' de Junction for a car-load ob eats an' dat it's
expected t' arrive any hour. Ya-as, sah!"

"Why, you atrocious falsifier!" ejaculated Mr. Carter.

"Wot! me?" exclaimed the porter. "No, sah! Ah ain't nottin' like dat--no,
sah! Ah reckon Ah done save dat little man's life. Yo' know, dat little
drummer wot's trabelin' wid de big man. Dey was castin' lots t' see which
one should be kilt fo' to be et by de odder--"

"Oh, mercy!" screamed Bess, and stuffed her handkerchief into her mouth.

"Ya-as, indeedy, Miss! Dey was gettin' mighty desprit. An de big feller,
he says, 'Hit don't much matter which way de dice falls, I'm de bigges'
an' I certainly kin holt ma own wid a little runt like you!' He says jes'
lak' dat to his friend, de littles' feller."

Nan and Bess both hid their faces behind Mr. Carter's broad back.

"Ah got nerbous," pursued the darkey. "Dat big man looked lak' he was
jes' going t' start right in on his fren'. An' de luck turns his way,
anyhow, and de lil' feller loses. 'I gibs yo' 'twill six-thirty
to-night,' de big man says. 'Dat's ma reg'lar dinner hour, an' I'm