Burnet with a sigh. They were the walls of what seemed to her a sort of
prison, as she realized that presently she should be left alone among
them, Katy and Polly gone, and these new friends whom she had learned to
like so much,--left alone with Phil and, what was worse, with Mrs. Watson!
There was a comic side to the latter situation, undoubtedly, but at the
moment she could not enjoy it.

Katy carried out her intention. She made a long call on Mrs. Watson in her
section, and listened patiently to her bemoanings over the noise of the
car which had kept her from sleeping; the "lady in gray over there" who
had taken such a long time to dress in the morning that she--Mrs.
Watson--could not get into the toilet-room at the precise moment that she
wished; the newspaper boy who would not let her "just glance over" the
Denver "Republican" unless she bought and paid for it ("and I only wanted
to see the Washington news, my dear, and something about a tin wedding in
East Dedham. My mother came from there, and I recognized one of the names
and--But he took it away quite rudely; and when I complained, the
conductor wouldn't attend to what I--"); and the bad piece of beefsteak
which had been brought for her breakfast at the eating-station. Katy
soothed and comforted to the best of her ability, and then plunged into
her subject, explaining Phil's very delicate condition and the necessity
for constant watchfulness on the part of Clover, and saying most
distinctly and in the plainest of English that Mrs. Watson must not expect
Clover to take care of her too. The old lady was not in the least
offended; but her replies were so incoherent that Katy was not sure that
she understood the matter any better for the explanation.

"Certainly, my dear, certainly. Your brother doesn't appear so very sick;
but he must be looked after, of course. Boys always ought to be. I'll
remind your sister if she seems to be forgetting anything. I hope I shall