'I be
a-travellin', same as you,' he adds.
"'You'll 'scuse me, sir, but this compartment es resarved.'
"'That's a pity,' says the stranger, ''cos the train's a-started.'
"So 'twas. Sam hadn' a-noticed et, but they was movin' on.
Hows'ever, he detarmined to make the best o't; so he ups and says,
perlite-like--
"'Terrable hot weather this, ain't et, sir?' Somehow et seemed to
Sam as ef et had got hotter sence the stranger comed in.
"'I don't feel so mighty hot,' says the man. 'But there, I've a-been
a gude deal in hot countries. How's deceased takin' the journey?'
says he.
"'He ain't complainin'; but, then, in life he warn't a complainin'
sort. Aw, sir, but a man must be over-nice ef a fun'ral like thes
don't satisfy 'n. Phew! but 'tes awful!'
"'What's awful?'
"'The heat,' answers Sam, moppin' his forehead; 'but I s'pose you'm
a traveller, an' 'customed to heat.'
"'Why, iss,' says t'other, 'I do travel a purty passel to an' fro
'pon th' earth. Few folks travels more'n me.'
"Well, et kep' gettin' hotter an' hotter; an' Sam cussed an' mopped,
an' mopped an' cussed, an' all the time the stranger were cool an'
aisy. He kep' axin', too, 'bout th' ould Commodore an' hes past
life, an' 'peared to take interes' in Sam, an' altogither seemed a
proper gen'l'm'n.
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