CHAPTER XX. — TOO LATE FOR THE TRAIN.

 A stateroom had been engaged for Julia, but Sam did not feel justified¹ in paying a dollar extra for such a luxury, when he was already entitled to a comfortable berth².

 

"Do you know when we reach Fall River?" asked the young lady.

 

"About half-past four in the morning, and the cars start by five."

 

"That's awful early!" exclaimed Julia, in dismay. "How shall I wake up in time?"

 

"The gong will sound," answered Sam; "but if that don't wake you, I'll pound on your door."

 

"I wish you would. What should I do if I were left?"

 

"You could wait for the next train."

 

"But I should not have you to go with me, Sam—Mr. Barker, I mean."

 

"I wish you would call me Sam. I like it better than Mr. Barker."

 

"Then I will," said Julia, frankly³. "It does seem stiff to call you Mr. Barker."

 

"If you should be too late for the first train, I will wait, too," said Sam, answering what she had said before.

 

"Will you? I should like that; but won't it put you out?"

 

"Oh, no," said Sam, laughing; "there isn't any very important business to call me early to Boston. I had just as lieve wait as not."

 

"But you won't have to. I am sure the gong will wake me up. But you'll come to the door, and go into the cars with me."

 

"Oh, yes, I'll be on hand."

 

"Then, good-night, Sam. I hope you'll have a good sleep."

 

"I shall sleep like a top; I always do. Good-night, Julia."

 

So they parted.

 

"He seems to be a real nice boy, and very polite," thought Julia. "I should feel very lonely without him."

 

"She's a tiptop girl," thought Sam. "I never saw one I liked so well before."

 

Sam had never had a sister, and his acquaintance with girls had been exceedingly limited. This was necessarily the case in the rough street life he had led in New York. Julia was a new revelation to him. He was quite too young to be in love, but he certainly liked Julia very much, and thought how pleasant it would be to have such a sister.

 

"She says she's got a brother," thought Sam. "I wonder what sort of a boy he is, and whether he will like me? I suppose I never shall see him though, or Julia either, after we get to Boston."

 

This thought was rather disheartening, and made Sam feel sober. But he brightened up at the thought that he should be in the same city, and should, therefore, have some chance of meeting his pretty traveling acquaintance.

 

The berth Sam was to occupy was on one side of the dining-room. The tables were now cleared, and there was nothing to prevent his retiring. He took off his shoes and his coat, and, without undressing himself any further, got into the berth. It was not long before he was asleep. He did not wake until morning, and then not voluntarily. On opening his eyes he saw one of the attendants on the boat at his bedside.

 

"You must sleep pretty sound," said the attendant.

 

"Did you wake me up?" asked Sam.

 

"Yes; but I had hard work to do it."

 

"Is it time to get up?"

 

"I should think it was. Didn't you hear the gong?"

 

"No."

 

"It sounded loud enough. Well, you'd better hurry, or you'll be too late for the cars."

 

This roused Sam. He thought of Julia, and jumped out of the birth. He quickly put on his coat and shoes, and went up two flights of stairs to the saloon, on either side of which were the staterooms.

 

He went to Julia's—No. 11—near the forward end of the boat, and found the door shut.

 

He knocked, but was not immediately answered.

 

"Julia must have overslept herself, too," he thought.

 

He knocked again, and presently he heard her ask, in the tone of one just waking up, "Who's there?"

 

"It's I—it's Sam," he answered. "Are you dressed?"

 

"No. What time is it?"

 

"It's very late. Didn't you hear the gong?"

 

"No; is it morning?"

 

"The cars are almost ready to start."

 

"Oh, dear; what shall I do?" exclaimed Julia, in dismay.

 

"Dress as quick as you can, and we may be in time."

 

After the lapse⁴ of five minutes the door opened, and the young lady appeared.

 

"I'm so sorry, Sam," she said, excusing herself. "Shall we be in time?"

 

"We'll go down and see," said Sam.

 

They went below, and out over the gangway, but were only just in time to see the long train speeding on its way.

 

"We are left!" said Julia, mournfully.

 

"Well," said Sam, philosophically⁵, "it can't be helped, can it?"

 

"Shall we have to stay here all day?" inquired the young lady, alarmed.

 

"Oh, no; there is another train at half-past six, but it is a slower train than this."

 

"When will it reach Boston?"

 

"At nine o'clock. I asked the steward⁶ just now. It won't make very much difference. We'll get to the city pretty early."

 

"Father will be down to the depot⁷, and when he doesn't see me he'll think I am not coming. Then how am I to get home?"

 

"I'll be with you," said Sam, valiantly⁸. "I'll see that you get home all right."

 

"Will you?" said Julia, brightly. "Then I don't mind so much. How stupid I was not to wake up!"

 

"I didn't wake up either. One of the men woke me up. I ran up as quick as I could, but it was too late."

 

"I got very tired yesterday," said Julia, apologetically. "That was what made me sleep so sound. When did you say the next train went?"

 

"At six-thirty."

 

"What shall we do till then?"

 

"You can lie down if you want to, and I will call you in time."

 

"I don't dare to," said Julia. "Besides, I don't feel sleepy now."

 

They decided⁹ to sit down and while away the time, and were not at a loss for topics of conversation. At half-past six they had taken their places in the cars, in the full anticipation¹⁰ of a pleasant journey.

 

1 justified   

a.正当的，有理的

参考例句：

• She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
• The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。

2 berth   

n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊

参考例句：

• She booked a berth on the train from London to Aberdeen.她订了一张由伦敦开往阿伯丁的火车卧铺票。
• They took up a berth near the harbor.他们在港口附近找了个位置下锚。

3 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

4 lapse   

n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效

参考例句：

• The incident was being seen as a serious security lapse.这一事故被看作是一次严重的安全疏忽。
• I had a lapse of memory.我记错了。

5 philosophically   

adv.哲学上；富有哲理性地；贤明地；冷静地

参考例句：

• He added philosophically that one should adapt oneself to the changed conditions. 他富于哲理地补充说，一个人应该适应变化了的情况。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Harry took his rejection philosophically. 哈里达观地看待自己被拒的事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 steward   

n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员

参考例句：

• He's the steward of the club.他是这家俱乐部的管理员。
• He went around the world as a ship's steward.他当客船服务员，到过世界各地。

7 depot   

n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站

参考例句：

• The depot is only a few blocks from here.公共汽车站离这儿只有几个街区。
• They leased the building as a depot.他们租用这栋大楼作仓库。

8 valiantly   

adv.勇敢地，英勇地；雄赳赳

参考例句：

• He faced the enemy valiantly, shuned no difficulties and dangers and would not hesitate to lay down his life if need be. 他英勇对敌，不避艰险，赴汤蹈火在所不计。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Murcertach strove valiantly to meet the new order of things. 面对这个新事态，默克塔克英勇奋斗。 来自辞典例句

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

10 anticipation   

n.预期，预料，期望

参考例句：

• We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。
• The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。