"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.

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