London at the End of the Century:A Book of Gossip
a Beckett, Arthur William
1900
A PLEASANT JOURNEY.
This consideration decided us to make the experiment. So a few minutes before the appointed hour we appeared on the platform in that light and airy costume the delight of tourists of the better class. | |
asked an attentive guard. | |
was our triumphant reply. And, carrying nothing but two thin overcoats and a couple of genuine Sunday newspapers, we took our places in a comfortable compartment and started for . We devoured the contents of the couple of | |
300 | genuine Sunday newspapers with the usual delight. They were, as is their custom of a Sabbath morn, replete with excellent matter. Then when we reached Chatham we laid them aside. Our insomnia did not permit us to sleep; so we only closed our eyes and allowed ourselves to drift into unconsciousness. When we opened our eyes (with a start) we found ourselves at . |
asked the guard. | |
we replied with pride. Fortunately our eminently respectable appearance disarmed unworthy suspicion, and we were not arrested as Anarchists. | |
We embarked on board the . We met several friends who were going on to . They were not so sure of our destination. | |
said one of them with detective-like sagacity, | |
As we were seated on lounging chairs on the upper deck, and the steamboat had already left the pier, we admitted the soft impeachment. | |
I murmured to my comrade. To which question he languidly replied that he considered the rival to Sherlock Holmes | |
After this I was silent. We spent an hour in drinking the pure air of the Channel. The sea was | |
301 | as smooth as a mill pond, and the breezes were delightful. |
