Ordinarily he would have resented this loss of individuality, but
the novelty of the thing appealed to him, and he brought a great
good-nature to his work, deriving sufficient amusement from it to
prevent it from growing tiresome.
For a time it offended his fastidious taste to be forced to elbow
his way through superheated coaches jammed with shrieking,
cackling, incoherent negroes. They were all utterly hysterical,
and apparently possessed but one stubborn idea--to refuse payments
of fares. But in time he grew to enjoy even this.
He was glad of his new-found independence, moreover, for, though
it did not cancel his obligation to the Cortlandts, it made him
feel it less keenly. As for his quarters, they were quite
tolerable--about the same as he had had at boarding-school, he
reflected, and the meals were better. They were not quite up to
Sherry's or Martin's, it was true, but they cost only thirty
cents, and that had advantages. Certainly he could not complain of
a lack of incident in his new life. On his first trip to Colon and
back he had nine disputes and two fights, and threw one man off--a
record achievement, he was told, for a beginner.
A further diversion was furnished by Allan, who appeared early in
the morning and all but assaulted the gateman, who refused to let
him pass without a ticket.
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