Captain Jones, which isn’t his name, called attention to the signs on the window warning MM. Les Voyageurs to keep their anatomies indoors. The signs were in three languages. “ Ne pas Pencher au Dehors ,” said the French. The English was “Danger to Lean Outside.” And the Wop: “ Non Sporgere ”⁠—very brief. It was evident that a fourth variation of the warning had been torn off, and it didn’t require a William Burns to figure out in what language it had been written.

“If there were a boche on this train,” said Captain Jones, “he could lean his head off without hurting anyone’s feelings.”

“Languages are funny,” continued the captain sagely. “The French usually need more words than we do to express the same thought. I believe that explains why they talk so fast⁠—they’ve got so much more to say.”

I inquired whether he knew French.