Дети железной дороги

           Thequestionswerebeginningtoturnonaherringandahalfforthreehalfpence,andapoundofleadandapoundoffeathers,whenthedoorofthewaitingroomwaskickedopenbyaboot;asthebootenteredeveryonecouldseethatitslacewascomingundone—andincamePhyllis,veryslowlyandcarefully.

           Inonehandshecarriedalargetincan,andintheotherathicksliceofbreadandbutter.

           "Afternoontea,"sheannouncedproudly,andheldthecanandthebreadandbutterouttotheoldgentleman,whotookthemandsaid:—

           "Blessmysoul!"

           "Yes,"saidPhyllis.

           "It’sverythoughtfulofyou,"saidtheoldgentleman,"very."

           "Butyoumighthavegotacup,"saidBobbie,"andaplate."

           "Perksalwaysdrinksoutofthecan,"saidPhyllis,flushingred."Ithinkitwasveryniceofhimtogiveitmeatall—letalonecupsandplates,"sheadded.

           "SodoI,"saidtheoldgentleman,andhedranksomeoftheteaandtastedthebreadandbutter.

           Andthenitwastimeforthenexttrain,andhegotintoitwithmanygood-byesandkindlastwords.

           "Well,"saidPeter,whentheywereleftontheplatform,andthetail-lightsofthetraindisappearedroundthecorner,"it’smybeliefthatwe’velightedacandleto-day—likeLatimer,youknow,whenhewasbeingburned—andthere’llbefireworksforourRussianbeforelong."

           Andsotherewere.