Дети железной дороги
The amateur firemen.
"Oh!What?"askedPhyllis,eagerly."Notsecrets?"
"No,"saidPerks,"thekidsandtheMissus."
Itwasthistalkthatsetthechildrenthinking,and,presently,talking.Perkswas,onthewhole,thedearestfriendtheyhadmade.NotsograndastheStationMaster,butmoreapproachable—lesspowerfulthantheoldgentleman,butmoreconfidential.
"Itseemshorridthatnobodykeepshisbirthday,"saidBobbie."Couldn’tWEdosomething?"
"Let’sgouptotheCanalbridgeandtalkitover,"saidPeter."Igotanewgutlinefromthepostmanthismorning.HegaveitmeforabunchofrosesthatIgavehimforhissweetheart.She’sill."
"ThenIdothinkyoumighthavegivenhertherosesfornothing,"saidBobbie,indignantly.
"Nyang,nyang!"saidPeter,disagreeably,andputhishandsinhispockets.
"Hedid,ofcourse,"saidPhyllis,inhaste;"directlyweheardshewasillwegottherosesreadyandwaitedbythegate.Itwaswhenyouweremakingthebrekker-toast.Andwhenhe’dsaid‘Thankyou’fortherosessomanytimes—muchmorethanheneedhave—hepulledoutthelineandgaveittoPeter.Itwasn’texchange.Itwasthegratefulheart."
"Oh,IBEGyourpardon,Peter,"saidBobbie,"IAMsosorry."
"Don’tmentionit,"saidPeter,grandly,"Iknewyouwouldbe."
SothentheyallwentuptotheCanalbridge.