Діти залізниці
For valour.
Thatpinkboxofwritingpaperyouhadonyourbirthday,Phil."
Ittooksometimetoarrangewhatshouldbesaid.Motherhadgonebacktoherwriting,andseveralsheetsofpinkpaperwithscallopedgiltedgesandgreenfour-leavedshamrocksinthecornerwerespoiledbeforethethreehaddecidedwhattosay.Theneachmadeacopyandsigneditwithitsownname.
Thethreefoldletterran:—
"DearMr.JabezInglewood—Thankyouverymuch.Wedidnotwanttoberewardedbutonlytosavethetrain,butwearegladyouthinksoandthankyouverymuch.Thetimeandplaceyousaywillbequiteconvenienttous.Thankyouverymuch.
"Youraffecatelittlefriend,"
Thencamethename,andafterit:—
"P.S.Thankyouverymuch."
"Washingismucheasierthanironing,"saidBobbie,takingthecleandrydressesofftheline."Idolovetoseethingscomeclean.Oh--Idon’tknowhowweshallwaittillit’stimetoknowwhatpresentationthey’regoingtopresent!"
Whenatlast—itseemedaverylongtimeafter—itwasTHEday,thethreechildrenwentdowntothestationatthepropertime.Andeverythingthathappenedwassooddthatitseemedlikeadream.TheStationMastercameouttomeetthem—inhisbestclothes,asPeternoticedatonce—andledthemintothewaitingroomwhereoncetheyhadplayedtheadvertisementgame.Itlookedquitedifferentnow.
