Діти залізниці
For valour.
Itwasn’ttendaysaftertheinterviewinthewaitingroomthatthethreechildrenweresittingonthetopofthebiggestrockinthefieldbelowtheirhousewatchingthe5.15steamawayfromthestationalongthebottomofthevalley.Theysaw,too,thefewpeoplewhohadgotoutatthestationstragglinguptheroadtowardsthevillage—andtheysawonepersonleavetheroadandopenthegatethatledacrossthefieldstoThreeChimneysandtonowhereelse.
"Whoonearth!"saidPeter,scramblingdown.
"Let’sgoandsee,"saidPhyllis.
Sotheydid.Andwhentheygotnearenoughtoseewhothepersonwas,theysawitwastheiroldgentlemanhimself,hisbrassbuttonswinkingintheafternoonsunshine,andhiswhitewaistcoatlookingwhiterthaneveragainstthegreenofthefield.
"Hullo!"shoutedthechildren,wavingtheirhands.
"Hullo!"shoutedtheoldgentleman,wavinghishat.
Thenthethreestartedtorun—andwhentheygottohimtheyhardlyhadbreathlefttosay:—
"Howdoyoudo?"
"Goodnews,"saidhe."I’vefoundyourRussianfriend’swifeandchild—andIcouldn’tresistthetemptationofgivingmyselfthepleasureoftellinghim."
ButashelookedatBobbie’sfacehefeltthatheCOULDresistthattemptation.
"Here,"hesaidtoher,"yourunonandtellhim.Theothertwowillshowmetheway."
Bobbieran.
