Діти залізниці
The amateur firemen.
Phyllis,shiveringbythecanalside,hadhardlyheardthequickapproachingfeetbeforethewomanhadflungherselfontherailing,rolleddownthebank,andsnatchedthebabyfromher.
"Don’t,"saidPhyllis,reproachfully;"I’djustgothimtosleep."
***
Billcameuplatertalkinginalanguagewithwhichthechildrenwerewhollyunfamiliar.Heleapedontothebargeanddippeduppailsofwater.Peterhelpedhimandtheyputoutthefire.Phyllis,thebargewoman,andthebaby—andpresentlyBobbie,too—cuddledtogetherinaheaponthebank.
"Lordhelpme,ifitwasmeleftanythingascouldcatchalight,"saidthewomanagainandagain.
Butitwasn’tshe.ItwasBilltheBargeman,whohadknockedhispipeoutandtheredashhadfallenonthehearth-rugandsmoulderedthereandatlastbrokenintoflame.Thoughasternmanhewasjust.Hedidnotblamehiswifeforwhatwashisownfault,asmanybargemen,andothermen,too,wouldhavedone.
***
MotherwashalfwildwithanxietywhenatlastthethreechildrenturnedupatThreeChimneys,allverywetbynow,forPeterseemedtohavecomeoffontheothers.Butwhenshehaddisentangledthetruthofwhathadhappenedfromtheirmixedandincoherentnarrative,sheownedthattheyhaddonequiteright,andcouldnotpossiblyhavedoneotherwise.
