Діти залізниці
The old gentleman.
"
Insuchdelightfulconversationthetimewentbyalltooquickly.
TheStationMastercameoutonceortwicefromthatsacredinnertemplebehindtheplacewheretheholeisthattheysellyouticketsthrough,andwasmostjollywiththemall.
"Justasifcoalhadneverbeendiscovered,"Phylliswhisperedtohersister.
Hegavethemeachanorange,andpromisedtotakethemupintothesignal-boxoneofthesedays,whenhewasn’tsobusy.
Severaltrainswentthroughthestation,andPeternoticedforthefirsttimethatengineshavenumbersonthem,likecabs.
"Yes,"saidthePorter,"Iknowedayounggentasusedtotakedownthenumbersofeverysingleoneheseed;inagreennote-bookwithsilvercornersitwas,owingtohisfatherbeingverywell-to-dointhewholesalestationery."
Peterfeltthathecouldtakedownnumbers,too,evenifhewasnotthesonofawholesalestationer.Ashedidnothappentohaveagreenleathernote-bookwithsilvercorners,thePortergavehimayellowenvelopeandonithenoted:—
379
663
andfeltthatthiswasthebeginningofwhatwouldbeamostinterestingcollection.
ThatnightatteaheaskedMotherifshehadagreenleathernote-bookwithsilvercorners.Shehadnot;butwhensheheardwhathewanteditforshegavehimalittleblackone.
