Дети железной дороги
Saviours of the train.
Andthebasketwoulddotobringthecherriesbackiniftheyfoundany.Shealsolentthemhersilverwatchsothattheyshouldnotbelatefortea.Peter’sWaterburyhadtakenitintoitsheadnottogosincethedaywhenPeterdroppeditintothewater-butt.Andtheystarted.Whentheygottothetopofthecutting,theyleanedoverthefenceandlookeddowntowheretherailwaylineslayatthebottomofwhat,asPhyllissaid,wasexactlylikeamountaingorge.
"Ifitwasn’tfortherailwayatthebottom,itwouldbeasthoughthefootofmanhadneverbeenthere,wouldn’tit?"
Thesidesofthecuttingwereofgreystone,veryroughlyhewn.Indeed,thetoppartofthecuttinghadbeenalittlenaturalglenthathadbeencutdeepertobringitdowntothelevelofthetunnel’smouth.Amongtherocks,grassandflowersgrew,andseedsdroppedbybirdsinthecranniesofthestonehadtakenrootandgrownintobushesandtreesthatoverhungthecutting.Nearthetunnelwasaflightofstepsleadingdowntotheline—justwoodenbarsroughlyfixedintotheearth—averysteepandnarrowway,morelikealadderthanastair.
"We’dbettergetdown,"saidPeter;"I’msurethecherrieswouldbequiteeasytogetatfromthesideofthesteps.Yourememberitwastherewepickedthecherryblossomsthatweputontherabbit’sgrave."
Sotheywentalongthefencetowardsthelittleswinggatethatisatthetopofthesesteps.
