Дети железной дороги

           "Oh,howhotIam!"shesaid;"andIthoughtitwasgoingtobecold;Iwishwehadn’tputonour—"shestoppedshort,andthenendedinquiteadifferenttone—"ourflannelpetticoats."

           Bobbieturnedatthebottomofthestairs.

           "Oh,yes,"shecried;"THEY’REred!Let’stakethemoff."

           Theydid,andwiththepetticoatsrolledupundertheirarms,ranalongtherailway,skirtingthenewlyfallenmoundofstonesandrockandearth,andbent,crushed,twistedtrees.Theyranattheirbestpace.Peterled,butthegirlswerenotfarbehind.Theyreachedthecornerthathidthemoundfromthestraightlineofrailwaythatranhalfamilewithoutcurveorcorner.

           "Now,"saidPeter,takingholdofthelargestflannelpetticoat.

           "You’renot"—Phyllisfaltered—"you’renotgoingtoTEARthem?"

           "Shutup,"saidPeter,withbriefsternness.

           "Oh,yes,"saidBobbie,"tearthemintolittlebitsifyoulike.Don’tyousee,Phil,ifwecan’tstopthetrain,there’llbearealliveaccident,withpeopleKILLED.Oh,horrible!Here,Peter,you’llnevertearitthroughtheband!"

           Shetooktheredflannelpetticoatfromhimandtoreitoffaninchfromtheband.Thenshetoretheotherinthesameway.

           "There!"saidPeter,tearinginhisturn.Hedividedeachpetticoatintothreepieces."Now,we’vegotsixflags."Helookedatthewatchagain."Andwe’vegotsevenminutes.