Дети железной дороги
Saviours of the train.
Wemusthaveflagstaffs."
Theknivesgiventoboysare,forsomeoddreason,seldomofthekindofsteelthatkeepssharp.Theyoungsaplingshadtobebrokenoff.Twocameupbytheroots.Theleaveswerestrippedfromthem.
"Wemustcutholesintheflags,andrunthesticksthroughtheholes,"saidPeter.Andtheholeswerecut.Theknifewassharpenoughtocutflannelwith.Twooftheflagsweresetupinheapsofloosestonesbetweenthesleepersofthedownline.ThenPhyllisandRobertatookeachaflag,andstoodreadytowaveitassoonasthetraincameinsight.
"Ishallhavetheothertwomyself,"saidPeter,"becauseitwasmyideatowavesomethingred."
"They’reourpetticoats,though,"Phylliswasbeginning,butBobbieinterrupted—
"Oh,whatdoesitmatterwhowaveswhat,ifwecanonlysavethetrain?"
PerhapsPeterhadnotrightlycalculatedthenumberofminutesitwouldtakethe11.29togetfromthestationtotheplacewheretheywere,orperhapsthetrainwaslate.Anyway,itseemedaverylongtimethattheywaited.
Phyllisgrewimpatient."Iexpectthewatchiswrong,andthetrain’sgoneby,"saidshe.
Peterrelaxedtheheroicattitudehehadchosentoshowoffhistwoflags.AndBobbiebegantofeelsickwithsuspense.
Itseemedtoherthattheyhadbeenstandingthereforhoursandhours,holdingthosesillylittleredflannelflagsthatnoonewouldevernotice.
