Дети железной дороги

           "Youflatterme,"saidtheoldgentleman,takingoffhishatwithaflourish."AndnowamItotellyouwhatIthinkofyou?"

           "Oh,pleasedon’t,"saidBobbie,hastily.

           "Why?"askedtheoldgentleman.

           "Idon’texactlyknow,"saidBobbie."Only—ifit’shorrid,Idon’twantyouto;andifit’snice,I’dratheryoudidn’t."

           Theoldgentlemanlaughed.

           "Well,then,"hesaid,"I’llonlyjustsaythatI’mverygladyoucametomeaboutthis—veryglad,indeed.AndIshouldn’tbesurprisedifIfoundoutsomethingverysoon.IknowagreatmanyRussiansinLondon,andeveryRussianknowsHISname.Nowtellmeallaboutyourselves."

           Heturnedtotheothers,buttherewasonlyoneother,andthatwasPeter.Phyllishaddisappeared.

           "Tellmeallaboutyourself,"saidtheoldgentlemanagain.And,quitenaturally,Peterwasstrickendumb.

           "Allright,we’llhaveanexamination,"saidtheoldgentleman;"youtwositonthetable,andI’llsitonthebenchandaskquestions."

           Hedid,andoutcametheirnamesandages—theirFather’snameandbusiness—howlongtheyhadlivedatThreeChimneysandagreatdealmore.