The amateur firemen.

           "That’salikelylittlebroochyou’vegoton,Miss,"saidPerksthePorter;"Idon’tknowaseverIseeathingmorelikeabuttercupwithoutitWASabuttercup."

           "Yes,"saidBobbie,gladandflushedbythisapproval."Ialwaysthoughtitwasmorelikeabuttercupalmostthanevenarealone—andINEVERthoughtitwouldcometobemine,myveryown—andthenMothergaveittomeformybirthday."

           "Oh,haveyouhadabirthday?"saidPerks;andheseemedquitesurprised,asthoughabirthdaywereathingonlygrantedtoafavouredfew.

           "Yes,"saidBobbie;"when’syourbirthday,Mr.Perks?"ThechildrenweretakingteawithMr.PerksinthePorters’roomamongthelampsandtherailwayalmanacs.Theyhadbroughttheirowncupsandsomejamturnovers.Mr.Perksmadeteainabeercan,asusual,andeveryonefeltveryhappyandconfidential.

           "Mybirthday?"saidPerks,tippingsomemoredarkbrownteaoutofthecanintoPeter’scup."Igiveupkeepingofmybirthdayaforeyouwasborn."

           "ButyoumusthavebeenbornSOMETIME,youknow,"saidPhyllis,thoughtfully,"evenifitwastwentyyearsago—orthirtyorsixtyorseventy."

           "Notsolongasthat,Missie,"Perksgrinnedasheanswered."Ifyoureallywanttoknow,itwasthirty-twoyearsago,comethefifteenthofthismonth."

           "Thenwhydon’tyoukeepit?"askedPhyllis.

           "I’vegotsomethingelsetokeepbesidesbirthdays,"saidPerks,briefly.