Дети железной дороги

           "Oh!What?"askedPhyllis,eagerly."Notsecrets?"

           "No,"saidPerks,"thekidsandtheMissus."

           Itwasthistalkthatsetthechildrenthinking,and,presently,talking.Perkswas,onthewhole,thedearestfriendtheyhadmade.NotsograndastheStationMaster,butmoreapproachable—lesspowerfulthantheoldgentleman,butmoreconfidential.

           "Itseemshorridthatnobodykeepshisbirthday,"saidBobbie."Couldn’tWEdosomething?"

           "Let’sgouptotheCanalbridgeandtalkitover,"saidPeter."Igotanewgutlinefromthepostmanthismorning.HegaveitmeforabunchofrosesthatIgavehimforhissweetheart.She’sill."

           "ThenIdothinkyoumighthavegivenhertherosesfornothing,"saidBobbie,indignantly.

           "Nyang,nyang!"saidPeter,disagreeably,andputhishandsinhispockets.

           "Hedid,ofcourse,"saidPhyllis,inhaste;"directlyweheardshewasillwegottherosesreadyandwaitedbythegate.Itwaswhenyouweremakingthebrekker-toast.Andwhenhe’dsaid‘Thankyou’fortherosessomanytimes—muchmorethanheneedhave—hepulledoutthelineandgaveittoPeter.Itwasn’texchange.Itwasthegratefulheart."

           "Oh,IBEGyourpardon,Peter,"saidBobbie,"IAMsosorry."

           "Don’tmentionit,"saidPeter,grandly,"Iknewyouwouldbe."

           SothentheyallwentuptotheCanalbridge.