Дети железной дороги
The amateur firemen.
Theideawastofishfromthebridge,butthelinewasnotquitelongenough.
"Nevermind,"saidBobbie."Let’sjuststayhereandlookatthings.Everything’ssobeautiful."
Itwas.Thesunwassettinginredsplendouroverthegreyandpurplehills,andthecanallaysmoothandshinyintheshadow—noripplebrokeitssurface.Itwaslikeagreysatinribbonbetweentheduskygreensilkofthemeadowsthatwereoneachsideofitsbanks.
"It’sallright,"saidPeter,"butsomehowIcanalwaysseehowprettythingsaremuchbetterwhenI’vesomethingtodo.Let’sgetdownontothetowpathandfishfromthere."
PhyllisandBobbierememberedhowtheboysonthecanal-boatshadthrowncoalatthem,andtheysaidso.
"Oh,nonsense,"saidPeter."Therearen’tanyboysherenow.Iftherewere,I’dfightthem."
Peter’ssisterswerekindenoughnottoremindhimhowhehadNOTfoughttheboyswhencoalhadlastbeenthrown.Insteadtheysaid,"Allright,then,"andcautiouslyclimbeddownthesteepbanktothetowing-path.Thelinewascarefullybaited,andforhalfanhourtheyfishedpatientlyandinvain.Notasinglenibblecametonourishhopeintheirhearts.
Alleyeswereintentonthesluggishwatersthatearnestlypretendedtheyhadneverharbouredasingleminnowwhenaloudroughshoutmadethemstart.
