Дети железной дороги
What Bobbie brought home.
Nowwhere’sthenearesthouse,Iwonder?Youcan’tseeanythinghereforthetrees."
"There’saroofoverthere,"saidPhyllis,pointingdowntheline.
"That’sthesignal-box,"saidPeter,"andyouknowyou’renotallowedtospeaktosignalmenonduty.It’swrong."
"I’mnotnearsoafraidofdoingwrongasIwasofgoingintothattunnel,"saidPhyllis."Comeon,"andshestartedtorunalongtheline.SoPeterran,too.
Itwasveryhotinthesunshine,andbothchildrenwerehotandbreathlessbythetimetheystopped,andbendingtheirheadsbacktolookupattheopenwindowsofthesignal-box,shouted"Hi!"asloudastheirbreathlessstateallowed.Butnooneanswered.Thesignal-boxstoodquietasanemptynursery,andthehandrailofitsstepswashottothehandsofthechildrenastheyclimbedsoftlyup.Theypeepedinattheopendoor.Thesignalmanwassittingonachairtiltedbackagainstthewall.Hisheadleanedsideways,andhismouthwasopen.Hewasfastasleep.
"Myhat!"criedPeter;"wakeup!"Andhecrieditinaterriblevoice,forheknewthatifasignalmansleepsonduty,heriskslosinghissituation,letalonealltheotherdreadfulriskstotrainswhichexpecthimtotellthemwhenitissafeforthemtogotheirways.
Thesignalmannevermoved.ThenPetersprangtohimandshookhim.Andslowly,yawningandstretching,themanawoke.
