Дети железной дороги
Peter’s coal-mine.
Downbelowtheycouldseethelineoftherailway,andtheblackyawningmouthofatunnel.Thestationwasoutofsight.Therewasagreatbridgewithtallarchesrunningacrossoneendofthevalley.
"Nevermindthegarden,"saidPeter;"let’sgodownandlookattherailway.Theremightbetrainspassing."
"Wecanseethemfromhere,"saidRoberta,slowly;"let’ssitdownabit."
Sotheyallsatdownonagreatflatgreystonethathadpusheditselfupoutofthegrass;itwasoneofmanythatlayaboutonthehillside,andwhenMothercameouttolookforthemateighto’clock,shefoundthemdeeplyasleepinacontented,sun-warmedbunch.
Theyhadmadeanexcellentfire,andhadsetthekettleonitatabouthalf-pastfive.Sothatbyeightthefirehadbeenoutforsometime,thewaterhadallboiledaway,andthebottomwasburnedoutofthekettle.Alsotheyhadnotthoughtofwashingthecrockerybeforetheysetthetable.
"Butitdoesn’tmatter—thecupsandsaucers,Imean,"saidMother."BecauseI’vefoundanotherroom—I’dquiteforgottentherewasone.Andit’smagic!AndI’veboiledthewaterforteainasaucepan."
Theforgottenroomopenedoutofthekitchen.Intheagitationandhalfdarknessthenightbeforeitsdoorhadbeenmistakenforacupboard’s.Itwasalittlesquareroom,andonitstable,allnicelysetout,wasajointofcoldroastbeef,withbread,butter,cheese,andapie.
