Дети железной дороги
Peter’s coal-mine.
Anymoreofyou?"
"Onlyus,"saidBobbieandPhyllis,comingoutoftheshadowofanothertrucklabelledStaveleyColliery,andbearingonitthelegendinwhitechalk:‘WantedinNo.1Road.’
"Whatdoyoumeanbyspyingonafellowlikethis?"saidPeter,angrily.
"Timesomeonedidspyonyou,Ithink,"saidtheStationMaster."Comealongtothestation."
"Oh,DON’T!"saidBobbie."Can’tyoudecideNOWwhatyou’lldotous?It’sourfaultjustasmuchasPeter’s.Wehelpedtocarrythecoalaway—andweknewwherehegotit."
"No,youdidn’t,"saidPeter.
"Yes,wedid,"saidBobbie."Weknewallthetime.Weonlypretendedwedidn’tjusttohumouryou."
Peter’scupwasfull.Hehadminedforcoal,hehadstruckcoal,hehadbeencaught,andnowhelearnedthathissistershad‘humoured’him.
"Don’tholdme!"hesaid."Iwon’trunaway."
TheStationMasterloosedPeter’scollar,struckamatchandlookedatthembyitsflickeringlight.
"Why,"saidhe,"you’rethechildrenfromtheThreeChimneysupyonder.Sonicelydressed,too.Tellmenow,whatmadeyoudosuchathing?Haven’tyoueverbeentochurchorlearnedyourcatechismoranything,nottoknowit’swickedtosteal?"Hespokemuchmoregentlynow,andPetersaid:—
"Ididn’tthinkitwasstealing.Iwasalmostsureitwasn’t.
