Дети железной дороги
The old gentleman.
Infactthefirstthingtheynoticedabouttheoldgentlemanwashishand.
ItwasonemorningastheysatonthefencewaitingfortheGreenDragon,whichwasthreeandaquarterminuteslatebyPeter’sWaterburywatchthathehadhadgivenhimonhislastbirthday.
"TheGreenDragon’sgoingwhereFatheris,"saidPhyllis;"ifitwereareallyrealdragon,wecouldstopitandaskittotakeourlovetoFather."
"Dragonsdon’tcarrypeople’slove,"saidPeter;"they’dbeaboveit."
"Yes,theydo,ifyoutamethemthoroughlyfirst.Theyfetchandcarrylikepetspaniels,"saidPhyllis,"andfeedoutofyourhand.IwonderwhyFatherneverwritestous."
"Mothersayshe’sbeentoobusy,"saidBobbie;"buthe’llwritesoon,shesays."
"Isay,"Phyllissuggested,"let’sallwavetotheGreenDragonasitgoesby.Ifit’samagicdragon,it’llunderstandandtakeourlovestoFather.Andifitisn’t,threewavesaren’tmuch.Weshallnevermissthem."
SowhentheGreenDragontoreshriekingoutofthemouthofitsdarklair,whichwasthetunnel,allthreechildrenstoodontherailingandwavedtheirpocket-handkerchiefswithoutstoppingtothinkwhethertheywerecleanhandkerchiefsorthereverse.Theywere,asamatteroffact,verymuchthereverse.
Andoutofafirst-classcarriageahandwavedback.Aquitecleanhand.Itheldanewspaper.Itwastheoldgentleman’shand.
