Дети железной дороги
Saviours of the train.
What‘appenseither’ereorelsewhere,"saidPerks;"ifyoulikesto‘aveyoursecrets,‘ave’emandwelcome.That’swhatIsay."
Thesecret-chamberofeachheartwasrapidlyexaminedduringthepausethatfollowed.Threeheadswereshaken.
"Wehaven’tgotanysecretsfromYOU,"saidBobbieatlast.
"Maybeyou‘ave,andmaybeyou‘aven’t,"saidPerks;"itain’tnothingtome.AndIwishyouallaverygoodafternoon."Heheldupthepaperbetweenhimandthemandwentonreading.
"Oh,DON’T!"saidPhyllis,indespair;"thisistrulydreadful!Whateveritis,dotellus."
"Wedidn’tmeantodoitwhateveritwas."
Noanswer.ThepaperwasrefoldedandPerksbeganonanothercolumn.
"Lookhere,"saidPeter,suddenly,"it’snotfair.Evenpeoplewhodocrimesaren’tpunishedwithoutbeingtoldwhatit’sfor—asoncetheywereinRussia."
"Idon’tknownothingaboutRussia."
"Oh,yes,youdo,whenMothercamedownonpurposetotellyouandMr.GillsallaboutOURRussian."
"Can’tyoufancyit?"saidPerks,indignantly;"don’tyousee’ima-askingofmetostepinto‘isroomandtakeachairandlistentowhat‘erLadyship‘astosay?"
"Doyoumeantosayyou’venotheard?"
"Notsomuchasabreath.Ididgosofarastoputaquestion.Andheshutsmeuplikearat-trap.
