Peterkin

hey went on laughing and joking, and I kept looking out of the w

?' she said. 'You're quit

in stared

I said, 'almost quite sure now, that we are in the wrong train. I've seen the names of two stations that we've

ook he

quite little stations, and I've never known the train go as fast as this till after the Junc

nly struck he

k we are in the London train? I did think it was funny that we were getting back into the sa

kly when you are frightened sometimes-'he might have said "Victor

have said "London

name of the station in London,' I ex

sual, and I fancied, or feared, I heard her choke down something in her throat. Peterkin, on the contrary,

aret, at last, and I was forc

e shape in my mind, and it was

ey to pay for our tickets

quietly, and I could not help admiring her for it, as she too

ur or five shillin

quite sure there's not enough. You see, t

y,' she went on, growing still whiter. 'Cou

es stuck up on boards at railway stations about the punishments of passengers not paying properly, or trying to tr

n my being shut up again at Rock Terrace-worse than before. I don't know what the w

erkin bu

in rather a queer voice, as if he was proud of

ed, 'why on earth did

g else,' said he. 'I don't

very grimy little purse, out of which, s

s far as our journey to London was concerned, was such a bl

d Margaret, and a little colour came into h

or I had had bother enough, goodness knows, about the

her upset about his money. He told me afterwards that he had been keeping it for his Christmas presents, especiall

said to me, in a ha

rd would help us to go back again to the Junction, when he sees it was a mis

d if we said anything, he'd most likely make us give our names, or take us to some statio

, 'we should have to go all the way ba

st explain that we got into the wrong train and p

e to do, then?'

was rather cross. I was so sick of it

cry. She tried to choke

ow the very feeling so bad made me cros

quite a decently clean one, and began wiping her eyes. This made her

Perkins, you

of crying and petting each other, they'd better try to think what we should do, for I knew we m

Horton, but that one couldn't have got so dirty and torn-looking in the time. And when I looked at it more closely, I saw that it was jagged and nibbled in a queer way, and then I saw that it had the name 'Wylie' on it, and an address in London. And when I looke

derby

on,

t speaking for a moment or two. I

t? It must have dropp

dy, for whatever her faults were she wasn't a babyish child-to

hief on to Polly's cage, he was nibbling some paper. He's very fond of nibbling paper, and it doesn't hurt him, for he doesn't eat it. But he would keep pecking at me when I was tying the handkerchief, and I was vexed wit

?' I said. 'He doesn't live in Mrs. Wylie's house, but in the

the end of the balcony nearest her, and sometimes at our end. I think his servants have put him more at our end since sh

a moment. I was ga

I exclaimed,

me, with a puzzled expression in

on, 'I believe this

ning with all his ears, coul

y after all,' he said, 'and he

t he said, she was still gazing at me

nyway they'd tell us where she is, as we know she's still in London. She told us she was going to be there for a fortnight. And she's very kind. We would ask

s! But,' and the bright look went out of her face, 'you don't think s

ften been sorry for you, for she knew you weren't at all ha

if everything else might be left for the time. I never thought about catching trains at the Junction or about its getting late and dark for Marga

KETS . . . 'HOW'S TH

op to take tickets, just outside. I know it so well now, for we pass it ever so often on our way from and to sch

d in at the window.

please,'

Peterkin's half-sovereign, an

shall have to pay up,' and when he hea

d at the

Junction,' he said, 'and a ha

ack into the same one we had just got out of. I expect the guard thought I s

the tickets before you started?' the man asked, still hold

so instead of telling him to mind his own business, as I wa

There were two or three empty carriages at th

imself something about 'rum go. Three

tting angrier every

Here we are, anyway, and I'll

ount

x-no, eight-a

back the change-a shilling and twopence, and walked off with th

rain slowly moved again at last-we had been standi

id Margaret, 'and it

ut my head out. It felt awfully chilly too-a horrid so

t close to us. It's getting worse every minute. I believe it'll be as

emed more excite

,' said Margaret, as if she was r

t a prince lost in a mist, if I'd given him an opening. But I was aga

left, and that, if the worst came to the worst, I might have to go to a hotel with the two children, and telegraph to mamma to say where we were. Papa, unluckily, was not in London just then. He had gone away o

at the time, though afterwards mamma said to me I