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'It's all right,' I said, 'we'll back into the station again in a moment.' |
Margaret and Peterkin laughed again, but rather nervously. At least, Margaret's laugh was not quite hearty; though, as for Peterkin, I think he was secretly delighted. |
On we went -- faster and faster, instead of slower. There was certainly no sign of 'backing.' I put my head out of the window. We were quite clear of the Junction by now, getting every instant more and more into the open country. At last I had to give in. |
'We're off, I do believe,' I said. 'There's been some mistake about our waiting ten minutes. We're clear on the way to Hill Horton.' |
'I'm very glad,' said Pete. 'I always wanted to come all the way.' |
'But perhaps it needn't be all the way,' I said. 'Do you remember, Margaret, how many stations there are between the Junction and yours?' |
'Three or four, I think,' she replied. |
'Oh well, then,' I said, 'it won't matter. We can get out the first time we stop, and I daresay we shall soon get a train back again, and not be late home after all.' |
Margaret's face cleared. She was thoughtful enough not to want us to get into trouble through helping her. |
'We shall be stopping soon, I think,' she said, 'for this seems a fast train.' |
But to me her words brought no satisfaction. For it did indeed seem a fast train, and a much more horrible idea than the one of our going all the way to Hill Horton suddenly sprang into my mind -- |
Were we in the Hill Horton train at all? |
Chapter IX |
In A Fog |
I WAITED a minute or two before I said anything to the others. They went on laughing and joking, and I kept looking out of the window. At last I turned round, and then Margaret started a little. |
'What's the matter, Giles?' she said. 'You're quite white and funny looking.' |
And Peterkin stared at me too. |
'It's -- 'I began, and then I felt as if I really couldn't go on; but I had to. 'It's that I am dreadfully afraid,' I said, 'almost quite sure now, that we are in the wrong train. I've seen the names of two stations that we've passed without stopping already. Do you remember the names of any between the Junction and Hi... |
She shook her head. |
'No,' she said, 'but I know we never pass any without stopping; at least I think so. They are quite little stations, and I've never known the train go as fast as this till after the Junction, when we were in the London train. I've been to London several times with Gran, you see.' |
Then it suddenly struck her what I meant. |
'Oh!' she exclaimed, with a little scream, 'is it that you are afraid of, Giles? Do you think we are in the London train? I did think it was funny that we were getting back into the same one, but you said that the man said that the carriages at the front were for Hill Horton?' |
'Well, I thought he did,' I replied, 'but -- ' one's mind works quickly when you are frightened sometimes -- 'he might have said "Victoria," for the "tor" in "Victoria" and "Horton" sound rather alike.' |
'But wouldn't he have said "London"?' asked Peterkin. |
'No, I think they generally say the name of the station in London,' I explained. 'There are so many, you see.' |
Then we all, for a minute or two, gazed at each other without speaking. Margaret had got still paler than usual, and I fancied, or feared, I heard her choke down something in her throat. Peterkin, on the contrary, was as red as a turkey-cock, and his eyes were gleaming. I think it was all a part of the fairy-tale to hi... |
'What shall we do?' said Margaret, at last, and I was forced to answer, 'I don't know.' |
Bit by bit things began to take shape in my mind, and it was no good keeping them to myself. |
'There'll be the extra money to pay for our tickets to London,' I said at last. |
'How much will it be? Isn't there enough over?' asked Margaret quietly, and I could not help admiring her for it, as she took out her purse and gave it to me to count over what was left. |
There were only four or five shillings. I shook my head. |
'I don't know how much it will be, but I'm quite sure there's not enough. You see, though we're only halves, it's first-class.' |
'And what will they do to us if we can't pay,' she went on, growing still whiter. 'Could we -- could we possibly be sent to prison?' |
'Oh no, no. I don't think so,' I answered, though I was really not at all sure about it; I had so often seen notices stuck up on boards at railway stations about the punishments of passengers not paying properly, or trying to travel without tickets. 'But -- I'm afraid they would be very horrid to us somehow -- perhaps ... |
'Oh!' cried Margaret, growing now as red as she had been white, 'and that would mean my being shut up again at Rock Terrace -- worse than before. I don't know what the witch wouldn't do to me,' and she clasped her poor little hands in a sort of despair. |
Then Peterkin burst out -- |
'I've got my gold half-pound with me,' he said, in rather a queer voice, as if he was proud of being able to help and yet half inclined to cry. |
'Goodness!' I exclaimed, 'why on earth didn't you say so before?' |
'I -- I -- wanted it for something else,' said he. 'I don't quite know why I brought it.' |
He dived into his pocket, and dug out a very grimy little purse, out of which, sure enough, he produced a half-sovereign. |
The relief of knowing that we should not get into trouble as far as our journey to London was concerned, was such a blessing, that just for the moment I forgot all the rest of it. |
'Anyway we can't be put in prison now,' said Margaret, and a little colour came into her face. 'Oh, Perkins, you are a nice boy!' |
I did think her praising him was rather rough on me, for I had had bother enough, goodness knows, about the whole affair, even though I had made a stupid mistake. |
We whizzed on, for it was an express train, and for a little while we didn't speak. Peterkin was still looking rather upset about his money. He told me afterwards that he had been keeping it for his Christmas presents, especially one for Margaret, as we had never had a chance of getting her any flowers. But all that wa... |
After a bit Margaret said to me, in a half-frightened voice -- |
'What shall we do when we get to London, Giles? Do you think perhaps the guard would help us to go back again to the Junction, when he sees it was a mistake? As we've got money to pay to London, he'd see we hadn't meant to cheat.' |
'No,' I said, 'he wouldn't have time, and besides I don't think it'll be the same one. And if we said anything, he'd most likely make us give our names, or take us to some station-master or somebody, and then there'd be no chance of our keeping out of a lot of bother.' |
'You mean,' said she, in a shaky voice, 'we should have to go all the way back, and I'd be sent to the witch again?' |
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