[The Railway Children by E. Nesbit]@TWC D-Link book
The Railway Children

CHAPTER IV
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"I should like to look at her if it wasn't so awful.

She looks so beautiful when she's really downright furious." They took the letter down to the Station Master.
"I thought you said you hadn't got any friends except in London," said he.
"We've made him since," said Peter.
"But he doesn't live hereabouts ?" "No--we just know him on the railway." Then the Station Master retired to that sacred inner temple behind the little window where the tickets are sold, and the children went down to the Porters' room and talked to the Porter.

They learned several interesting things from him--among others that his name was Perks, that he was married and had three children, that the lamps in front of engines are called head-lights and the ones at the back tail-lights.
"And that just shows," whispered Phyllis, "that trains really ARE dragons in disguise, with proper heads and tails." It was on this day that the children first noticed that all engines are not alike.
"Alike ?" said the Porter, whose name was Perks, "lor, love you, no, Miss.

No more alike nor what you an' me are.

That little 'un without a tender as went by just now all on her own, that was a tank, that was--she's off to do some shunting t'other side o' Maidbridge.


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