t. I daresay we
shall go a little way out of the station and come back again. You'll
see. And he said--the _first_ man, I mean--that we should have at least
ten minutes to wait, and we've scarcely been two, so we may as well get
in with you for a few minutes.'

'Yes, do,' said Margaret, 'but don't put my package up in the netted
place, for fear I couldn't get it down again myself. The trains never
stop long at our station.'

So we contented ourselves with leaving the red bundle on the seat beside
her. It was lucky, I told her, that the carriage _wasn't_ full,
otherwise it would have had to go up in the rack, where it wouldn't have
been very firm.

'It is so fat,' said Peterkin, solemnly.

'Something like you,' I said, at which we all laughed again, as if it
was something very witty. We were still feeling rather excited, I think,
and rather proud--at least I was--of having, so far, got on so well.

But before we had finished laughing, there came a startling surprise.
The train suddenly began to move! We stared at each other. Then I
remembered my own words a minute or two ago.

'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 ide