Durby, in getting out hers,
although, of course, having got it for her, Joe did not require to see
it, dropped her precious brown paper parcel. Picking it up again
hastily she pressed it to her bosom with such evident anxiety, that men
much less sharp-witted than our trio, would have been led to suspect
that it contained something valuable. But they aimed at higher booty
just then, and apparently did not notice the incident.

A rapid banging of doors had now set in--a sure precursor of the
starting whistle. Before it was quite completed, the inevitable late
passenger appeared in the distance. This time it was a lady,
middle-aged and stout, and short of wind, but with an iron will, as was
clearly evinced by the energy with which she raced along the platform,
carrying a large bundle of shawls in one arm, and a travelling-bag in
the other, which she waved continuously as she shouted, "Stop! stop!
stop the trai-i-i-in! I'm coming!"

The guard, with the whistle already half-way to his lips, paused and
glanced at his watch. There was a fraction of a moment left. He
stepped to a carriage and threw open a door.

"Make haste, ma'am; make haste, please," was said in urgent, though
respectful tones.

The late passenger plunged in--she might, as far as appearances went, be
said to have taken a header into the carriage--and the door was shut.

The guard's whistle sounded. The engine-driver's whistle gave prompt
reply, and next instant the train moved. No one could conceive of such
a thing as a train _starting_ when John Marrot drove!

As the carriages glided by, Mr Sharp cast a passing glance on the late
passenger. He observed that her bundle of shawls moved of its own
accord, and, for one whole minute after the train had left, he stood
motionless, meditating on that curious phenomenon. He had often heard
of table-turning, but never until now had he seen inanimate matter move
of its own accord. Can we feel surprised that he was both astonished
and perplexed? Proceeding to the booking-office he held a brief
conversation with the clerks there; then he sauntered into the
telegraph-office and delivered a message, after which he left the
station with a quiet smile on his sedate countenance.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

WHICH IS TOO FULL OF VARIED MATTER TO BE BRIEFLY DESCRIBED.

Meanwhile let us fly through space with greater than railway speed and
overtake the "Flying Dutchman."

It has got up full speed by this tim