furious, and I takes tea at home."

"How long are you here at a time?" asked the inquisitive Gertie.

"Twelve hours, my dear, and no time allowed for meals."

"Surely you must be very tired?"

"Sometimes, but they talk of shortening the hours soon. There's a want
of signalmen just now, that's how it is. But what good fortune has sent
_you_ here this evenin', Gertie?"

"I want to ask you about a ring, Sam."

"A ring! What! you ain't goin' to get married already, are you?"

Gertie replied by bursting into a hearty fit of laughter; when she had
sufficiently recovered her gravity, she revealed her troubles to the
sympathising signalman.

"Well, it _is_ a perplexin' business. What was the old woman doin' wi'
such a ring tied up in such a queer way?"

"I don't know," said Gertie.

"Well, it ain't no business of mine, but we must try to git hold of it
somehow. I'll be off dooty at six, and your dad'll be passin' in a few
minutes. After I'm free, I'll go up to the shed and have a palaver with
'im. There he is."

As he spoke the bell was rung by his signal-friend on the left replied
to in the usual way, and in a few minutes the chimney of the _Lightning_
was seen over the top of the embankment that hid a bend of the up-line
from view.

"Put your head out here at this window, and be ready to wave your hand,
Gertie," said Sam, placing the child.

The "Flying Dutchman" came on in its wonted wild fashion, and for a few
seconds Gertie saw her father's bronzed and stern face as he looked
straight ahead with his hand on the regulator. John Marrot cast one
professional glance up, and gave a professional wave of his right hand
to the signalman. At that instant his whole visage lighted up as if a
beam of sunshine had suffused it, and his white teeth, uncovered by a
smile, gleamed as he flew past and looked back. Gertie waved
frantically with her kerchief, which flew from her hand and for some
distance followed the train. In another moment the "Flying Dutchman"
was a speck in the distance--its terrific crash suddenly reduced by
distance to a low rumble.

"Evenin', Jack," said Sam, as his successor or comrade on the
"night-shift" entered the box, "Come along now, Gertie. We'll go and
see your father. He'll be up at the station in no time, and won't take
long to run back to the shed."

So saying, Sam Natly assisted Gertie down the long iron ladder, by which
his nest was reached, and walked with her to the engi