naughty, Mammy," sobbed Bobbie, and Peter and
Phyllis sniffed.

"Now, listen," said Mother; "it's quite true that we're poor, but
we have enough to live on. You mustn't go telling everyone about our
affairs--it's not right. And you must never, never, never ask strangers
to give you things. Now always remember that--won't you?"

They all hugged her and rubbed their damp cheeks against hers and
promised that they would.

"And I'll write a letter to your old gentleman, and I shall tell him
that I didn't approve--oh, of course I shall thank him, too, for
his kindness. It's YOU I don't approve of, my darlings, not the old
gentleman. He was as kind as ever he could be. And you can give the
letter to the Station Master to give him--and we won't say any more
about it."

Afterwards, when the children were alone, Bobbie said:--

"Isn't Mother splendid? You catch any other grown-up saying they were
sorry they had been angry."

"Yes," said Peter, "she IS splendid; but it's rather awful when she's
angry."

"She's like Avenging and Bright in the song," said Phyllis. "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. That's as
it might be you, Miss. Then there's goods engines, great, strong things
with three wheels each side--joined with rods to st