Chapter 6. Home Again
One day, the children were on the hill. ‘Look!' said Phyllis. You can see the tunnel from here.' Then Phyllis saw another thing. ‘Can you see those boys, near the tunnel? They're running. They're running into the tunnel. How many are there? One–Two–Three–Four–Five–Six. Six boys.'
‘I'm going to the other part of the hill,' said Peter. ‘I want to watch them come out.'
‘We want to come, too,' said Phyllis and Bobbie.
The three children went to the other part of the hill. After five minutes the boys came out. Phyllis counted again. ‘One–Two–Three–Four–Five. Five! Where's number six? He's not coming out.'
They didn't sit on the hill for long. They went into the tunnel to look for the boy. When you're on a train, a tunnel is exciting and this was a very long tunnel. Walking in a tunnel isn't exciting.
It's dark, it's dangerous and there are rats.
‘Can't we go to the station to ask for help?' said Phyllis. ‘I don't like it in here.'
‘No, we have to look here now,' said Bobbie. ‘We don't have much time.'
They looked everywhere. They had a candle, but it was very dark. Then they saw something. It was a boy. The children ran to him.
‘Is he sleeping?' asked Phyllis.
‘I don't know,' said Peter.
‘Speak to us! Say something! Wake up!' said Peter.
At that moment, the boy woke up. ‘Who are you?' he asked.
‘We're from “Three Chimneys,” said Bobbie. ‘We're here to help.'
‘My leg. I can't walk,' said the boy.
‘Try!' said Peter.
‘I can't,' said the boy. ‘I have to sit down.'
‘I want to stay with him,' said Bobbie. ‘I have the candle. Go and find someone who can help
before a train comes. Be quick! Remember, we only have one candle.'
Peter and Phyllis left. Bobbie and the boy were alone.
‘My name's Jim. Thank you for helping me. You're a hero.'
‘That's OK,' said Bobbie.
Peter and Phyllis came out of the tunnel. ‘That wasn't easy,' said Peter. ‘We have to find some help.' Phyllis looked around.
‘Look!' said Phyllis. ‘I can see a farm.'
‘Good! Run now,' said Peter.
They ran and soon arrived at a house. They knocked on the door and they heard a noise. There were people inside the house. The people went into the tunnel with Peter and Phyllis to get Bobbie and Jim. Then they took Jim to “Three Chimneys.”
Mother was very surprised. ‘Mother!' said Bobbie. ‘We have a boy. We found him in the tunnel.'
‘Let's get the doctor,' said Mother. The doctor arrived and the children waited.
‘He isn't too bad,' said the doctor. ‘He needs to rest. He must stay here for three weeks and he mustn't go out.'
Peter was happy. How nice to have another boy in the house, he thought.
The next day there was a knock at the door.
‘I think that's the doctor,' said Mother. ‘Wait here, children.' The children waited and listened. It was a man, but it wasn't the doctor.
‘I know that voice,' said Phyllis.
‘Children, come here,' said Mother. ‘It's Jim's grandfather.'
The children went to meet the man. Who was this man? Well, it was the old gentleman, from the 9.15 train - their friend. It was a lovely surprise to see him again.
‘Is Jim going home now?' asked Peter.
‘No, he needs to stay here. Your mother is very kind. You can all help Jim to get better.'
Soon the old gentleman had to leave. ‘Bobbie can you walk with me to the station?' he asked.
Bobbie and the old man went down the hill. ‘I read your letter,' said the old man. ‘I'm trying to understand what happened to your father. Don't worry. I promise to have some news soon.'
‘He didn't do anything bad,' said Bobbie.
‘I know that,' said the old gentleman.
Jim soon got better. He was a nice boy. Everybody liked him, but the children were sad. They wanted to see Father again.
‘Something good is about to happen, I know it,' said Phyllis. Phyllis was right. Something very good happened.
The next morning the children woke up early. ‘Do you know,' said Phyllis, ‘that we never wave at the 9.15 train now?'
‘You're right,' said Bobbie. ‘We can go this morning if you want.'
‘Yes, good idea!' said Peter and Phyllis.
Soon they were near the tunnel, ready to wave. The train went by and the old gentleman waved. That was normal. He always did that, but this
time something was different. Everybody on the train waved and all of them had a newspaper in their hand.
‘Well,' said Bobbie.
‘Well,' said Peter.
‘Well,' said Phyllis. ‘What does this mean?'
The children didn't know. They had to go home. They had their school work to do. But Bobbie couldn't read or write anything. She thought about the train.
‘Mother, can I go for a walk? I don't want to study today. I want to be alone.'
Bobbie went into the garden, but she couldn't stay there. Something was strange. She had to go the station now. When she arrived, she saw Perks.
‘Hello, Perks,' she said.
‘Hello, Bobbie,' said Perks. He had a newspaper in his hand too.
Why does everybody have a newspaper? thought Bobbie.
‘I'm very happy for you on this important day,' said Perks.
‘Why is it important?' asked Bobbie.
‘But, don't you know?' asked Perks. ‘It's in the newspaper.'
‘What's in the newspaper?' asked Bobbie.
At that moment, the 11.54 train arrived. Perks went to the platform.
What's happening today? thought Bobbie.
Only three people got off the 11.54 train. On the platform, there was a young woman and a young man. And the other person was… Well, you know, don't you?
‘Oh, Daddy, my Daddy,' was all you could hear. All you could see was a tall, slim man, with a little girl in his arms.
‘I knew it, I knew it,' said Bobbie.
Bobbie and her father went home. ‘Did your mother read my letter? Did she read the newspaper?'
‘No, she doesn't know anything,' said Bobbie.
‘Go inside the house alone.' said Father. ‘Tell her that I'm home and that the other man did those bad things. It wasn't me. This is all thanks to the old gentleman on the 9.15 train.'
Bobbie went inside and Father waited. After five minutes he knocked on the door to come back home to the family he loved very much.
