No, no; be quick, girl!
Nor Willum aint maimed, is he? He aint dead? Oh dont say Willum is
Bill Garvies all right, said the engine-driver, as he brushed past the girl and went up-stairs.
Now, although Mrs Marrots ears were totally deaf to locomotives they were alert enough to the sound of her husbands voice. When, therefore, he entered the kitchen, he found her standing on the floor with an ample shawl thrown round her.
Nothing wrong? she inquired anxiously.
Nothing, Molly, my dear, only I got a slight bruise on the leg in the engine-shed to-day, and I had to go up an show it to the doctor, dye see, before comin home, which has made me later than usual.
Are you sure its not a back hurt, father? asked Loo, coming in at the momentalso enveloped in a shawl, and looking anxious.
Sure? ay, Im sure enough; its only a scratch. See here.
Saying this he removed one of his boots, and pulling up his trousers displayed a bandaged leg.
Well, but we cant see through the bandages, you know, said Mrs Marrot.
Let me take them off, father, and Ill replace
Take em off! exclaimed John, pulling down the leg of his trouser and rising with a laugh. No, no, Loo; why, its only just bin done up all snug by the doctor, whod kick up a pretty shindy if he found I had undid it. Theres one good will come of it anyhow, I shall have a day or two in the house with you all; for the doctor said I must give it a short rest. So, off to bed again, Loo. This is not an hour for a respectable young woman to be wanderin about in her night-dress. Away with you!
Was any one else hurt, father? said Loo. She asked the question anxiously, but there was a slight flush on her cheek and a peculiar smile which betrayed some hidden feeling.
No one else, returned her father. I tell ee it wasnt an accident at allit was only a engine that brushed up agin me as I was comin out o the shed. Thats all; so I just came home and left Will Garvie to look after our engine. There, run away.
Loo smiled, nodded and disappeared, followed by Mrs Marrot, who went, like a sensible woman, to see that her alarmed domestic was all right. While she was away John went to the crib and kissed the rosy cheek of his sleeping boy. Then he bent over the bed with the white dimity curtains to Miss Gerties forehead, for which purpose he had to remove a mass of curly hair with his big brown hand.
Bless you, my darling, he said in silent speech, you came near bein fatherless this nightnearer than you ever was before. He kissed her again tenderly, and a fervent thank the Lord! rose from his heart to heaven.
In less than half-an-hour after this the engine-drivers family sank into profound repose, serenaded by the music of a mineral train from the black country, which rushed laboriously past their dwelling like an over-weighted thunderbolt.
Chapter Two.
The Driver Visits a Little Elderly Gentlewoman and Prepares the Iron Horse for Action
Next day John Marrot spent the brief period of repose accorded by the doctor to his leg in romping about the house with the baby in his arms. Being a large man, accustomed to much elbow-room and rapid motion, and the house being small, John may be said to have been a dangerous character in the family on such occasions. Apart from baby, no elephant was ever more sluggish in his motions; but when coupledprofessionally speakingto his own tender infant, John knew no bounds, his wife knew no rest and his baby knew no higher earthly bliss.
Sometimes it was on his shoulder, sometimes on his head and often on his foot, riding with railway speed to Banbury Cross. Again it was on its back in the crib or on the bed being tickled into fits of laughter, which bid fair at times to merge into fits of convulsion, to the horror of little Gertie, who came in for a large share of that delightful holidays enjoyment, but whose spirit was frequently harrowed with alarm at the riotous conduct of her invalid father. In his glee the man might have been compared to a locomotive with a bad driver, who was constantly shutting off the steam and clapping on the brakes too soon or too late, thus either falling short of or overshooting his mark. What between the door and the dresser, the fire, the crib, the window, and the furniture, John showed himself a dreadfully bad pilot and was constantly running into or backing out of difficulties. At last towards the afternoon of that day, while performing a furious charge round the room with baby on his head, he overturned the wash-tub, which filled the baby with delirious joy, and Gertie with pleasurable alarm.
As for Mrs Marrot, she was too happy to have her husband at home for a whole day to care much about trifles, nevertheless she felt it her duty to reprove him, lest the children should learn a bad lesson.
There now, John, I knew youd do it at last. Youre much too violent, and you shouldnt ought to risk the babys neck in that way. Such a mess! How can you expect me to keep things tidy if you go on so?
John was very penitent. He did not reply at first, but putting baby into the cribwhere it instantly drowned with a great yell the shriek of a passing trainhe went down on his knees and began to swab up the water with a jack-towel. Loo ran laughingly from the corner where she had been sewing, and insisted on doing it for him.
Youll hurt your leg, father, if you bend it so, and Im sure it must be swelled and pained enough already with so much romping.
Not a bit, Loo, objected John. It was me as caused the mess, an justice requires that I should swab it up. There, go sew that sentiment into a sampler an hang it up over yer bed.
But Loo would not give in. While they were still engaged in the controversy the door opened, and young Bob Marrot stood before them with his eyes wide open and his hair straight up on end, as if he had recently seen a ghost. This aspect, however, was no sign of alarm, being his normal condition.
Ha! seems to me, somehow, that somebodys bin up to somethin.
Right Bob, replied his father, rising from his knees and throwing the jack-towel at him.
The lad easily evaded the shot, being well accustomed to elude much more deadly missiles, and, picking up the towel, quietly set to work to perform the duty in dispute.
Youre wanted, he said, looking up at his father while he wrung the towel over a tin basin.
Eh! Where?
Up at the shed.
Im on sick leave, said John.
Cant help that. The 6:30 p.m. passenger train must be drove, and theres nobody left but you to drive it. Jones is away with a goods train owin to Maxwell having sprained his ankle, and Long Thompson is down with small-pox, so youll have to do it. I offered em my services, but the manager he said that intelligent lads couldnt be spared for such menial work, and told me to go and fetch you.
Maxwell had no business to sprain his ankle, said John Marrot. Howsever, he added cheerfully, Ive had a rare good holiday, an the legs all but right again, so, Molly, lets have an early tea; Ill give it a good rest for another half-hour and then be ready for the 6:30 p.m-ers. Cut off your steam, will you?
This last observation was made to the baby, and was accompanied by a shake and a toss towards the ceiling which caused him to obey instantly, under the impression, no doubt that the fun was to be renewed. Being, however, consigned to the care of Gertie he again let on the steam and kept it up during the whole time the family were at teawhich meal they enjoyed thoroughly, quite regardless of the storm.