The 12.40 fast train to Rockfield must have been five minutes late.

In their hurry they had mistaken it for the stopping train, which probably had been drawn up behind it in the station.
"Well, this is a pretty go!" agreed Winona.

"We shall be carried on to Rockfield and have to come back." "We shall miss the ramble! Oh, it's the limit of hard luck--to see ourselves whizzing through Powerscroft!" "I say, I believe we're stopping after all!" They let down the window and looked out.

They were still about a mile from Powerscroft, but the train drew up, probably in obedience to an adverse signal.

Then the girls did a terrible and awful thing.