15 IN THE GOODS YARD

CHAPTER FIFTEEN IN THE GOODS YARD A FOG-SIGNAL went off just where the gang wanted the train to stop. Bang! The engine pulled up at once, and the trucks behind clang-clanged as they bumped into one another. A hurried talk had gone on between Zeb, Larry and four other men by the coach. The boys could hear every word. 'We'll tell him he's on the wrong line. We'll pretend to be surprised to see him there. Larry, you tell him he'd better stay on this side-line till the fog clears and he can get orders and go back. Take him off to that shed and hot up some tea or something. Keep him

there while we do the job!' The others nodded. Peter whispered to Jack: 'They're going to tell the engine-driver that he's run off the main-line by mistake into this side-line, and then take him off out of the way, the guard too, I expect. There won't be any fighting, which is a good thing.' 'Sh!' said Jack. 'Look, the engine-driver is jumping down. He's lost, I expect! Doesn't know where he is!' 'Hey, there, engine-driver, you're on the side-line!' called Larry's voice, and he ran up to the engine, a lamp swaying in his hands. 'You ought to be on the main-line, running through the station.' 'Ay, I should be,' said the driver, puzzled. 'There must have been some mistake at the points. Am I safe here, mate?' 'Safe as can be!' called back Larry, cheerily. 'Don't you worry! You're in a goods yard, well

out of the way of main-line traffic. Better not move till you get orders, this fog's terrible!' 'Good thing I got on to a side-line, that's all I can say,' said the driver. The guard came up at that moment from the last van, and joined in the conversation. He thought it peculiar. 'Someone making a mess of the points,' he grumbled. 'Now we'll be here for the night, and my missus is expecting me for supper.' 'Well, you may be home for breakfast if the fog clears,' said the driver, comfortingly. The guard didn't think so. He was very gloomy. 'Well, mates, come along to this shed,' said Larry. 'There's an oil-stove there, and we'll light up and have a cup of something hot. Don't worry about telephoning for orders. I'll do all that.' 'Who are you?' asked the gloomy guard. 'Who, me? I'm in charge of this yard,' said Larry, most untruthfully. 'Don't you worry

now. It's a blessing you got on to this side-line. I bet your orders will be to stay here for the night. I'll have to find somewhere for you to settle down.' They all disappeared into the shed. A glow soon came from the window. Peter daringly peeped in, and saw the three men round an oil-stove, and a kettle on top to boil water for tea. Then things moved remarkably quickly. Zeb disappeared down the side-line to look for the truck covered by the tarpaulin with white marks. It was the seventh one, as he informed the others when he came back. 'We'll start up the lorry, and take it to the truck,' he said. 'Fortunately it's just where the yard begins, so we shan't have to carry the stuff far. Good thing, too, because it's heavy.' The lorry was started up, and ran cautiously up the yard to the far end. There it stopped, presumably by the seventh truck. The four

boys went silently through the fog and watched what happened for a minute or two. The men were untying the tarpaulin by the light of a railway lantern. Soon it was entirely off. Jack could see the white paint at one corner that had marked it for the men. Then began a pulling and tugging and panting as the men hauled up the goods inside. What were they? The boys couldn't see. 'Sheets of lead, I think,' whispered Colin. 'Peter, when are we going to telephone the police? Don't you think we'd better do that now?' 'Yes,' whispered back Peter. 'Come on. There's a telephone in that little brick building over there. I noticed telephone wires going to the chimney there this afternoon. One of the windows is a bit open. We'll get in there. Where's Scamper? Oh, there you are. Now, not a sound, old boy!' Scamper had behaved perfectly. Not a bark,

not a whine had come from him, though he was very puzzled by the evening's happenings. He trotted at Peter's heels as the four boys went to telephone. They had to pass the lorry on the way. Peter stopped dead and listened. No one was in the lorry. The men were still unloading the truck. To the astonishment of the other three, he left them, leapt up into the driving seat and down again. 'Whatever are you doing?' whispered Jack. 'I took the key that turns on the engine!' said Peter, excited. 'Now they can't drive the lorry away!' 'Gosh!' said the others, lost in admiration at Peter's quickness. 'You are smart, Peter!' They went to the little stone building. The door was locked, but, as Peter said, a window was open just a little. It was easy to force it up. In went Peter and flashed his torch round quickly to find the telephone. Ah yes, there it