The next morning Bobbie thought about how to get the train engine repaired in secret.
The chance came that afternoon.
Mother was going to the nearest town to do some shopping.
Peter, Bobbie, and Phyllis were accompanying her.
Bobbie wanted an excuse to stay home, but she couldn't think of one.
As they were leaving, her dress caught on a nail by the door.
Mother said there was no time to change her dress.
So Bobbie could not go with them.
Hooray! Bobbie changed into an ordinary dress and went down to the railway.
She walked along the tracks and past the platform.
When she reached the place where the engines stopped, she hid behind a bush.
Bobbie had the toy engine wrapped up in brown paper.
She waited patiently with it.
When the next train came in and stopped, she went and stood next to the engine.
She had never been so close to an engine before.
The engine driver and the stoker did not see her.
They were talking to Perks, the porter, who was on the other side of the tracks.
"Excuse me," began Bobbie.
But the men could not hear her because of the noise.
Bobbie climbed onto the engine's step so they could hear her.
At that moment the train began to move!
Bobbie fell inside, onto a pile of coal.
"Help! Help!" she cried.
But the men still didn't see her or hear her.
"I shouldn't be here," she thought as the train went faster.
"I'll be in big trouble!"
Bobbie put out her hand and touched the nearest arm, and the driver turned around quickly.
"What are you doing here?" he shouted.
Bobbie began to cry.
The men took several minutes to calm Bobbie down and stop her crying.
Then the stoker said, "Now, tell us why you're here.
It's not every day a little girl tumbles into our steam engine!"
Bobbie showed them Peter's toy engine.
"I . . . I wanted to ask you if you could fix this," she explained.
"Everybody on the railway is so nice.
I didn't think you'd mind."
The men examined the little engine. Bobbie waited.
"What do you think, Jim?" said the driver at last.
"Can we help the little lady?"
The stoker grinned. "I think we can."
"Oh, thank you!" cried Bobbie.
"But now we must get you home," said the driver.
Bobbie stayed on the train until the next station.
The men put her on another train and sent her home.
"Where have you been?" asked Phyllis and Peter.
"To the station, of course," said Bobbie.
But she would not say another word.
A few weeks later, Bobbie collected the toy engine.
Peter was very excited when he saw it.
It was as good as new.
Then Bobbie told them about her great engine adventure.