CHAPTER 1: THE BEGINNING OF
THINGS
One night
at their home in London, father, mother, Roberta(also known as Bobbie), Peter
and Phyllis are talking about Peter’s broken model engine when there is a knock
on the front door. Two gentlemen come to see father and talk for a long time.
Father speaks briefly with mother and mysteriously leaves home. The next
morning, mother leaves for London and returns in the evening, looking tired. She
requests the children to be good while she is away and not to ask any question
about father. Several horrid weeks pass by and one morning, mother tells the
children that they are moving to a little white house near railway line in the
country. They take the train and arrive at their new home in the dark.
CHAPTER 2:
PETER AND THE COAL
The family do not get a decent supper as they
think Mrs. Viney has not prepared it for them. Mother prepares what she can and
off they go to bed. The next morning, the children wake up feeling excited in their
new home. They discover that a nearby field backs onto a railway line but the
railway station is too far to see from where they are. Before supper the
children decides to go to the railway station. They have a lot to see and a
large heap of coal catches Peter’s attention. When Peter steals coal from the station
yard, he is caught by the Station Master. Peter thinks that taking some coals
from the middle of the heap is harmless. The Station Master warns them that
what they have done is stealing because the coal belongs to the railway
station. It is only then they realize what they have done is wrong.
CHAPTER 3:
THE OLD GENTLEMAN
By now the children know the time when the trains
pass. Every morning, they will wave to an old gentleman who always waves back
at them. They pretended that the old man knows their father and takes their
love to him in London.
One day, their mother becomes very ill and Bobbie resolves to do something
positive to help. The children paint the words, “LOOK OUT AT THE STATION” on a
large white sheet and wave it at the 9.15 train the next day. When the train is
about ready to leave, Phyllis passes a letter to the Old Gentleman. In the
evening, a large box of supplies is delivered to the children with all the
things they have asked for.
CHAPTER 4:
BOBBIE’S RIDE
When their mother finally recovers from her
illness, they confess to her what they have done earlier. The family later
celebrates Bobbie’s 12th birthday, all dressed in their best. Bobbie
receives various presents from the family including Peter who reluctantly has
to give her the broken half of his toy train filled with sweets. Her lovely
birthday party however ends on a sad note when she realizes that her mother is
very upset later that night. Bobbie secretly wants to repair Peter’s broken
train. She goes to the station and accidentally gets into the engine of one of
the trains. Feeling scared, she seeks help from two railway workers. The two
men not only repair the toy but also make sure she arrives home safely. Weeks later,
Bobbie introduces Peter and Phyllis to the friendly engine driver and Jim, the
fireman.
CHAPTER 5:
SAVING THE TRAIN
The children witness a landslide that covers the
railway line. The children prevent an imminent accident by waving the girls’
red petticoats. The train comes to rest just in time, at about twenty metres
from where Bobbie stands on the tracks. Weeks later, a ceremony is held at the
station to commemorate the children’s bravery. The Old Gentleman presents the
children with a gold watch each and meets their mother at home. The children
relay that eventful day to their mother.
CHAPTER 6: A BIRTHDAY FOR PERKS
THE CHILDREN’S MOTHER HAS JUST SOLD
A STORY AND SUGGESTS HAVING SOME CAKES FOR TEA. BOBBIE REQUESTS THAT THEY HAVE
IT ON PERKS’S BIRTHDAY AND MOTHER AGREES. PETER COMES UP WITH AN IDEA TO ASK
THE VILLAGERS FOR LITTLE GIFTS, CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL GIVE SOMETHING TO A
PERSON AS NICE AS PERKS. SOME OF THE VILLAGERS ARE DELIGHTED WITH THE IDEA BUT
OTHERS, SUCH AS MRS. RANSOME SIMPLY BRUSHES THEM OFF. THE THREE CHILDREN,
HOWEVER, GO HOME AND COLLECT SEVERAL ROSES FOR MRS. RANSOME SINCE IT IS HER
BIRTHDAY. THAT KIND GESTURE TOUCHES MRS. RANSOME’S HEART AND SHE GIVES THE CHILDREN
SEVERAL APPLES AS WELL AS HER DEAD GRANDCHILD’S PRAM FOR PERKS’S SON. THE
CHILDREN BRING THE GIFTS TO PERKS’S HOUSE AND WAIT FOR HIS ARRIVAL SO AS TO
SURPRISE HIM. IN SPITE OF THIS, PERKS BECOMES UPSET AS HE SEES THE GIFTS AS A
FORM OF CHARITY. THE CHIDREN EXPLAIN THAT THESE GIFTS ARE GIVEN SINCERELY AND
PERKS RELENTS. HE ASKS THE THREE CHILDREN TO STAY FOR TEA.
CHAPTER 7: THE TERRIBLE SECRET
BOBBIE DISCOVERS THE REASON FOR
HER FATHER’S DISAPPEARANCE WHEN SHE READS THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE. DEEPLY UPSET,
SHE REFUSES TO BELIEVE THAT HE IS A SPY AND IS IMPRISONED. HER MOTHER ATTEMPTS
TO EXPLAIN THAT HER FATHER HAS BEEN FALSELY ACCUSED OF SELLING GOVERNMENT
SECRETS TO ANOTHER COUNTRY. BOBBIE BELIEVES IN HER FATHER’S INNOCENCE AND
DECIDES TO WTITE TO THE OLD GENTLEMAN TO CLEAR HIS NAME.
CHAPTER 8: THE BOY IN THE RED
SHIRT
THE BOY IN RED GOES MISSING
DURING A ‘HARE AND HOUNDS’ GAME ORGANISED BY THIER SCHOOL. BOBBIE AND HER
SIBLINGS ENTER THE DARK RAILWAY TUNNEL TO LOOK FOR HIM. THEY FIND HIM LYING BY
THE RAILWAY TRACK WITH A BROKEN LEG. BOBBIE STAYS WITH THE INJURED BOY, JIM, IN
THE DARK TUNNEL WHILE PETER AND PHYLLIS SEEK HELP FORM THE FARM. THE CHILDREN TAKE JIM HOME FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION. THEY
LATER LEARN THAT JIM IS THE GRANDCHILD OF THE OLD GENTLEMAN WHOM THEY HAVE MET
EARLIER. THE OLD GENTLEMAN VISITS THE LITTLE WHITE HOUSE WHERE JIM IS TAKEN
CARE OF. MOTHER OFFERS HERSELF TO TAKE CARE OF JIM UNTIL HE GETS BETTER. THE
OLD GENTLEMAN IS GRATEFUL TO THE FAMILY. WHEN THE OLD GENTLEMAN LEAVES THE
HOUSE, HE HAS A PRIVATE CHAT WITH BOBBIE ABOUT HER FATHER. HE SAYS THAT HE HAS
RECEIVED THE LETTER AND HAS BEEN LOOKING INTO THE CASE. HE BELIEVES THAT HER
FATHER IS INNOCENT.
