The station-master ran up to the door, thumped at it, and shouted, while the porter, who had doubled along the platform and back again, cried, "Open the door!"
"Where's the key?" roared the station-master. "Gimme the key!"
"Get the key!" yelled the man in corduroys.
"Key, key! Fire!" shouted the ploughboy and the man with the gun.
"You've got it!" cried the porter. "You didn't gimme——"
"I gave it you!" shouted the station-master, dancing and waving his arms.
"You didn't!"
"Water!" yelled the man in corduroys.
"Water, water!" shouted the ploughboy and the man with the gun.
A blue haze of smoke hovered over the platform as the London train ran in, and in two minutes the driver and stoker, guards, and a score of passengers joined the excited crowd. From every carriage heads appeared, and a medley of voices said—