“But doesn’t it take a long time?” said Norval.
“Well, ye-e-e-ss. We generally take about three hours and a half to get things square,—I mean the tickets, for they makes a sad hash of them getting them out; but then things is square when we’ve done, you see, and that’s the great point.”
CLOSE QUARTERS.
Norval, who was beginning mathematics, wondered how a point could be great, and how a square could be a point; but he did not like to trouble the station-master, as he was so busy with the tickets, which, when they were all mended and collected, made a pile that blocked up half of the station.
A number of Sillybilly people came to the station to get into the train for Blundertown. It was already so full that the boys were obliged to squeeze themselves up in corners, till Ranulf called out, “Oh, I can’t bre-e-eathe!” and Norval had to take him on his knee. When the Sillybilly people came up, the guard ran along the train, calling out, “Plenty of room! plenty of room! Every one sit on his own knee, and there’s plenty of room!”
The passengers got very angry at this, and shouted out all sorts of cross replies to the guard.
GENERAL JAM.
“There’s no need to do that,” said one.
“It’s not an easy position,” said another.