At the same moment there came in also the conductor, and the gentleman who had gone to find him; and now the children felt a faint hope that there might be some way out of this trouble.
But the conductor was surly, and absolutely refused to put back,—which indeed would have been hardly safe,—or to stop the train and let out the children, as was proposed by some person, and pleaded for by the little ones themselves.
And here the “bad hat” man put in his word.
“That would never do,” he said; “those little things could not possibly walk back to ——, and no conveyance could be found along here. They must come on to the next station, and there we will see what can be done.”
Down went the three heads and up went Belle’s voice again at these unwelcome words; but the “bad hat” had a kind heart beneath it, and the wearer at once set himself to comfort the forlorn children.
“Come, come, take heart,” he said cheerily. “Now let us see how soon we shall get back to papa and mamma. It will not take us more than one hour or so, to reach the next station, and then—well, to be sure, we’ll have to wait awhile there for the up-train,”—he did not think it best to say it would be more than four hours,—“but we’ll telegraph them and let them know you are all safe, and will be with them before long.”
“Do you know the children sir?” asked a lady.
“Well, no, madam, and they don’t know me; but they know my hat pretty well, and I think that is ground for an acquaintance. It’s a broad one, anyhow, is it not?” he said with a nod at Belle, “and we’re going to take advantage of it.”
“It’s a great while for poor mamma to wait for us, and she’ll be very frightened,” said Bessie, wiping the tears from her eyes, though they were immediately filled again. “I s’pose she’ll think we’re never coming back to her.”
“Not a bit of it,” said “Bad Hat:” “she’ll think you’ll find some one to look after you and bring you back; and how delighted she’ll be to see you safe after such an adventure.”