Exams, over, and now for holidays!

These will be the last school holidays many of you older girls and boys will be having. Even now you are probably puzzling and wondering what work life holds for you. This month I have written another letter which I do hope will help some of you older ones.

And now, I simply must tell you all about a really truly exciting mystery train in which I travelled. No, it was not one of the excursion mysteries!

It happened like this. I was waiting at a little station the other Monday morning, waiting for the train to take me back to the city after having spent the week-end in the country.

In rushed the train. It was the longest train I have ever seen! There were forty-three carriages! All of them, except the four passenger ones, were packed with parcels, all shapes and sizes—quite different from everyday ordinary goods.

The whistle blew; the engine coughed impatiently, so in I hopped, still very puzzled indeed. In fact, I was so puzzled that when I took out my little purse mirror to see if there were any smuts on my nose, I found that my face was the shape of a question mark?

There happened to be eleven little children, with their mothers, in the carriage in which I was. One poor little chap had toothache. At last he simply had to cry. “Never mind, little man, the dentist will soon make it better when we arrive in the city,” said his mother, trying to soothe him. But he just couldn't stop crying. It hurt so much.

Suddenly, an old man who had been writing in the corner, jumped up—no not with annoyance—he had such a kind face above his snowy white beard. He hurried from the carriage, and in three minutes returned with a box. He gave it to the little boy. The box was so big that the little fellow couldn't get his arms around it. Can you guess what was in it? The very latest Hornby train! Instantly every tear stopped work to let the wee chap's big eyes gaze with wonder at that tip-top train.

“That's alright,” beamed the old man, in reply to the mother's astonishment and thanks. He patted the little boy's head and returned to his seat and went on writing and writing in his. big thick note-book. Was that the end?

Oh, dear me, no!

The other children crowded round the little boy and his train. They gasped once, twice—then they all burst out crying!

Up shot the old man, completely bewildered. Then he realised what all the commotion was-about They each wanted something, too!

“Oh! my dears,” cried he; “I forgot you others. Follow me, even though I'm sure you all haven't got toothache!” he added, with a merry twinkle in his eyes.

Off they trooped, following him through the carriages, laughing and chattering.

I went, too! I was about bursting with excitement and curiosity. What a mystery train this was!

And, children! What do you think? Those carriages were packed with TOYS! The kind old man gave them books, dolls, games, and bon-bons.

“Here, what's all this?” cried the guard “Oh-ah, I see!” How amused he was!

“Oh, Mr. Guard, what are all these mysteries?” cried I.

The guard drew me aside and showed mer hanging behind a door, a red cap and coat edged with white fur.

“Father Christmas has decided to ‘travel by train’!” he chuckled.

“Well, well, well—–,” I gasped….

Anyway, wasn't Father Christmas knowing not to travel in his well-known red cap and coat? If it had been otherwise, I am sure that most of his toys would have quickly disappeared.

Weren't those children lucky happening to be on that mystery train with him?

Wishing you all the happiest, jolliest Christmas, and don't forget to look for the lucky threepennies in Trainland's first plum pudding.

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P.S.—Here's a hurried afterthought! Please don't think that you have to cry to gain the attention of Father Christmas this year! He whispered to me afterwards, when we arrived in the city, that he always saves the nicest things for those with the biggest smiles. Do you think you can stretch your smile a bit more? I'm going to try. Yes, my word, I am!

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