Level 45

Level 5

The Railway Children 19

The Fight The Fight

Copyright c 2008 by Little Fox Co., Ltd.

All rights reserved.
 Level 45

Level 5

The Railway Children 19

The Fight The Fight

Copyright c 2008 by Little Fox Co., Ltd.

All rights reserved.
 hen the children first moved into the
W white house, they talked about Father
a lot. They were always asking questions about
furniture, just a table, a chair, and a rug. But
the children always put flowers on the
windowsills.
him. But as time passed, the questions seemed
Mother said, “You have all been so good,
to make Mother unhappy. So they stopped
especially you, Bobbie. Picking me flowers,
asking them.
cleaning my shoes, making my bed . . .”
One day, when Mother was working very
Bobbie had sometimes wondered whether
hard, Bobbie carried some tea up to Mother’s
Mother noticed their efforts.
“workshop.” The room had hardly any
“That’s nothing,” Bobbie said, but she was
1 2
 hen the children first moved into the
W white house, they talked about Father
a lot. They were always asking questions about
furniture, just a table, a chair, and a rug. But
the children always put flowers on the
windowsills.
him. But as time passed, the questions seemed
Mother said, “You have all been so good,
to make Mother unhappy. So they stopped
especially you, Bobbie. Picking me flowers,
asking them.
cleaning my shoes, making my bed . . .”
One day, when Mother was working very
Bobbie had sometimes wondered whether
hard, Bobbie carried some tea up to Mother’s
Mother noticed their efforts.
“workshop.” The room had hardly any
“That’s nothing,” Bobbie said, but she was
1 2
very happy.
Mother had agreed to give the children
each a piece of garden. The children could
plant whatever they liked. Phyllis had planted
flowers in hers. When they grew, they looked
like weeds, but Phyllis believed they would
be flowers one day.
Peter sowed vegetable seeds in his garden-
carrots and onions and turnips. But the
3 4
vegetables never grew. That was because Peter
used the dirt to make forts and canals for his
toy soldiers.
Bobbie had planted rosebushes in her garden,
but all the new leaves were brown. She hoped
they were not dead. One day Perks came to see
the garden. He told her that the rosebushes
should go in a bonfire.
“Dig them up and burn them, Miss Bobbie!”
very happy.
Mother had agreed to give the children
each a piece of garden. The children could
plant whatever they liked. Phyllis had planted
flowers in hers. When they grew, they looked
like weeds, but Phyllis believed they would
be flowers one day.
Peter sowed vegetable seeds in his garden-
carrots and onions and turnips. But the
3 4
vegetables never grew. That was because Peter
used the dirt to make forts and canals for his
toy soldiers.
Bobbie had planted rosebushes in her garden,
but all the new leaves were brown. She hoped
they were not dead. One day Perks came to see
the garden. He told her that the rosebushes
should go in a bonfire.
“Dig them up and burn them, Miss Bobbie!”
Perks said. “I’ll give you some flowers from
my garden. You can plant them instead.”
So she started digging up her rosebushes
and carried them to the end of the garden.
Bobbie came back and saw Peter using the rake.
“I was using the rake,” she said.
“Well, I’m using it now,” said Peter.
“But I had it first,” said Bobbie.
“Then it’s my turn now,” said Peter, and
5 6
the fight began.
“You’re always annoyed about something,”
Peter said.
“I had the rake first,” Bobbie said, holding
its handle. “Didn’t I tell you this morning that
I would be using it? Didn’t I say that, Phyllis?”
Phyllis didn’t answer.
“Phyllis, answer!” Peter said, but Phyllis
didn’t. “I wish I’d had a brother instead of
Perks said. “I’ll give you some flowers from
my garden. You can plant them instead.”
So she started digging up her rosebushes
and carried them to the end of the garden.
Bobbie came back and saw Peter using the rake.
“I was using the rake,” she said.
“Well, I’m using it now,” said Peter.
“But I had it first,” said Bobbie.
“Then it’s my turn now,” said Peter, and
5 6
the fight began.
“You’re always annoyed about something,”
Peter said.
“I had the rake first,” Bobbie said, holding
its handle. “Didn’t I tell you this morning that
I would be using it? Didn’t I say that, Phyllis?”
Phyllis didn’t answer.
“Phyllis, answer!” Peter said, but Phyllis
didn’t. “I wish I’d had a brother instead of
two sisters,” Peter said.
Bobbie was angry. Then she remembered
she should try to be good. She let go of the
rake’s handle suddenly.
Peter had been pulling at the rake, and now
he fell backward. Peter lay still for a minute-
long enough to frighten Bobbie a little. Then
he sat up and screamed, and then lay down and
cried steadily.
7 8
Mother ran outside and knelt beside Peter.
“What happened?”
“Bobbie and Peter were both pulling the
rake,” replied Phyllis. “She let go and he fell
over.”
“Peter, stop squealing,” said Mother. “Are
you hurt?”
“I think my foot’s broken, that’s all,” said
Peter. Then Peter went quite white.
two sisters,” Peter said.
Bobbie was angry. Then she remembered
she should try to be good. She let go of the
rake’s handle suddenly.
Peter had been pulling at the rake, and now
he fell backward. Peter lay still for a minute-
long enough to frighten Bobbie a little. Then
he sat up and screamed, and then lay down and
cried steadily.
7 8
Mother ran outside and knelt beside Peter.
“What happened?”
“Bobbie and Peter were both pulling the
rake,” replied Phyllis. “She let go and he fell
over.”
“Peter, stop squealing,” said Mother. “Are
you hurt?”
“I think my foot’s broken, that’s all,” said
Peter. Then Peter went quite white.
 “He is hurt. He’s fainted,” Mother said. She
undid Peter’s boots. As she took his right boot
off, something dripped from his foot to the
ground. It was red blood.
The bottom of the rake had gone into Peter’s
foot, and it was bleeding. Mother carried him
into the house, and Phyllis ran for the doctor.