Page 35 - English Expedition Class 4

The three children giggled . They had forgotten the doubt in Peter’s mind as to
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whether coal-mining was wrong.
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But one dreadful night, the station master was hiding in the shadow of a brake
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van . He waited till Peter had finished putting coal in his bag. Then he raised his arm
and seized Peter’s collar.

‘So I’ve caught you at last, haven’t I, you young thief?’ said the station master.
‘I’m not a thief,’ replied Peter, as firmly as he could. ‘I’m a coal-miner .’
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‘Tell that to the police,’ said the station master.
‘It would be just as true whoever I told it to,’ said Peter.

‘Come along to the station,’ said the man holding him.
‘Oh, no,’ cried an anxious voice in the darkness.
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‘Not the police station!’ said another voice from the darkness.
‘Not yet,’ said the station master. ‘The railway station first. Why, it’s a regular gang.

Are there any more with you?’
‘Only us,’ said Bobbie and Phyllis, coming out of the shadow of another truck.
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‘What do you mean by spying on me like this?’ said Peter, angrily.
‘It’s time someone did spy on you, I think,’ said the station master. ‘Come along to

the station.’
‘Oh, don’t!’ said Bobbie. ‘Can’t you decide now what you’ll do to us? It’s our fault just
as much as it is Peter’s. We helped carry the coal away and we knew where he got it from.’

9 giggled: laughed quietly in a silly way 12 coal-miner: a person who works in a coal mine
10 dreadful: causing great fear or shock 13 anxious: worried
11 brake van: a railway carriage from which the brakes of 14 spying: keeping an eye on someone secretly
the train can be controlled by the guard
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