ne-shed, which they
soon reached. They had not waited long before John Marrot's iron horse
came panting slowly into its accustomed stable.

As there were at least twelve iron horses there in all stages of
being-put-to-bedism, and some, like naughty boys, were blowing off their
steam with absolutely appalling noise, it was next to impossible for
Gertie and Sam to make known their difficulty to John. They therefore
waited until he had seen his satellites in proper attendance upon his
charger, and then left the shed along with him.

When the case was made known to John, he at once said, "Why didn't they
apply to the Clearin' House, I wonder?"

"Ah, why not?" said Sam.

"Nurse doesn't know about that place, I think," suggested Gertie.

"Very likely not; but if she'd only gone an' seen any one as know'd
anything about the line, she'd have found it out. However, the parcel's
pretty sure to be somewhere, so I'll set some inquiries a-foot w'en I
goes up to town to-morrow. Good-night, Sam."

"Good-night, John," answered the signalman, as he turned off in the
direction of his own dwelling, while the engine-driver and his little
daughter pursued the footpath that led to their cottage.

Sam Natly's residence was a very small one, for house-rent was high in
that neighbourhood. There were only two rooms in it, but these two bore
evidence of being tended by a thrifty housewife; and, truly, when Sam's
delicate, but partially recovered, wife met him at the door that night,
and gave him a hearty kiss of welcome, no one with an atom of good taste
could have avoided admitting that she was a remarkably pretty, as well
as thrifty, little woman.

"You're late to-night, Sam," said little Mrs Natly.

"Yes, I've had to go to the shed to see John Marrot about a diamond
ring."

"A diamond ring!" exclaimed his wife.

"Yes, a diamond ring."

Hereupon Sam related all he knew about the matter, and you may be sure
the subject was quite sufficient to furnish ground for a very lively and
speculative conversation, during the preparation and consumption of as
nice a little hot supper, as any hard-worked signalman could desire.

"You're tired, Sam," said his little wife anxiously.

"Well, I am a bit. It's no wonder, for it's a pretty hard job to work
them levers for twelve hours at a stretch without an interval, even for
meals, but I'm gittin' used to it--like the eels to bein' skinned."

"It's a great shame of the Company," cried Mr