ad imagined; but at last it came to
a standstill, and, looking through the window, Jimmy saw that many more
persons got out than usual. He leaned back in his seat, feeling tired
and cold, and waiting for the train to go on again, when presently a
porter stopped at the window.

'All change here!' he said.

'But I don't want to change,' answered Jimmy. 'This isn't Chesterham, is
it?' for he had read the name of Barstead on one of the lamps.

'Chesterham!' cried the porter, 'I should say not. Chesterham is fifty
miles away on another line. This is Barstead. And if you don't want to
stay all night on the siding the best thing you can do is to get out.'

CHAPTER VII

JIMMY IS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY

Jimmy stared at the porter in great astonishment. His eyes and his mouth
were opened very widely, and he felt extremely frightened. He rose from
the seat and stepped out on to the dark platform.

'I want to go to Chesterham,' he said.

'Well, you can't go to Chesterham to-night,' was the answer. 'Where's
your ticket?'

Jimmy felt in his pocket for his purse, and opening it took out his
ticket.

'You'd better come to speak to the station-master,' said the porter; and
Jimmy, feeling more frightened than ever, followed him to a small room,
where a tall red-bearded man sat writing at a table which seemed to be
covered all over with papers. When Jimmy entered with the porter the
station-master rose and stood with his back to the fire, whilst the
porter began to explain.

'You can't get to Chesterham without going back to Meresleigh,' said the
station-master presently. 'Chesterham is on a different line, and there
is no train to-night.'

'Then what am I to do?' asked Jimmy, turning very pale.

'That's just what I should like to know!' was the answer. 'But you can't
get back to Meresleigh until to-morrow morning, that's certain.'

'But where shall I sleep?' cried Jimmy.

'How was it you got out of the train at Meresleigh?' asked the
station-master.

'You see,' faltered Jimmy nervously, 'there was an accident to the
engine and we all got out.'

'Then why didn't you get in again?'

'I did,' said Jimmy.

'You didn't get into the right train,' answered the station-master, 'or
you wouldn't be here. Tell me just what you did, now.'

'Why,' Jimmy explained, 'I went into the waiting-room to eat my
sandwiches and then I fell asleep.'

'How long were you asleep?'

'I don't know. It didn't seem very long. When I w