Games

The Railway Children

E. Nesbit, 1906.

Roberta, Peter, and Phyllis move to a small country house after their father is taken away under a cloud they do not understand. They wave to a daily train, make friends with a porter and an old gentleman, and try to be useful. Nesbit writes practical children, not saints. The family is suddenly poor, and the railway is both a toy and a link to the adult mystery. The ending depends on paying attention to other people, which is the children’s real talent.

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Chapters

  1. Chapter I. The beginning of things.
  2. Chapter II. Peter's coal-mine.
  3. Chapter III. The old gentleman.
  4. Chapter IV. The engine-burglar.
  5. Chapter V. Prisoners and captives.
  6. Chapter VI. Saviours of the train.
  7. Chapter VII. For valour.
  8. Chapter VIII. The amateur firemen.
  9. Chapter IX. The pride of Perks.
  10. Chapter X. The terrible secret.
  11. Chapter XI. The hound in the red jersey.
  12. Chapter XII. What Bobbie brought home.
  13. Chapter XIII. The hound's grandfather.
  14. Chapter XIV. The End.

Public-domain text.

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