Fantasy Football Challenge - Football Fanatics Library

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Fantasy Football Challenge presents
The Triple Alliance

55 of 65

Off she certainly was. There had been a sharp chirrup of the whistle, and at almost the same moment the train began to move. Diggory tried to let down the window to get at the handle of the door; but the sash worked stiffly, and before he succeeded in making it drop, the train had run the length of the platform, and the station was left behind. The four boys gazed at one another for a moment in blank astonishment, and then burst into a simultaneous roar of laughter. "You'll have to go as far as Chatton now," said Carton. "Never mind; you can get back by the next train." "Yes; but the question is if we've got any money," answered Jack Vance ruefully. "It's fourpence the single journey, so the fare there and back for three of us'll be two bob. Here's threepence; that's all the tin I'm worth.--what have you got, Diggy?" "Four halfpenny stamps, and half a frank on my watch-chain," was the reply. "But I don't think these railway Johnnies 'ud take either of those." On examination, the only articles of value Mugford's pockets were found to contain were an aluminium pencil-case which wouldn't work, and a dirty scrap of indiarubber. "Look here," cried Carton, "I'll give you two shillings. It's my fault; and I've got something over from my journey-money." The offer was gladly accepted, and at length, when the train reached Chatton, the three chums wished their companion good-bye, laughing heartily over their unexpected journey. "What time's the next train back to Ronleigh?" asked Jack, as he paid the money for their fare to the ticket-collector. "Let's see," answered the official: "next train to Ronleigh--5.47." Jack's face fell. "Isn't there any train before that?" he asked. "We've got to be back at the school by half-past five." "Can't help that," returned the man; "next train from here to Ronleigh's 5.47. And," he added, encouragingly, "she's nearly always a bit late." The boys wandered disconsolately through the booking-office of the little country station, and halted outside to consider what was to be done. "It's five-and-twenty past four," said Jack Vance, looking at his watch, "and it's a good six miles by road; we shall never walk it in the time." "It's a good bit shorter by rail," mused Diggory, "if we could walk along the line. That tunnel under Arrow Hill cuts off a long round." "We couldn't do that," said Mugford; "there are notice-boards all over the shop saying that trespassers on the railway will be prosecuted." "Oh, bother that," cried Jack Vance, suddenly smitten with Diggory's idea. "Who cares for notice-boards? We'll go home along the line. If we trot every now and then, we shall get back in time." "Well, we'd better walk along the road as far as that curve," said Diggory, "and then they won't see us from the station." The trio started off in the direction indicated, hurrying along the permanent way, hopping over the sleepers, and seeing how far they could run on one of the metals without falling off. At length they entered a cutting, the steep banks of which rose gradually until they towered high above their heads on either hand. Before long the mouth of the tunnel was reached, and, as if by mutual consent, the three friends came to a halt. There was something forbidding about the dark, gloomy entrance--the stale, smoky smell, and the damp dripping from the roof, all tending to give it a very uninviting aspect. "It's awfully long," said Mugford; "don't you think we'd better turn back?" In their secret hearts his two companions were more than half inclined to follow this suggestion; but there is a form of cowardice to which even the bravest are subject--namely, the fear of being thought afraid-- and it was this, perhaps, which decided them to advance instead of retreat. "Oh no, we won't go back," cried Diggory. "Come along; I'll go first." And so saying, he plunged forward into the deep shadow of the archway. The ground seemed to be plentifully strewn with ashes, which scrunched under their feet as they plodded along, and their voices sounded hollow and strange. "My eye," said Jack, "it's precious dark. I can hardly see where I'm going." "It'll be darker still before we see the end," answered Diggory. "Some one was telling me the other day that there's a curve in the middle." "Hadn't we better go back?" faltered Mugford. "No, you fathead; shut up." The darkness seemed to increase, and the silence grew oppressive. The boys were walking in single file, Diggory leading, and Jack Vance bringing up the rear. "I say," exclaimed the latter, as he stumbled over a sleeper, "I shouldn't like to be caught here by a train." "That can't happen," retorted Diggory; "didn't you hear the man say there wasn't another till 5.47?" "Yes," added Mugford; "but there might be a luggage, or one coming the other way." "Well, all you'd have to do would be to cross over on to the other line." Imperceptibly the boys quickened their pace until it became almost a trot. "Hurrah!" cried Diggory, a few moments later, as a far-distant semicircle of daylight came into view. "There's the other end." "Stop a minute," cried Jack, emboldened by the prospect of soon being once more in the fresh air; "let's see if we can make an echo." The little party halted for a moment, but instead of hearing the shrill yell for the production of which Jack had just filled his lungs, their ears were greeted with a far more terrible sound, which caused their hearts to stop beating. There was, it seemed, a sudden boom, followed by a long, continuous roar. Diggory turned his head, to find the far-off patch of light replaced by a spark of fiery red, and the terrible truth flashed across his mind that in the excitement of the moment he could not remember for certain which was the down line. It was well for the Triple Alliance that at least one of their number was blessed with the faculty of quick decision and prompt action, or the history of their friendship might have had a tragic ending. Diggory wheeled round, and catching hold of Mugford, cried in a voice loud enough to be heard above the ever-increasing din, "Quick! get into the six-foot way, and lie down!" What followed even those who underwent the experience could never clearly describe. They flung themselves upon the ground: there were the

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