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quite well belong to a gorilla, and a face as red as a tomato, except where grey whiskers grew.
    He opened his mouth and the children expected a loud and angry yell. Instead out came a husky, hoarse whisper:
    'What you doing? Ain't it bad enough to hear spook-trains a-running at night, without hearing them in the daytime, too?'
    The four children stared at him. They thought he must be quite mad. He came nearer to them, and his wooden leg tip-tapped oddly. He swung his great arms loosely. He peered at the children as if he could hardly see them.
    'I've broken me glasses,' he said, and to their astonishment and dismay two tears ran down his cheeks. 'Poor old Wooden-Leg Sam, he's broken his glasses. Nobody cares about Wooden-Leg Sam now, nobody at all.'
    There didn't seem anything to say to all this. Anne felt sorry for the funny old man, but she kept wel behind Julian.
    Sam peered at them again. 'Haven't you got tongues in your heads? Am I seeing things again, or are you there?'
    'We're here and we're real,' said Julian. 'We happened to see this old railway yard and we came down to have a look at it. Who are you?'
    'I told you - I'm Wooden-Leg Sam,' said the old man impatiently. 'The watchman, see?
    Though what there is to watch here, beats me. Do they think I'm going to watch for these spook-trains? Well, I'm not. Not me, Sam Wooden-Leg. I've seen many strange things in my life, yes, and been scared by them too, and I'm not watching for any more spook-trains.'
    The children listened curiously. 'What spook-trains?' asked Julian.
    Wooden-Leg Sam came closer. He looked all round as if he thought there might be someone listening, and then spoke in a hoarser whisper than usual.
    'Spook-trains, I tel you. Trains that come out of that tunnel at night all by themselves, and go back all by themselves. Nobody in them. One night they'l come for old Sam Wooden-Leg-but, see, I'm smart, I am. I lock myself into my hut and get under the bed.
    And I blow my candle out so those spook-trains don't know I'm there.'
    Anne shivered. She pulled at Julian's hand. 'Julian! Let's go. I don't like it. It sounds al peculiar and horrid. What does he mean?'
    The old man seemed suddenly to change his mood. He picked up a large cinder and threw it at Dick, hitting him on the head. 'You clear out! I'm watchman here. And what did They tell me? They told me to chase away anyone that came. Clear out, I tel you!'
    In terror Anne fled away. Timmy growled and would have leapt at the strange old watchman, but George had her hand on his collar. Dick rubbed his head where the cinder had hit him.
    'We're going,' he said, soothingly to Sam. It was plain that the old fel ow was a bit funny in the head. 'We didn't mean to trespass. You look after your spook-trains. We won't interfere with you!'
    The boys and George turned away, and caught up with Anne. 'What did he mean?'
    she asked, scared. 'What are spook-trains? Trains that aren't real? Does he really see them at night?'

    'He just imagines them,' said Julian. 'I expect being there al alone in that deserted old railway yard has made him think strange things. Don't worry, Anne. There are no such things as spook-trains.'
    'But he spoke as if there were,' said Anne, 'he real y did. I'd hate to see a spook-train.
    Wouldn't you Ju?'
    'No. I'd love to see one," said Julian, and he turned to Dick. 'Wouldn't you, Dick? Shall we come one night and watch? Just to see?'

5 Back at camp again
    The children and Timmy left the deserted railway yard behind them and climbed up the heathery slope to find their way back to their camping-place. The boys could not stop talking about Wooden-Leg Sam and the strange things he said.
    'It's a funny business altogether,' said Julian. 'I wonder why that yard isn't used any more
    - and where that tunnel leads to - and if trains ever do run there.'
    'I expect there's quite an ordinary explanation,' said Dick. 'It's just that Wooden-Leg Sam made it al seem so weird. If there had been a proper