HEREDITARY FRIENDS
efforts of the captain and his men failed to dislodge
it. The confounded thing went forward well enough
but refused to clear the obstacle.
'The station at H------is not very busy in war-time,
but nevertheless one express, the 3.45, called every
day. The captain, who had been most careful to find
out these details, began to feel nervous when,
towards noon, he realized that he was completely
unable to clear the permanent way of its obstacle.
At 3 o'clock he went sheepishly to see that station-
master at H------and explained the position.
*We are/ he said, 'in a mess/
'And why, captain?'
'Because we've put a lorry on your track and
can't get it off and because the train's due very soon/
'And you're letting a little thing like that upset
you? It can all be arranged quite simply, so please
don't disturb yourself, captain/
'Punctually at 3.45 the express arrived. The
station-master had a few words with the guard and
then with the driver. The engine was unshackled
and proceeded smoothly to the point where the
tractor had been left, carefully introduced its buffers
under the motor, raised it and with a few turns of its
wheels, deposited it gently outside the rails. Where-
upon the engine rejoined its carriages and the
tractor its convoy. But the captain will remain all
his life a passionate admirer of French railways. And
now, every day, when the 3,45 passes by the battery
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