spoke too late.

The man stepped squarely on one of the jacks and the points cut through his soft-soled slipper.

“Ouch!” he exclaimed. “My goodness!”

The other Brownies, Miss Gordon and many of the passengers, turned to see why the man was making such a fuss.

“Mister, you are standing on one of my jacks,” said Veve.

66 Although she spoke politely, it seemed to be exactly the wrong thing to say.

66

“Your jacks?” demanded the man. “You might have crippled me for life!”

“Veve didn’t mean to do it,” said Connie quickly. “The jacks just slipped from her hand.”

She stooped down and gathered up four jacks which she gave to Veve.

“One is missing,” said Veve, gazing directly at the elderly man. “I think you are standing on it.”

“This is an outrage!” declared the man irritably. “Children should not be allowed to play games on trains. Where are your parents?”

Connie and Veve did not reply. They were relieved when Miss Gordon left her seat and spoke to the man.

She explained to him that Veve had dropped the jack quite by accident. The man accepted the apology, but he remained rather cross.

“It was an accident too when she spilled water on me,” he said. “I hope it doesn’t happen again.”

The man went on down the aisle and Veve picked up her jack.

“Now shall I try my ‘fours’ again?” she asked.

“Oh, no,” Connie replied, shaking her blond tangled curls. “Let’s not play any more. Everyone is looking at us.”

67 “Then what shall we do until lunch time?”

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