"Time someone did spy on you, _I_ think," said the Station Master.
"Come along to the station."

"Oh, DON'T!" said Bobbie. "Can't you decide NOW what you'll do to
us? It's our fault just as much as Peter's. We helped to carry the
coal away--and we knew where he got it."

"No, you didn't," said Peter.

"Yes, we did," said Bobbie. "We knew all the time. We only
pretended we didn't just to humour you."

Peter's cup was full. He had mined for coal, he had struck coal, he
had been caught, and now he learned that his sisters had 'humoured'
him.

"Don't hold me!" he said. "I won't run away."

The Station Master loosed Peter's collar, struck a match and looked
at them by its flickering light.

"Why," said he, "you're the children from the Three Chimneys up
yonder. So nicely dressed, too. Tell me now, what made you do such
a thing? Haven't you ever been to church or learned your catechism
or anything, not to know it's wicked to steal?" He spoke much more
gently now, and Peter said:--

"I didn't think it was stealing. I was almost sure it wasn't. I
thought if I took it from the outside part of the heap, perhaps it
would be. But in the middle I thought I could fairly count it only