1. ONE DAY
THOMAS WAS AT THE QUAYSIDE
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2. OF A SMALL VILLAGE.
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3. FISH WERE BEING LOADED
INTO HIS CARS.
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4. THE WORK TOOK
A LONG TIME.
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5. THE FISHERMEN WERE USING
OLD EQUIPMENT
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6. AND THOMAS WAS WORRIED.
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7. "I'M GOING TO BE LATE
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8. "FOR HENRY
AT THE DOCKS.
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9. "HE WON'T LIKE THIS.
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10. PLEASE HURRY UP—"
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11. THOMAS WAS
RUDELY INTERRUPTED.
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12. HIS DRIVER
AND FIREMAN LAUGHED.
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13. "PHOOH!"
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14. SNIFFED THOMAS,
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15. "WHAT A PONG!"
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16. HE WAS GLAD
WHEN THEY WERE SPEEDING ALONG
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17. THE BEAUTIFUL COASTAL RUN.
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18. THEN, THEY SAW A MAN
WAVING A RED FLAG.
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19. "WHAT'S THE MATTER NOW?"
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20. "HIGH TIDES ARE DAMAGING
THE TRACK,"
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21. REPORTED THE MAN.
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22. "I'VE MARKED THE SPOT."
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23. "WE'LL GO AND INSPECT,"
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24. SAID THE DRIVER.
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25. "IT WOULD BE DANGEROUS
FOR HEAVY ENGINES LIKE HENRY,"
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26. AGREED THE DRIVER,
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27. "BUT FOR THOMAS,
IT'S SAFE ENOUGH."
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28. THE GUARD LEFT A RED OIL LAMP
BY THE DAMAGED TRACK
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29. TO WARN ENGINES.
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30. "WHEN WE GET TO THE DOCKS,
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31. I'LL TELL THEM
TO CLOSE THE LINE."
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32. HENRY WAS WAITING
FOR THOMAS' CARS.
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33. "POOAH!
YOU'RE LATE!
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34. AND THAT SMELL
IS MAKING ME ILL!"
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35. "IT'S THE FISH,"
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36. REPLIED THOMAS,
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37. "AND THERE'S DANGER
ON THE RAILS.
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38. THAT'S WHY WE'RE LATE!"
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39. "HA! YOU'RE THE ONLY DANGER
ON THE RAILS, THOMAS.
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40. "NOW STOP
WASTING TIME
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41. AND GET YOUR CARS
HITCHED TO MY TRAIN."
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42. THOMAS' DRIVER AND FIREMAN WERE
IN THE YARDMASTER'S OFFICE
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43. WHEN THEY HEARD
HENRY'S WHISTLE.
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44. HE WAS STEAMING
OUT OF THE STATION
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45. WITH HIS LONG HEAVY TRAIN
CALLED "THE FLYING KIPPER."
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46. "WHAT ROUTE IS HENRY
TAKING TONIGHT?"
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47. ASKED THE DRIVER.
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48. "THE COASTAL RUN;
IT'S THE QUICKEST."
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49. "BUT I TOLD YOU,"
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50. GASPED THE DRIVER,
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51. "THAT'S DANGEROUS
FOR A BIG ENGINE LIKE HENRY."
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52. THE YARDMASTER QUICKLY PHONED
THE SIGNALMAN.
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53. HENRY ROARED PAST
THE SIGNAL BOX.
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54. "I'LL SOON MAKE UP
FOR LOST TIME."
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55. THE SIGNALMAN COULDN'T HEAR
THE WARNING.
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56. BY THE TIME HE DID,
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57. HENRY WAS FAR AWAY
IN A CLOUD OF STEAM.
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58. BUT WHEN HENRY
REACHED THE COASTAL TRACK
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59. HIS HOPES FOR A FAST RUN
WERE DASHED.
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60. FOG FLOATED EVERYWHERE.
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61. "I CAN'T SEE!"
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62. CRIED HENRY.
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63. NOR COULD HIS DRIVER.
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64. AND WHEN HE COULD,
IT WAS TOO LATE.
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65. AS SOON AS
THE TIDE WAS HIGH ENOUGH,
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66. HENRY WAS CRANED
OUT OF THE WATER.
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67. "ENGINES DON'T SWIM,
HENRY.
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68. "YOU WERE MEANT
TO DELIVER FISH,
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69. "NOT SWIM WITH THEM.
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70. YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT
BY NOW."
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71. "YES, SIR;
I'M SORRY, SIR."
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72. WHEN HENRY ARRIVED
AT THE DOCKS
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73. CRANKY THE CRANE
LOOKED DOWN ON HIM.
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74. "MY, MY, HENRY.
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75. "I EXPECT YOU'LL HAVE
SOME FISHY TALES TO TELL.
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76. BUT TAKE MY ADVICE,
HAVE A LONG HOSE DOWN FIRST."
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77. BUT THERE WAS WORSE
TO COME.
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78. "LOOK...
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79. "THEY'VE CAUGHT ALL THIS FISH
AND A GREEN WHALE TOO."
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80. "IT'S NOT A WHALE;
IT'S A MONSTER."
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81. HENRY WAS MOST UPSET.
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82. THOMAS NOW FELT SORRY
FOR HENRY.
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83. "COME ON,
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84. "YOUR DRIVER SAYS IT'S TIME
FOR A NICE WASH DOWN.
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85. THEN YOU'LL FEEL
MUCH BETTER."
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86. AND HENRY DID.
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87. "I'M SORRY I WAS
RUDE TO YOU, THOMAS."
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88. "THAT'S ALL RIGHT,
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89. BUT CAN YOU
SMELL SOMETHING?"
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90. "W-W-W-WHAT?"
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91. "FRESH AIR!"
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92. "OH, YES!"
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93. REPLIED HENRY HAPPILY.
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94. THOMAS, PERCY, AND JAMES
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95. WERE LOOKING
AT THE EARLY MORNING SKY.
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96. "EVERYONE'S SO MUCH HAPPIER
WHEN SPRINGTIME COMES,"
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97. SAID THOMAS.
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98. "EVERYONE EXCEPT
SIR TOPHAM HATT,"
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99. GRUMBLED JAMES,
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100. "HE SEEMS TO BE WORKING US
HARDER THAN EVER.
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101. I'M TIRED OF THESE
COASTAL RUNS."
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102. "HE JUST WANTS EVERYTHING
TO BE READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS,"
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103. REPLIED PERCY,
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104. "ANYWAY, SALTY AIR MAKES ME
ALL CHEERFUL IN MY SMOKEBOX!"
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105. "PAH!"
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106. SNORTED JAMES,
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107. "IT'S THE COUNTRYSIDE
THAT REALLY GETS ME FIRED UP.
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108. IT'S THE ONLY PLACE
TO BE!"
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109. AND HE PUFFED AWAY
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110. TO COLLECT HIS FREIGHT CARS
FROM THE DOCKS.
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111. THOMAS AND PERCY HAD TO TAKE
SOME EMPTY FREIGHT CARS
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112. TO THE SCRAPYARDS.
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113. IN A SIDING
THEY SAW AN OLD COACH.
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114. SHE LOOKED VERY SAD.
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115. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"
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116. "THEY CALLED ME
'OLD SLOWCOACH'
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117. "AND TOLD ME
I WASN'T USEFUL ANYMORE.
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118. NOW ONLY THE MICE
RIDE IN ME."
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119. "WELL, YOU MAY BE DUSTY,
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120. BUT YOU LOOK
IN PERFECT SHAPE."
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121. THE YARD MANAGER APPEARED.
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122. "COME ALONG.
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123. I HAVE FREIGHT CARS
FOR YOU TO TAKE AWAY!"
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124. "EXCUSE ME..."
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125. SAID PERCY'S DRIVER,
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126. "CAN YOU TELL US
ABOUT THIS COACH?"
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127. "OLD SLOWCOACH...
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128. "SHE'S BEEN HERE
FOR YEARS.
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129. SHE'LL BE BROKEN UP...
WHEN WE FIND THE TIME."
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130. THE ENGINES WERE DISMAYED.
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131. "WE'LL TRY
AND HELP YOU,"
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132. SAID THOMAS.
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133. BUT HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW.
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134. MEANWHILE,
JAMES WAS ENJOYING HIMSELF.
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135. "THIS IS THE LIFE!"
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136. HE CHORTLED.
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137. BUT HE WAS HEADING
FOR TROUBLE.
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138. ONE OF THE FUEL CARS
WAS LEAKING.
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139. THEN, SUDDENLY,
IT CAUGHT FIRE.
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140. "OH, HELP!"
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141. CRIED JAMES.
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142. THEY REACHED A SIDING
AND HIS DRIVER GAVE THE ALARM.
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143. "IT'S FUEL,
AND IT'S DANGEROUS!"
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144. AS THOMAS AND PERCY
APPROACHED THE JUNCTION
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145. THEY SAW THE SMOKE AND A GUARD
WAVING A RED FLAG.
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146. "SPARKS FROM JAMES' FUNNEL
HAVE SET THE CARS ABLAZE,"
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147. HE CALLED.
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148. "THE FIRE IS UNDER CONTROL,
BUT IT'S QUITE A MESS!"
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149. "YOU SAID THE COUNTRYSIDE
GOT YOU ALL FIRED UP, JAMES,"
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150. SAID PERCY,
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151. "BUT I DIDN'T THINK
YOU MEANT IT IN THIS WAY!"
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152. "PAH!"
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153. SNORTED JAMES,
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154. "IT WAS THE STUPID CARS' FAULT,
NOT MINE!"
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155. "IT'S SAFE
TO PROCEED NOW!"
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156. CALLED A FIREMAN.
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157. THOMAS AND PERCY
NOW FELT SORRY FOR JAMES.
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158. IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE
THEY REACHED THE STATION.
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159. LATER, AS THEY WERE HAVING
A LONG DRINK
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160. AT THE WATER TOWERS,
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161. THEY SUDDENLY HEARD
A COMMOTION.
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162. "WHAT'S THE MATTER?"
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163. THOMAS ASKED.
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164. "IT'S ANOTHER FIRE
AT THE WORKMEN'S HUT,"
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165. REPLIED THOMAS' DRIVER.
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166. "WE'D BETTER SEE
WHAT WE CAN DO!"
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167. THE FIRE ENGINES
HAD A BIG PROBLEM.
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168. "WE ARE
COMPLETELY OUT OF WATER"
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169. CRIED A FIREMAN.
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170. "WE CAN'T USE SEAWATER
'CAUSE IT CLOGS OUR WORKS.
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171. WE'LL JUST HAVE TO LET
THAT BUILDING BURN!"
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172. THEN THOMAS HAD AN IDEA.
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173. "WHY DON'T YOU USE
THE WATER IN OUR TANKS?
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174. WE'VE JUST REFILLED THEM!"
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175. THE FIREMAN WASTED NO TIME.
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176. "YOU'RE VERY CLEVER ENGINES!"
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177. CHUCKLED THEIR DRIVERS.
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178. SOON THE FIRE WAS OUT,
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179. BUT THE HUT
WHERE THE WORKMEN LIVED
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180. WAS DESTROYED.
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181. "THE MEN CAN'T SLEEP
ON THE BEACH,"
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182. SAID THE FOREMAN.
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183. "WHAT ABOUT
'OLD SLOWCOACH?'
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184. SHE WOULD BE PERFECT
FOR THE WORKMEN,"
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185. SAID PERCY.
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186. "COMFY TOO!"
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187. ADDED THOMAS.
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188. "WHAT A GOOD IDEA, PERCY,"
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189. SAID HIS DRIVER.
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190. THEY PHONED SIR TOPHAM HATT
WHO AGREED.
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191. "SHE'LL BE SPICK-AND-SPAN
BY THE TIME YOU COLLECT HER!"
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192. AND SHE WAS.
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193. AND VERY HAPPY TOO.
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194. "I CAN'T
THANK YOU ENOUGH!
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195. I FEEL SPLENDID!"
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196. THE ENGINES
BUFFERED UP TO HER...
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197. AND SHE SET OFF HAPPILY
FOR HER NEW HOME.
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198. EVERYONE AGREED THERE WAS
NOTHING "OLD" OR "SLOW"
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199. ABOUT COACH,
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200. AND SHE WILL ALWAYS BE...
REALLY USEFUL INDEED.
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