Life at home was better with Jim around.
He told the children stories about his school.
Now that Mother was not writing stories every day, she gave the children some lessons.
"I wonder if the railway misses us," said Phyllis.
"We haven't waved to the 9:15 in a long time.
Let's do it tomorrow!"
So the next morning they ran down to the fence.
They watched the 9:15 train coming out of the tunnel.
"Take our love to Father!"
they shouted as they waved their handkerchiefs.
The old gentleman waved from his window.
And there was nothing strange about that, because he had always waved.
But something was different.
People waved handkerchiefs and newspapers from every window of the train.
Their smiling faces looked at the children.
"Well!" said the children. "Why did everybody wave?"
"Perhaps the old gentleman asked the people to wave," said Bobbie.
And that was just what had happened!
The old gentleman had gotten to his station early, and he had talked to every passenger.
Some passengers were surprised.
Some were curious while others were doubtful or grumpy.
But then the passengers sat inside the train and read a particular story in the newspaper.
That made them all very pleased.
Later, when they saw the children, they all waved.
Back at home later, Bobbie could not concentrate at all.
Mother excused her from the morning lessons.
"I'll go and talk to Perks at the station," thought Bobbie.
At the station it seemed as if everyone was holding a newspaper.
Several people smiled at Bobbie as she went by—people who never usually smiled at her.
"How strange," she thought.
Perks wasn't anywhere so Bobbie chatted with the station cat.
"How friendly everyone is today," she remarked.
Perks appeared when it was time for the 11:54 to arrive.
He had a newspaper too.
"Hello!" he said to Bobbie.
"I saw it in the newspaper, and I'm so happy for you!"
"What did you see in the newspaper?" asked Bobbie.
But already the 11:54 was steaming into the station.
Perks looked in all the train windows.
Only three people got off the train.
The first was a woman with three boxes.
The second was a woman with a brown suitcase.
And the third . . .
"Oh! My daddy, my daddy!" cried Bobbie.
People put their heads out of the windows.
Everyone looked at the tall, pale man and the little girl who was hugging him.
Bobbie thought she could never let go.
"Didn't Mother get my letter this morning?" asked Father.
"There wasn't any mail this morning," Bobbie said.
"Oh, Daddy, is it really you?"
Father held her hand and said, "It's all right.
They caught the real spy."
"Everybody knows that you aren't a spy," said Bobbie proudly.
"We—me, Mother, and the old gentleman—always knew that."
"Yes, I must thank your friend," said Father.
Father and Bobbie walked together to the house.
Bobbie rushed inside first, trying to think of a way to tell Mother the news.
Father waited in the garden, looking at all the flowers.
He had been locked away for so long, each one seemed like a tiny miracle now.
A second later Bobbie threw open the door.
"Come in, Daddy," she shouted. "Come home!"