The Missing Coach
Soon the painters arrived to give the twins their numbers. Donald was 9 and his brother Douglas was 10. The twin geese also choose their engines. Abigail chose Donald and Amelia chose Douglas. The painters soon went away, leaving the twin engines and geese alone in the shed.
Abigail: Do you think we'll pass the test, dear sister?
Donald: Dinna fash yourself. We'll pass with flying colors.
Douglas: Och, it was you brilliant geese that helped us find this place, I'm sure you can get this place clean up faster than you can say, "Land ho!"
Amelia: But we've never really been a leader of anything, nor do we know how to keep things in order. The closest goose we could've kept in order is our uncle. You heard what our boss said. If we make one major mistake then he'll sent one or even both of us away.
Donald: That's why I thought of a plan if that does happen.
The geese and Douglas looked at Donald with interest.
Donald: Have you ladies notice something about us.
Abigail: Uh… They made you look nice and clean?
Donald (Laughing): No, silly goose. They've painted broad new numbers on our tenders, but they didn't put any numbers on us or even given us nameplates and you geese just have your bonnets, they didn't give you any name tags either. The Fat Controller did say that he just needed one of you sisters to pick one of us.
The geese smirked with interest.
Amelia (Chuckling): Are you saying what I think you're saying?
Douglas: You mean that we can…
Donald: Just that. … Oh hold your wheese, here comes the inspector.
Inspector: Now nine and ten, this here's Duck and with him is Mr. O'Malley. They'll both show you and your geese around the railway.
O'Malley step out of Duck's cab and saw the engines and the geese.
O'Malley: Oh no. Not you two.
Amelia: Abigail look, it's our little friend!
Abigail: What good news, we have someone that'll be working with us. Isn't it wonderful.
O'Malley (Sarcasm): It sure is.
Abigail: How's that white cat? Do you two still see each other?
O'Malley: Well if you must know, we're actually married.
Abigail: Oh my. Congratulations! So you decided you'll be her husband, after all.
Duck: *Whistling* I hate to break up a nice reunion, but we have to show our new guest around the railway.
Amelia: Oh that's right. We'll catch up later; right now just show us what to do.
So Duck and O'Malley showed the two engines and geese their work. They were soon friends with Duck and O'Malley. The Geese were masters when it came to organizing the trucks and coaches and the twins handle the rest easily. The trucks also knew better than to try any tricks on them. Duck and O'Malley we're impressed.
Donald: We like it find here.
Abigail: Yes, so much fun.
O'Malley: Well I must say, you four got me impress. You finish that shunting job in less than 5 minutes.
Duck: Yes, very. I like it when engine work very hard. Although we should warn you about Henry, Gordon and James. They're guard dogs are very nice, and the engines themselves are not bad engines, but the moment they see you working very hard, they'll try some nonsense.
Douglas: Dinna fash yourself. We'll soon settle them.
O'Malley showed Tramp and Pongo the geese and they started chatting.
Tramp: I must say, geese were the last animals I thought an engine would use as an assistant.
Pongo: We have geese at our farm and they are very helpful animals. They know how the keep things in order.
Tramp: Well all the same, we hope you'll like this place and stay here and help us.
Pongo: And we hope our engines won't cause any trouble with yours.
Abigail: Oh, I wouldn't worry too much about that. We are very nice and a bit naive, but we're definitely not pushovers.
Just then they heard some deep tone whistles, they turned and found Donald and Douglas were right behind Gordon and Henry.
Gordon (Chuckling): They sound like buses.
Henry (Snickering): Or ships.
Gordon: Tugboat Annie! Ha-ha-ha-ha!
Donald and Douglas cruised quietly beside each of them.
Donald and Douglas: You wouldn't be making fun of us, would you now?
Gordon and Henry jumped, they glanced nervously from side to side.
Henry: O-Oh, no, no, no, no, not us!
Gordon: Y-Yes, certainly not us!
Donald: That's good. Now just mind the both of yee, and keep that way.
Tramp and Pongo just stood there amazed.
Tramp: Wow, that would have taken us about 30 minutes to do something like that.
Pongo: Agree. Can I get you and your engines to babysit my pups?
The geese chuckled and they were soon friends with each other.
Tramp: Wake up, son. It's time if your big day, today.
Scamp: Hmm. You mean it's that time of the month already?
Tramp: Yep.
Collette: We get the special coach again!?
Tramp: That's right and the Fat Controller decided that you can have one of us to be the guard for your special coach. You guys did earn it after all the hard work you've done.
Annette: I bet we all know who Scamp's going to pick.
The other just chuckled, while Scamp just blushed.
Angel: Well the answer is yes, I would love to do join you for your special coach.
The special coach that Tramp mention is part of the express that Gordon takes call the Wild Nor Western. It is full of people from Wales to London and even from Scotland. The coach that's part of the express is for people that are traveling further from Thomas' Branch Line.
When Gordon steams in from the station, the engines have to put the special coach to the station's platform and put the rest of the express away; then Thomas, coming in with Annie and Clarabel, picks up the special coach from the station and continues down the line with it. Thomas and his crew likes their special coach very much.
Later in the afternoon, Donald, Douglas, Abigail and Amelia were with Duck and O'Malley shutting at the yards. Donald was waiting for a goods train that he offered to take at the other end of the line.
Just then Gordon steamed in with the Wild Nor Western. Douglas offered to shunt the coaches away, while Duck was getting Donald's train ready. As Douglas was shunting the coaches, an awful thought struck him.
Douglas (Thinking): I hope the Fat Controller doesn't find out I shouldn't have been here. I couldn't do well about being sent away.
He worried so much over this, that he forgot about the special coach and placed it with the other coaches inside the carriage shed.
Later he joined Donald at the water column. Thomas came by whistling cheerfully at them. Soon afterwards he came back looking very worried.
Thomas: Where's our coach!?
Donald: Coach? What coach.
Scamp: The special coach that Gordon brings for us! I promised Angel that she could be the guard dog for it, but we can't find it!
Thomas: And if we don't find it, the passengers will be more than cross!
And they hurried away to find the coach.
Abigail notice that Douglas had a horrified look on his face.
Douglas: Lord sakes, everyone! I'm the one that stole the special coach with the others.
Amelia: Looks like that little gray dog was right, look over there!
A swarm of angry passengers came flooding through the station.
Donald: They're complain' to the Fat Controller. He'll be coming over here!
Donald's Driver: I think it's time to put that plan of yours into action Donald.
Douglas went quickly away with the goods train, while Donald, his driver, fireman and Abigail waited for the Fat Controller, with innocent expression on their face.
Soon the Fat Controller and three passengers came up to Donald.
Fat Controller: Ah, number 9. And why have you not taken the goods?
Donald's Driver: The tender is awa', sir.
They showed him that Donald's tender was uncoupled.
Fat Controller: I see, some form of defect, no doubt. So then why did number 10 leave so quickly when I was coming over here?
Abigail: Maybe, sir. My sister saw you coming and thought that she and Douglas were late with their goods train. You know how punctual geese and engines can be.
Fat Controller: Hmm.
He turned to the passengers.
Fat Controller: Here gentlemen are the facts. Your coach disappeared on you. We investigate and number 10 decides to disappear too. Here we can draw our conclusions, please accept my apologies, the matter will be investigated, good afternoon gentlemen.
The Fat Controller watch the passengers making their way back to the platform. His shoulders twitch, he wiped his eyes. Donald and his crew wonder if he was crying.
Abigail: Sir?
But he wasn't crying. He turn to them.
Fat Controller: Douglas, would you care to explain why you have Donald's tender? And Amelia, would you also explain why you have Abigail's blue bonnet on your head?
