Den Mother
Narrator
One day, Donald stopped at the station. He was feeling glum. He had been delayed at the junction, and the cars weren't making his job easier. But he soon brightned up when Dilly the duck came into veiw. She had once been put in his water tank as a prank from Duck's driver and fireman. The story was now quite famous, as now she was known as Donald's duck. She waddled on the platform near him and quacked a greeting to him.
Donald
Ach, tis nice tah see yah too, Dilly.
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...he said kindly. James came up alongside him. He was in a bad mood.
James
Huh! Donald, I don't see why you like that duck. She's only an animal after all. So why do you talk to her, and look silly?
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...he wheeshed. This made Donald cross.
Donald
First of all, the wee duck is a friend ah mine...
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...said Donald indignantly...
Donald
...and second, the lass knows who Ah am. She can pick me oot of a yard fulla trucks and cooches. Ah'm not being silly, yah were being silly the day ye needed a bootlace tah fix yer train.
Narrator
James got redder than ever and snorted off. It was such an insult to be reminded of that day. Donald just chuckled to himself.
Later that day, James was pushing some trucks into a siding at Arelsdale. His attitude still hadn't improved from his talk with Donald that morning. Meanwhile, the weather had turned stormy. While he was shunting, Oliver puffed past him on the mainline with a passenger train. Suddenly, the signalman called out to them.
Signal Man
The switches are jammed! I can't set them back for James. The workmen will have to come tomorrow. It's too late for them to do anything now.
Driver
Hmmm. Well, James, I guess your going to have to stay here for the night.
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...said the driver.
James
Rubbish!
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...snorted James, as the rain came down...
James
I wanted to rest in my nice, dry shed.
Driver
Can't be helped.
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...said the driver, sternly.
That night, while James slept, something crawled into his cab. The next morning, the switches were mended so James could puff home. But when his driver and fireman came to fire James' boiler, they were surprised.
Fireman
Well, what do you know.
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...said the fireman. The driver walked up to James and explained.
Driver
There is mother fox and her kits in your cab, James. She must have crawled into your cab and given birth to them last night.
Narrator
James was so surprised and embarassed, he blushed as red as his paint.
Fireman
What can we do?
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...asked the fireman
Fireman
She won't leave until her kits are old enough to take care of themselves. She's chosen her den and won't leave them for sometime.
Driver
I guess we'll have to take them with us where ever we go.
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...the driver said. James was shocked.
James
Driver, do we have to take them? I mean, what if the noise and smoke disturbs them? I'd hate to think how they would feel. And the mother has already been through a bit.
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...James groaned. Just then, Boco hummed into the station. James' driver suddenly had an idea. He went to speak with Boco's driver. He returned shortly after.
Driver
Boco is going to pull us back to Tidmouth so you don't have to worry about disturbing the mother fox.
Narrator
...he said. James sniffed at the thought of being towed by Boco, but he didn't complain about the idea suiting the foxes needs. Soon, it had all been arranged. Boco coupled up to James and pulled him to Tidmouth.
That night, the engines thought it a great joke.
Donald
See what Ah mean, James? Those wee little kits will knoo yah from across the yard eventually. As if it isna hard enough tah see a red engine in ah sea of gray trucks.
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...chuckled Donald.
Henry
Your a regular den mother, now.
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...giggled Henry.
Percy
I'm just glad she's safe from the weather.
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...said Percy as he looked at the gray sky. James ignored all the teasing and closed his eyes as he pretended to be asleep.
Days passed, and the kits grew bigger and stronger. The crews kept the mother and her kits well fed while they grew older each day. Then, the day came to let them go back into the wild. James took them to Arlesdale station and stopped. The mother and her kits left James' cab and walked along the platform. One of the kits hopped onto James' running board, and curled up by his smokebox. His mother looked back, and barked for him to follow. The kit did so, and followed his mother into the forest.
James
I'm going to miss them.
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...James said, sadly.
Station Master
I bet they'll be around.
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...said the station master. Now the fox and her kits are seen by passengers and workers alike all around the station. Some who come to the Arlesdale Railway see them playing in the coal bunkers. Mike and Rex just chuckle whenever they see them playing. There is one kit that is seen more around the station then anywhere else, especially when James comes to the station. The staion master calls him Kit, but the passengers and engine crews know him as James, named after the engine who he met at the start of his life.