A/N Small Percy streak, as this is based on a Percy episode, Woolly Bear in my country.

Hey, it's me, Percy again. This time I shall about the time I looked like a caterpillar because I got hay stuck to me.

In the summer the work crews cut the long grass along the tracks- raking into heaps to dry in the sun.

At this time of year, I stop where they have been cutting. The men load up my empty wagons, and I pull them to the station.

Toby then takes them to the hills for the farmer to feed their stock. It's been this way for many years.

"Wheeeeeeesh!" I gave a ghostly whistle. "Don't be frightened, Thomas!" I laughed. "It's only me!"

"Your ugly fizz is enough to frighten anyone," said Thomas. "You're like-!"

"Ugly indeed! I'm-"

"-a green caterpillar with red stripes," continued Thomas firmly. "You crawl like one too."

"I don't!"

"Who's been late every afternoon this week?"

"It's the hay."

"I can't help that," said Thomas. "Time's time, and Sir Topham Hatt relies on me to keep it!" "I can't if you crawl in the till all hours." He tends to be concerned about being on time. Like he thinks Really Useful Engines are on time, if possible.

" 'Green caterpillar' indeed!" I fumed as I set off to collect some hay to take to the harbor. "Everyone says I'm handsome- or at least nearly everyone. Anyway, my curves are better than Thomas's corners. Thomas says I'm always late," I grumbled. "I'm never late- or at least only a few minutes. What's that to Thomas? He can always catch up time farther on."

All the same, Driver and I decided to start home early. Then came trouble.

CRASH!

A crate of treacle was upset all over me.

I was cross. I was still sticky when I puffed away, though they tried to clean me.

The wind was blowing fiercely.

"Look at that!" exclaimed Driver.

The wind caught the piled hay, tossing it up and over the track.

The line climbed here.

"Take a run at it, Percy," Driver advised.

I gathered speed. But the hay made the rail slippery, and my wheels wouldn't grip. Time after time, I stalled with spinning wheels and had to wait until the line ahead was cleared before I could start again.

Everyone was waiting. Thomas seethed impatiently. "Ten minutes late! I warned him. Passengers'll complain, and Sir Topham Hatt..."

Then they all saw me. They laughed and shouted.

"Sorry I'm late!" I panted.

"So I should hope," scolded Thomas.

Then my friend's cheeky ways kicked in.

"Look what's crawled out the hay!" teased Thomas.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Talk about hairy caterpillars!" puffed Thomas. "It's worth being late to have seen you."

When I got home, Driver showed me what I looked like in a mirror. Then, I understood what was so funny about how I looked.

"Bust my buffers! No wonder they all laughed. "I'm just like a wooly bear! Please clean me before Toby comes." But it was no good. Thomas told Toby all about it.

Instead of talking about sensible things like playing ghosts, Thomas and Toby made jokes about "woolly bear" caterpillars and other creatures which crawl about in hay.

They laughed a lot, but I thought they were really being very silly indeed. Another problem caused by the hay, in part at least, had come.

A/N Next chapter in this story will be the halfway mark.