Chapter 24: Dirty Objects
Toby and Henrietta had settled well into their new lives on the Island of Sodor, and had made friends with most of the employees on the railway. However, out of all the people on the railway, James was the only one who did not take an instant liking to Toby. It wasn't that he despised him, but James was a bit snooty, not liking anything that was dirty or old fashioned, including Toby's tram engine. It was old, dirty, and in need of new paint, but Toby loved it just the same. James, however, would harass Toby at any given chance.
"Yeuck!" he would say, "How unappealing your engine looks! Just look at my engine! So bright and smart looking! I can barely even bare to look at yours."
Now Toby was a fairly easy going person, and never let James's insults get the best of him. But as time went on Toby became more and more frustrated by James's remarks.
"James?" he asked one morning at the junction, "Why is your engine red?"
"It is a splendid engine," said James, "And I am ready for anything. You'll never see its paint dirty."
"Oh," said Toby cheekily, "I suppose that's why you once needed a pair of bootlaces then. To be red-dy, I suppose."
Before James could retort his guard's whistle blew, so he just left after shooting Toby a rather nasty glare. The bootlace incident was one accident he would rather like to forget.
Later James had to take a slow goods train, a job that he disliked greatly.
"I can't believe Sir Topham Hatt would make me pull these dirty cars! A splendid red engine like mine should never have to be seen pulling goods trains!" he grumbled to himself. At every station he would boss the workmen loading the train around. Sadly, these men were part of The Sledgehammers, and did not take kindly to James's words.
"Who does he think he is, ordering us about?" one group whispered among themselves. They decided to pay James out. They were the last station before Gordon's hill, so when James was distracted they loaded the trucks until it looked as if they would explode, and then disabled the braking mechanism in the brakevan. James soon set off, not knowing of what had happened. Not that he would have noticed anyway, as he was too busy thinking of how to pay Toby out. When he got to the top of the hill, he braked, but the weight of the trucks pushed the train down. James tried to stop, but they were going too fast. Worse lay ahead. A couple of Tar wagons were left in a siding. The signalman, not expecting James for a few more minutes, had not yet set the points for him. When James saw what was coming, he leapt from the cab, landing on the ground.
When James looked up, he saw a sight that almost made him faint. Two tar wagons were smashed, his engine was derailed, and all in all the line was a huge mess. Worse of all (to him, at least) his engine's paint was ruined by sticky black tar.
Toby and Percy soon arrived with the breakdown train to help clear the mess. When they saw what had happened, they couldn't help but laugh.
"What on earth is this?" asked Toby.
"That's James's engine, don't you know?"
"It looks why his engine, but it couldn't be. James's engine is very splendid, and he's ready for anything. You'd never see this engine's paint dirty."
James said nothing as they helped him up. On the way back, James spoke to Toby.
"I'm sorry I was rude to you, Toby," he said, "Thank you for rescuing me."
"It's no problem, James," Toby told him. At last the yard came into view. Sir Topham Hatt was waiting on the platform.
"James, I understand that the accident was not your fault, but I must ask you to double check your loads from now on," he told him. James said nothing, but his face indicated he would.
"As for you, Toby," said Sir Topham Hatt, "As a reward for your hard work this month, your engine shall have a new coat of paint. I'm glad I hired you for my railway."
"Thank you, sir," said Toby, and drove his engine off to the works.
James and Toby are now good friends, and often share a laugh about bootlaces and tar. And James now knows that no matter how old something is, it can still be useful.