Chapter 21: Whistles and Naughty Boys
It was not long before Henry was back in action. Everybody was glad to see him return, except Gordon. While he did miss his friend and was glad that he was alright, his pride often got the better of him.
"Why should Henry's engine get a new shape?" He moaned to the others, "A shape good enough for my engine is good enough for his. While he was in the hospital we had to do all of his work, and when his engine is repaired he goes on about how happy he is. It's disgraceful!"
Nobody was really paying attention, but Gordon continued anyway.
"Another thing of note," he said, "Henry blows his engine's whistle too much. Nobody blows the whistle of an engine that loudly. It isn't wrong, but we just don't do it."
Henry was hurt by Gordon's words. Percy saw this and tried to cheer him up.
"Don't listen to him, Henry," Percy said, "I think your engine has a beautiful whistle."
Henry smiled, but was still sad. Soon it was time for Gordon to take the express.
"Goodbye, Henry," he called from the cab, "We're happy to have you back, but remember what I said."
Henry wasn't sad for long, as he was happy to see the many sights of Sodor again. Later that day he pulled into Wellsworth station with a stopping passenger train. Edward was there as well, and they had a quick chat.
"Hello Henry," said Edward, "It's good to see you are in good health. Your engine's whistle is lovely."
"Thank you, Edward," smiled Henry. At that moment, they heard a loud, shrill whistle in the distance.
"What is that noise?" Asked Edward.
"It sounds like the whistle on Gordon's engine," said Henry, "But it can't be Gordon's engine."
But it was. The whistle valve had gotten loose, and the noise was so tremendous that Edward and Henry had to cover their ears to keep them from going deaf as the train screamed towards them. Gordon was frantically trying to fix the problem, but to no avail. Soon the train disappeared from sight.
"Well, well," said Edward, laughing slightly.
"It isn't wrong, but we just don't do it," said Henry, and told Edward what Gordon had said.
Gordon soon reached Knapford, where everybody cringed at the loudness of the whistle. Sir Topham Hatt had to come and settle the matter.
"Take your engine away!" He shouted to Gordon, "And stop that noise!"
Gordon sadly moved it into a siding, where a workman knocked the whistle into place, finally putting a stop to it all.
Later that night, Gordon just sulked in the driver house.
"It isn't wrong," murmured Henry to no one in particular, "But we just don't do it."
Nobody mentioned anything about whistles.
The next day Henry was taking a passenger train when he noticed some boys on a bridge. He thought they were there to say hello, so he blew his engine's whistle at them.
CRASH!
Unfortunately, the boys did not wave hello. Instead, they threw stones at the train, breaking some of the windows on the carriages and scratching the paintwork on the engine. Henry, the passengers, and the guard were all very annoyed, but the boys ran off before they could do anything. For the rest of the journey, Henry thought of nothing but ways to pay them out. At the last station, he had an idea.
"Yes," he thought, "I'll do it on the return trip."
He didn't divulge his plan to anybody, but he did advise them to keep the windows (which had been repaired at the station) down. On the trip back he made sure the buildup lots of ashes in the firebox. As he approached the bridge, he could see the same boys with stones at the ready.
"And….now!" Henry said, and with a whoosh soot and ash flew from the funnel and covered the boys from head to toe. They were too scared to try and pull their tricks, and ran off.
Henry went home, having a feeling that Gordon and the boys have learnt their lesson, and next time won't be so rude.