Chapter 77: Mavis

The quarry at the end of the branchline had recently bought a new engine. It has six small wheels hidden under side plates, just like Toby's and hired. They also hired an engine driver to operate it. Her name was Mavis, and she was young and full of her own ideas. She would always rearrange Toby's trucks in different sidings every day, making Toby waste time trying to find them. This made Toby cross.

"Trucks should be where you want them, when you want them," he told her one day.

"Fiddlesticks!" Mavis snapped, and promptly huffed away.

At long last, Toby gave up trying to reason with her.

"I can't waste time playing games with you," he told her crossly, "take them yourself."

Mavis was delighted. She had grown tired of being confined to the quarry, and looked forward to seeing more of the island. But Toby's reprimands played back in her mind.

Later that evening, Daisy was sent to pick up the workmen from the quarry. She grumbled dreadfully.

"My engine is high class and up to date," she moaned, "I should be taking important passengers, not dirty workmen from some dusty quarry."

While she waited for the workmen to get there, she noticed Mavis looking rather glum at the platform.

"Hello, there," she said, "You must be the new engine driver. I'm Daisy."

Mavis was pleased to see that Daisy was friendly.

"My name is Mavis."

"Ah, yes, I've heard of you. Toby complains about you every night, but you don't seem so bad. What's the matter?"

"Toby's just an old fusspot. He's always telling me what to do, thinking he's better than me. I'm sick of it."

Daisy was sympathetic.

"Don't you listen to him. You're every bit as good as he is. Remember: Anything boys can do, we women can do even better."

Mavis did feel better.

"Thanks, Daisy."

"Don't mention it, hon. Oh, that's my guard. I must get these men back to the junction. Toodles."

And with that, Daisy departed, leaving Mavis feeling better about herself.

The quarry tramroad runs along a farmlane. It gets cold and frosty during the winter, making crossing it harder than usual. To counteract this, Toby uses the weight of the trucks to push his engine along, making it so the engine's wheels won't slip on the icy rails.

Toby told Mavis about this, but she paid him no mind.

"He's just and old fusspot," she mumbled to herself as she approached the crossing. She parked the train, and the guard got out to halt traffic. But Mavis had stopped in the wrong spot, and the wheels of the engine just spun on the icy rails.

"Come on, come on," she grumbled, but it did no good. The engine was stuck. The drivers in the cars were cross, and had to help to shovel away the frozen mud. Mavis had to help to, and grumbled dreadfully.

Toby was having some lunch with Henrietta when he heard the news.

"Serves her right for being a crosspatch," he said, "I tried to help her, but she wouldn't listen. She can stay there all night for all I care."

"But Dad," Henrietta spoke up, "Those are your cars, aren't they? If Sir Topham Hatt finds out-"

"Oh, you're right," Toby thought, "I best go and help."

So he got in his engine and drove off. He found Mavis arguing with an angry farmer.

"Let me tell you what you can do with those trucks, missy. Y-"

"Having trouble, Mavis?" Toby asked cheekily, "I thought you could handle trucks. Guess I was wrong."

Mavis just glared at him. Toby coupled their engines together, and pulled the train to safety. The relieved car and lorry drivers drove off, but not before showing Mavis what they thought of her.

"Well, I must be going," Toby said, "Have fun."

Mavis just watched him leave in silence. She took the trucks to the station, then scuttled back to the quarry, where she promptly fell asleep.