Chapter Text
Thomas Billinton is a young driver who lives on a Big Station on the Island of Sodor. He drives a tank engine with six small wheels, a short, stumpy funnel, a short stumpy boiler, and a short stumpy dome. He also works alongside a young red-haired woman called Jane Keystone as his fireman.
He's a fussy young driver, too; he and Jane are always pulling coaches about, ready for the drivers of the big engines to take on long journeys.
And when trains come in, they pull the empty coaches away so that the big engine drivers can go and rest. Thomas thinks no crew works as hard as he and Jane do. He loves playing tricks on them, specially Gordon Gresley, the driver of the biggest engine on the railway, and therefore the proudest. Thomas likes whistling rudely at him and his fireman, Liam Myers.
(Peep! Peep!)
Thomas: "Wake up, Lazy Bones! Why don't you work hard like me?"
One day, after pulling the big Express, Gordon went back to the sidings at the Big Station, very tired. He was just going to sleep when Thomas came up in his cheeky way.
Thomas: "Wake up, lazybones, do some hard work for a change! You can't catch me!" and off he ran laughing.
Instead of going to sleep again, Gordon thought how he could get back at Thomas.
One morning, the tank engine couldn't start. Neither Thomas nor Jane could make it work. The fire went out and there wasn't enough steam. Thomas staying up late last night and not having energy didn't help. It was nearly time for the express. People were waiting, but the coaches weren't ready. At last Thomas' engine started.
Thomas: “Oh, dear! Oh, dear!” he yawned.
He fussed into the station where Gordon was waiting.
Gordon: “Hurry up, you.” said Gordon.
Thomas: "Hurry yourself!” replied Thomas.
Gordon began making his plan.
Gordon: “Yes,” said Gordon, “I will.”
And almost before the coaches had stopped moving, Gordon reversed quickly Liam coupled the engine to the train.
Gordon: “Get in quickly, please.” Gordon pleaded.
Thomas and Jane usually pushed behind the big trains to help them start, but their engine was always uncoupled first. This time, Gordon start so quickly there wasn't time to uncouple it, or even for Jane to get in the cab. Gordon's chance had come.
Gordon: “Come on! come on!” ordered Gordon to the fireman.
The train went faster and faster; too fast for Thomas. He wanted to stop his engine, but he couldn't.
(Peep! Peep!)
Thomas: "Stop! Stop!"
Gordon: “Hurry, hurry, hurry!” laughed Gordon.
Liam: “You can't get away! You can't get away!“ agreed Liam.
Poor Thomas was going faster than he had ever gone before. He bounced about the cab like a pea in a frying pan, and his head hurt him, but he had to go on.
Thomas: “I shall never be the same again!” he thought sadly, “My wheels will be quite worn out!”
At last, they stopped at a station. Thomas' engine was uncoupled and he felt very silly and exhausted. Next he went on to a turntable thinking of everyone laughing at him and then he ran on to a siding out of the way.
Gordon: “Well, little Thomas.” chuckled Gordon, “Now you know what hard work means, don't you?”
Poor Thomas couldn't answer, he had no breath. He just moved his engine slowly away to rest, then went to the station to buy a water bottle and engine and driver both had a long, long drink.
He went home very slowly, and was careful afterwards never to be cheeky to Gordon again.