The Railway Children

Chapter 4 opens with a rupture within the family unit. Mother is unhappy when she learns about the hamper sent from the old gentleman. She is “extremely angry” (91) with the children for asking the old gentleman for help, although she soon apologizes for her temper. She insists to the children that they shouldn’t tell “everyone about our affairs,” and adds that they must “never, never, never ask strangers to give [them] things” (91). The children are awed by their mother’s display of anger and promise to obey her instructions.

At the railway station, the children continue to learn more about trains thanks to the kind attention of the Porter, Mr. Perks. Bobbie celebrates her 12th birthday and while waiting for her celebrations to begin, she goes out to intercept Dr. Forrest, the local doctor who attended Mother during her illness. She explains to Dr. Forrest that her family is poor and asks him for a reduced rate for his services. Dr. Forrest agrees, even though he is not a wealthy man himself.

Bobbie returns home and celebrates her birthday with her family, with cake and modest presents. Later that evening, Bobbie catches a glimpse of her mother in a pose of exhaustion and despair, alone at the table, but creeps away quietly, vowing that if her mother “doesn’t want me to know she’s unhappy […] I won’t know; I won’t know” (108).