One day, James had to wait at the station till Edward and his train came in. This made him cross. “Late again!”

Edward laughed, and James fumed away.

After James had finished his work, he went back to the Yard and puffed onto the turntable.

He was still feeling very bad-tempered. “Edward is impossible,” he grumbled to the others. “He clanks about like a lot of old iron, and he is so slow he makes us wait!”

Thomas and Percy were indignant. “Old iron! Slow? Why, Edward could beat you in a race any day!”

“Really!” said James. “I should like to see him do it!”

Next morning, James’ Driver was suddenly taken ill. He could hardly stand, so the Fireman uncoupled James ready for shunting.

James was impatient.

Suddenly the Signalman shouted. There was James puffing away down the line.

“All traffic halted,” he announced at last. Then he told the Fireman what had happened.

“Two boys were on James’ footplate fiddling with the controls.”

“Phew!”

“They tumbled off and ran when James started.”

Brriinngg!

The Signalman answered the telephone. “Yes … he’s here.… Right. I’ll tell him.

“The Inspector’s coming at once. He wants a shunter’s pole and a coil of wire rope.”

“What for?” wondered the Fireman.

“Search me! But you’d better get them quickly.”

The Fireman was ready when Edward arrived. The Inspector saw the pole and the rope. “Good man. Jump in.”

“We’ll catch him, we’ll catch him,” puffed Edward.

James was laughing.

“What a lark! What a lark!” He chuckled to himself.

Suddenly he was going faster and faster. He realized that he had no Driver! “What shall I do? I can’t stop! Help! Help!”

“We’re coming! We’re coming!” called Edward.

Edward was panting up behind with every ounce of steam he had. At last, he caught up with James.

“Steady, Edward!” called his Driver.

The Inspector stood on Edward’s front, holding a noose of rope in the crook of the shunter’s pole. He was trying to slip it over James’ buffer. The engines swayed and lurched.

At last! “Got him!” he shouted. He pulled the noose tight.

Gently braking, Edward’s Driver checked the engine’s speed, and James’ Fireman scrambled across and took control.

“So the ‘old iron’ caught you after all,” chuckled Edward.

“I’m sorry,” whispered James. “Thank you for saving me. You were splendid, Edward.”

“That’s all right,” replied Edward.

The engines arrived at the station side by side.

Sir Topham Hatt was waiting. “A fine piece of work,” he said. “James, you can rest and then take your train. I’m proud of you, Edward. You shall go to the Works and have your worn parts mended.”

“Oh, thank you, Sir,” said Edward. “It’ll be lovely not to clank.”