03x15 - Toby's Tightrope

[bunniefuu]

(light music)

(upbeat music)

- [Male] One day Percy arrived

at the quarry to collect

some stone for his freight cars.

Snow and frost lay everywhere,

there was not a

sound to be heard.

Percy ventured further.

He found Mavis, the new

diesel engine resting

in the shelter of some rocks.

"Cheer up , Mavis," he whistled.

Mavis was still remembering the

trouble she'd had with cars.

"Manager says I don't

listen to advice.

"He says I have no business

jauntering down Toby's line.

Toby's a fuss-pot."

"Toby has forgotten more

about freight cars than you

will ever know," replied Percy.

"You must put the cars

where he wants them,

"then you'll be a

really useful engine.

"Now if you'll excuse me,

I have to take these

stones to the harbor."

Mavis liked Percy but

she still wouldn't

listen to his advice.

"Why shouldn't I go

on Toby's line?!"

The siting arrangements

were awkward.

To put the cars where

Toby wanted them,

Mavis had to make

several journeys.

(light music)

She started making a plan.

"If we use the teeniest

bit of Toby's line,"

she said to her driver, "We

would save all this bother."

Her driver, suspecting nothing,

allowed them to go as far

as the first level crossing.

(suspenseful music)

A few days later,

the weather changed.

As the snow melted, the

quarry grew busy again.

Some trains were so long,

that before leaving

the cars for Toby,

Mavis had to go beyond the

level crossing with them.

Now, for her plan.

She would go further

down the line

without it seeming her fault.

"Can you keep a secret?"

She asked the freight cars.

"Yes, yes, yes!" They chattered.

"Will you bump me at

the level crossing

and tell no one I asked

you?" The cars promised.

But while Mavis was

away, Toby arrived.

He decided to shunt

the cars himself.

The cars decided

to bump him anyway.

They reached the level crossing

and Toby's brakes came on.

This was the signal

for the freight cars.

"On, on, on!" They yelled.

(upbeat music)

Toby was away, with

the cars screaming

and yelling behind him.

No one realized that melted snow

had turned a stream

ahead into a torrent,

and the bridge above it

was about to collapse.

(upbeat music)

(crashing)

The rails were now

like a tightrope

across the thundering water.

"Stop, Stop!" cried Toby.

(fast-paced music)

His driver fought for control.

They came nearer and

nearer to the bridge!

It was all or nothing now.

The driver braked hard.

(suspenseful music)

Toby stopped,

still on the rails,

but with his wheels

treading the tightrope

over the abyss.

(stream rushing)

Mavis was horrified and

quickly came to the rescue.

(light music)

Workmen anchored

Toby with ropes while

she pulled the

freight cars away.

Then she helped Toby to safety.

(suspenseful music)

"I'm sorry about the

cars," said Mavis.

"I can't think how you managed

to stop them in time."

"Oh, well," said Toby.

"My driver told me

about circus people

"who walk tightropes,

but I just didn't

fancy doing it myself."

Later, Sir Topham Hatt arrived.

"A very smart piece

of work," he said.

"Mavis you did

well, too, I hear."

"It was my fault about those

cars, sir," she faltered.

"But if I could--"

"Could what?"

"Come down the line

sometimes, sir?

Toby says he'll

show me what to do."

"Certainly," replied

Sir Topham Hatt.

"If your manager agrees."

And so it was arranged.

Now, Mavis is as happy as can be

and Sir Topham Hatt thinks

she's really useful indeed.

(upbeat music)