28 The Course, the Camp, the Chase 



take it to Henley, there was a great reaction in his favour 

 throughout the School, which culminated with the first 

 victory for the Ladies' Plate at Henley Eegatta. By the 

 way, on one occasion when returning from Henley, an 

 accident occurred to the train that might very easily have 

 been a most serious one. We were approaching Twyford 

 Junction, and, having an idea that we were to change 

 there, and the pace appearing very great considering how 

 close we were to the station, I got up and looked out of 

 the window. It was a fortunate move, for there was just 

 time to see that we were going straight into the station- 

 master's house, and to call out to the others in the 

 compartment to be prepared for the shock. Fortunately 

 an empty horse-box took the edge off the speed of the 

 engine, but the latter was still able to break the powerful 

 buffers of the permanent "stops," and then to crash through 

 the wall of the house, where it lay on its side, having 

 fallen through the floor. There it lay puffing, panting, 

 and steaming, with the big wheels going futilely round, 

 while the enginemen in vain tried to get at the machinery 

 to arrest the action, which seemed as if it would go on for 

 ever. The horse-box had been reduced to small splinters, 

 the buffers of the carriages in the forepart of the train 

 were broken, and some of the occupants were badly hurt. 

 None, however, of those in our carriage were injured, 

 though all who were sitting with their backs to the 

 engine were violently thrown into the laps of those sitting 

 opposite, in spite of having been well prepared for the 

 coming crash. The cause of the accident was stated to be 

 that the engine-driver mistook his orders, and thought 

 that he was to run through the station, as he had done on 

 the down journey, instead of going into the siding. He 



