The Missing Hens!

"It was lucky we left this truck here." "Eggsactly!"

- The Driver and Thomas

The Missing Hens! is a magazine story.

Plot
Thomas is pulling trucks of grain for the miller who lives at the windmill near Dryaw. Thomas is good friends with the stationmaster of Dryaw and his wife. One day, the trucks are being troublesome and a sack of grain splits open. Thomas is worried what the Fat Controller will say when he finds out about his damaged load. The stationmaster kindly agrees to help Thomas.

Thomas leaves the truck in the siding close by so that the stationmaster can sweep out the truck before Thomas collects it in the morning. Next morning, the stationmaster and his wife are worried; their hens have gone missing. In all the confusion, the stationmaster had forgotten to sweep the truck out. When he opens the truck's door, he finds the hens inside. They had been eating the spilt grain and had laid several eggs. The stationmaster gives Thomas' crew some eggs and everyone is happy again.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Thomas' Driver
 * Sir Topham Hatt