Trees and Tunnels

"Wait until Rocky hears there's more to my forest than trees!"

- Henry

Trees and Tunnels is a magazine story. A shorter version of this story was published in 2010.

Plot
Leaves on the line make Henry's wheels slide as he puffs steadily through the forest with his log car. When Henry has to collect timber and take it to the sawmill, he rolls carefully onto a rarely used siding where the loggers have stacked up the timber beside the track for him. Henry has also brought Rocky with him to lift the timber onto the log car. Rocky isn't very impressed with being surrounded by only trees, but then Henry suddenly brakes hard. The jolt causes Rocky's crane arm to swing round and hit the pile of logs. Henry explains that he had to stop quickly to avoid hitting something on the tracks, but there's nothing there now and the driver is not happy with his engine for nearly derailing Rocky and the log car.

The driver climbs out of Henry's cab to retrieve his hat which had come off during the emergency stop. Next moment, he spots some little footprints close to the line. Henry's guards also go to have a look and they find some big holes going into the earth embankment, underneath the siding; an animal has been digging tunnels.

Henry returns to the Main Station and his crew tell the Fat Controller about the animals burrowing. He decides that the siding cannot be used until they find out what's going on. Soon, Henry returns to the forest with the Fat Controller and a forest ranger. The light starts to fade as Henry stands silently in the forest. Then, a stripy animal finally appears and comes out of a tunnel beneath the siding. It's a badger and two more follow out of the hole. The Fat Controller declares that the badgers must live in peace and closes the siding. Henry can't wait to tell Rocky that there are more than just trees in his forest.

Characters

 * Henry
 * Rocky
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Forest Ranger

Locations

 * Henry's Forest

Gallery
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