‘Excuse me….’

I am afraid I giggled hysterically in my relief.

This was not Brandon, as I had feared, but the tall lady in the fur coat whose toes I had trodden on at the barrier. She recognised me at the same moment and was about to speak when a voice from the corridor called, ‘Back here, Alice. I don't like to be too near the engine.’

Alice backed out, leaving the door open. As I turned back to continue my watch on the platform the guard's whistle shrilled and, within seconds, the train began to pull away from the crowded platform. I settled back in my seat, breathing more normally than I had for the past hour. In less than two hours I would be at Dover. I opened the notebook Stevens had given me.

‘Mind if I join you?’ This time there was no doubt in my mind. There stood Brandon.

So far in this adventure story you have been studying the use of joining words. This time, however, the story has reached too exciting a stage, and I am sure you are anxious to see how it will develop. Unfortunately, when the manuscript of this book was on its way to the printers, the package came open in the post, and, apart from what you have just read, all but the last page of this chapter was lost.

Will you continue this chapter from ‘There stood Brandon’? Remember, this is only one chapter of the story, not the last one by any means, so do not solve all the problems at once. Read through the previous instalments of this story (chapters 8, 9 and 12) to remind yourself of the facts. Now begin to plan your story. Here is the last page. There were only two sentences on it, as you will see.

These must be your last words—no alterations, please:

The damp mist swirled about my ankles as I stumbled away into the shelter of the hedge. For the moment, at least, I was safe from Brandon.