Toad leaned out of the train.
He looked down the tracks.
A train was speeding after them.
"Stop! Stop!" yelled the riders on the train.
"They look like policemen!" said the engineer.
The police waved their clubs angrily.
Toad fell on his knees.
"Save me!" he cried. "Save me!"
"What?" asked the engineer.
"I am not a washwoman!" cried Toad.
"I do not have children!
I am Mr. Toad!"
The engineer was angry.
"Why are they chasing you?" he asked.
Embarrassed, Toad looked at him.
"I escaped from jail," said Toad.
"Why were you in prison?" said the engineer.
"It wasn’t serious," said Toad.
"I just borrowed a car.
But everyone got so upset about it."
"I should let them arrest you," said the engineer.
"But I don’t like policemen.
And I hate to see someone cry."
The engineer added coal to the fire.
"That will speed us up!" he said.
But the other engine sped up too.
"What am I going to do?" cried Toad.
"You will have to jump," said the engineer.
"What?" asked Toad, afraid.
The engineer slowed the train.
"Here’s your chance," he shouted. "Jump!"
Toad closed his eyes and jumped.