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"Excuse me?" said the conductor

"It isn’t a real bird, conductor sir We’d never drea the rules like that It’s my sister’s favorite toy, you see, and she thinks you mean to take it away fro "You wouldn’t take away a child’s favorite toy, would you?"

The conductor studied Bronwyn doubtfully "She looks too old for toys, wouldn’t you say?"

Emma leaned in and whispered, "She’s a bit delayed, you see …"

Bronwyn frowned at this but had no choice but to play along The conductor stepped toward her "Let’s see this toy, then"

Moment of truth We held our breath as Bronwyn opened her coat, reached inside, and sloithdrew Miss Peregrine When I saw the bird, I thought for one terrible one completely stiff, and lay in Bronwyn’s hand with her eyes closed and legs sticking out rigidly Then I realized she was just playing along

"See?" Bronwyn said "Birdy ain’t real She’s stuffed"

"I saw itearlier!" the conductor said

"It’s a--ehm--a wind-up model," said Bronwyn "Watch"

Bronwyn knelt down and set Miss Peregrine on the ground on her side, then reached under her wing and pretended to wind sorine’s eyes flew open and she began to toddle around, her head swiveling -loaded Finally she jerked to a stop and toppled over, stiff as a board Truly an Oscar-worthy performance

The conductor seemed almost--but not quite--convinced

"Well," he he it away in your toy chest" He nodded at the trunk, which Bronwyn had set down on the platform

Bronwyn hesitated "It isn’t a--"

"Yes, fine, that’s no bother," said E open the trunk’s latches "Put it away now, sister!"

"But what if there’s no air in there?" Bronwyn hissed at Emma

"Then we’ll poke some blessed holes in the side of it!" Erine and set her gently inside the trunk "Ever so sorry,the lid

The conductor finally took our tickets "First class!" he said, surprised "Your car’s all the way down front" He pointed to the far end of the platform "You’d best hurry!"