That woman 's children look as if they had n't enjoyed a square meal since they were born ; and if that girl across from me has a mother , I 'd like to know what the woman means , letting her daughter go from home in this weather in clothes like that . '' Lucy Rose merely wondered uncomfortably what the others thought of Aunt Cyrilla 's basket . They expected to reach Pembroke that night , but as the day wore on the storm grew worse . Twice the train had to stop while the train hands dug it out . The third time it could not go on . It was dusk when the conductor came through the train , replying brusquely to the questions of the anxious passengers . `` A nice lookout for Christmas -- no , impossible to go on or back -- track blocked for miles -- what 's that , madam ? -- no , no station near -- woods for miles . We 're here for the night . These storms of late have played the mischief with everything . '' `` Oh , dear , '' groaned Lucy Rose . Aunt Cyrilla looked at her basket complacently . `` At any rate , we wo n't starve , '' she said . The pale , pretty girl seemed indifferent . The sealskin lady looked crosser than ever . The khaki boy said , `` Just my luck , '' and two of the children began to cry . Aunt Cyrilla took some apples and striped candy sticks from her basket and carried them to them . She lifted the oldest into her ample lap and soon had them all around her , laughing and contented . The rest of the travellers straggled over to the corner and drifted into conversation . The khaki boy said it was hard lines not to get home for Christmas , after all .
`` I was invalided XXXXX South Africa three months ago , and I 've been in the hospital at Netley ever since .
around as at from of on than through to with