What the Signalman Saw
The guardian of a lonely signalbox recounts a truly haunting experience.
1866
Queen Victoria 1837-1901
The guardian of a lonely signalbox recounts a truly haunting experience.
1866
Queen Victoria 1837-1901
While exploring the branch lines radiating out from Mugby Junction, a man has stumbled on a remote signal box near the mouth of a tunnel. ‘Halloa! Below there!’ he called to the signalman, waving his arms. The signalman’s distress was so remarkable that it required an explanation, and next day he gave it.
“ONE moonlight night,” said the man, “I was sitting here, when I heard a voice cry ‘Halloa! Below there!’ I started up, looked from that door, and saw this Some one else standing by the red light near the tunnel, waving as I just now showed you. The voice seemed hoarse with shouting, and it cried, ‘Look out! Look out!’ And then again ‘Halloa! Below there! Look out!’ I caught up my lamp, turned it on red, and ran towards the figure, calling, ‘What’s wrong? What has happened? Where?’ It stood just outside the blackness of the tunnel. I advanced so close upon it that I wondered at its keeping the sleeve across its eyes. I ran right up at it, and had my hand stretched out to pull the sleeve away, when it was gone.”
“Into the tunnel,” said I.
“No. I ran on, into the tunnel, five hundred yards. I stopped and held my lamp above my head, and saw the figures of the measured distance, and saw the wet stains stealing down the walls and trickling through the arch.”
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Where was mysterious figure seen by the signalman?