Helen packed a small suitcase, said goodbye to her mother and hurried out of the house to catch the bus to the station. There was no one waiting at the bus stop, so it looked as if a bus had just left. Helen looked at her watch anxiously, it was already two O'clock. Her train left at two-thirty; and since it would take at least twenty minutes to reach the station, she did not had much time to spare, even if a bus came along at once. Just then a taxi came slowly down the road. Helen knew that the fare to the station was at least two pounds, which was more than she could afford; but she quickly made up her mind that it would be well worth the extra expense in order to be sure of catching the train.