They all got on a train and had to change somewhere. Somehow he became separated from his own group. He recognised John one of his neighbours a little older than himself and tagged along with him.
Eventually they arrived at Easterton in Wiltshire, and were
marched through the village. As they passed houses the occupiers, standing
at their gates chose children from the crocodile, sometimes one sometimes
two and that was then where they were to live. At the end of the village
all those who had not been chosen were billeted at the Vicarage. Mrs. McGrath,
a widow wishing to be called Graffie, picked Fred and his new friend John.