* The Baudelaires are on a train to a mysterious new school. This school, Prufrock Preparatory School, is supposed to be a refuge for orphans, but the children are suspicious of it and of its headmaster, Mr. Remora.
* They are forced to leave the train unexpectedly. They are thrown off the train when it is derailed by an unexpected train crash. This crash is orchestrated by Count Olaf, who is disguised as a train conductor.
* They are kidnapped by Count Olaf. Olaf, disguised as a train conductor, has been waiting for them and kidnaps them.
* They escape. They manage to escape from Olaf with the help of a mysterious woman, who is also on the train. She helps them by distracting Count Olaf and giving them a bag of money. She then warns them to "watch the window."
The end leaves the Baudelaires in a new and dangerous situation. They are again on their own, with no information about their parents or the identity of the mysterious woman who helped them. The series continues with the next book, *The Miserable Mill*.