Me: Please tell me you are all safe.
Nell: We are but it has been quite a day.
Me: What happened?
Nell: Well, I decided the best way to distract the corgis was afternoon tea on the ship. Poppy went ahead of us to make some Welsh cakes. Jonathan and I followed on later with the corgis. Mutley remained on the island with the last coracle to bring the puppies and the treasure back to the ship.
Me: How brave.
Nell: Yes, Mutley is fearless. We had tea on deck so we could see everything that was going on. I positioned the corgis with their backs to the island but they are anybody’s for a Welsh cake so I needn’t have worried.
Me: Quite.
Nell: The puppies arrived proudly dragging a heavy box. Harriet had attached it to David with rope. He is very strong but he was exhausted and had lost his hat.
Me: Good old Dave.
Nell: Suddenly The Cat burst through the undergrowth warning them that Captain Hiro and the others were on their way. It had hidden in the Captain’s rucksack. I must say I have to give it credit for resourcefulness.
Me: Yes. Impressive.
Nell: They were loading the treasure on to the coracle when Captain Hiro arrived. Mutley tried to stop him and a fight ensued but he managed to seize Harriet and held a cutlass to her throat.
Me: No!
Nell: I choked on my cucumber sandwich at that point. I mean Harriet has been through so much.
Me: She has.
Nell: Coleton Fishacre climbed on to David’s head and started picking fleas out of his fur which was both silly and annoying.
Me: Dave doesn’t have fleas.
Nell: I know. Captain Hiro started dragging Harriet towards the treasure when a voice boomed: “Stop!”
Me: Gosh! It must have been an awfully loud voice for you to hear it from the ship.
Nell: We didn’t hear it you fool, we guessed. Stop spoiling my flow. Anyway, it was Ken.
Me: Ken?
Nell: Yes. Ken fell hopelessly in love with Harriet the moment he first saw her and although he knew she was promised to another…
Me: Jim the farm dog.
Nell: Yes, do stop interrupting. Even though his love was unrequited he couldn’t see her suffer. So he threw Captain Hiro to the ground, picked up Coleton Fishacre by the tail and told them all to leave.
Me: How selfless.
Nell: Harriet hugged him and begged him to come with them but he said he would stay and make sure the others didn’t follow them. He was last seen waving her goodbye.
Me: Poor Ken. Anyway, what was in the treasure box?
Nell: I don’t know yet, do I? I’ve been on the phone to you. Stop talking so I can open it.
Me: Yes, sorry.
