Nell: I know the plan. Can you be trusted not to talk?
Me: Of course I can. What is Dave doing to Poppy?
Nell: Practising his technique. It’s all about Whispering.
Me: Whispering?
Nell: Yes. David obviously isn’t going to be on the Whispering Team but he is getting into the spirit of it all.
Me: Whispering Team?
Nell: Now, Henry and Horst will be running Whispering Workshops from here in conjunction with Lesley the Lizard.
Me: Goodness me.
Nell: So don’t be alarmed if a large number of insects come and go.
Me: Not spiders?
Nell: Yes, but probably not the big hairy ones.
Me: Not lizards?
Nell: Small ones, perhaps.
Me: Why?
Nell: Knitwear Wolf is going into business with the Beefies.
Me: That’s a dreadful idea.
Nell: He proved his badness by secretly shearing Bert the Sheep and stealing his wool and now the Beefies are keen to work with him.
Me: Doing what?
Nell: Supplying their troops with knitted hats and scarves, of course. Do keep up.
Me: So the Beefies and The horrible Black Claw will be wearing Knitwear Wolf and The Cat’s autumn collection?
Nell: Not all of it. Cardigans and jumpsuits aren’t really the thing for birds, but a warm cloak perhaps and socks.
Me: So the plan to defeat them is by keeping them warm?
Nell: No. What they don’t know is everything will be bugged.
Me: Bugged? With listening devices?
Nell: Yes. Live ones. Small insects will hide in them.
Me: How disgusting.
Nell: The exciting thing about our plan is that our bugs work both ways.
Me: Now, I’m confused.
Nell: They don’t only listen. They whisper.
Me: Ah, they whisper. How clever.
Nell: You have no idea what’s going on, do you?
Me: No. I haven’t a clue. Sorry.
