Me: You are all still in bed. I thought we were going to Torquay.
Nell: We are. Later. Let us sleep, please.
Me: I can tell Dave doesn’t want to sleep. He’s got his long suffering face on. It’s just you three girls who are sluggabeds.
Nell: Sluggabeds? How dare you. David wasn’t up early this morning baking bread for everyone like Poppy was.
Me: He isn’t allowed in the kitchen at the moment, after the incident with the missing quiche.
Nell: He also wasn’t up late last night making badges like Harriet and I were.
Me: Badges?
Nell: Yes. Every animal needs a badge in case it gets lost. Name, address, telephone number and species.
Me: Species?
Nell: We don’t want Alejandro put in with the llamas, for instance. He’s an alpaca.
Me: What llamas?
Nell: You don’t know who is wandering around over there. Torquay is a very popular place.
Me: With llamas?
Nell: Stranger things have happened.
Me: True.
Nell: And Malcolm is a Lesser Flamingo. You can’t shove him in with the Highers.
Me: Shove him in where? What do you think is going on in Torquay?
Nell: I am simply covering all eventualities. Imagine Henry and Horst stuck with a group of beetles?
Me: I’d much rather not.
Nell: Quite. We just need a few more minutes to gather our thoughts.
Me: Talking of gathering, a large group of animals in hats and boots are gathering downstairs.
Nell: Good grief. We shall have to join them then. Could you help with the distribution of badges please?
Me: Of course.
Nell: The Cat has threaded them on to sequinned ribbons so they can be worn around the neck.
Me: Henry and Horst don’t have necks.
Nell: Theirs are stick ons. Do keep up.
Me: Yes. Sorry.
