Me: Why are the puppies pretending to be asleep?
Nell: They are on Listening Duty. Stop distracting them.
Me: Harriet is ever so good at it, isn’t she?
Nell: Yes. David tends to really fall asleep and wakes with a start.
Me: My darling Big Brave Beautiful Boy. He’s far too transparent to be a spy.
Nell: Well, he’s going to have to learn. He’s needed for Operation Hunter.
Me: Operation Hunter?
Nell: Yes. Joyce has put a team together.
Me: How did she choose?
Nell: Everyone was asked to reveal their Strengths and Weaknesses at Morning Thoughts.
Me: Dave can’t help eating things by mistake.
Nell: We are aware of David’s weaknesses. It was Henry’s strengths that surprised us all.
Me: Henry’s?
Nell: Yes. Apparently he speaks Welsh.
Me: Has The Hunter turned him?
Nell: No. He spent his formative years in Aberystwyth where Welsh was spoken.
Me: Formative years? Woodlice don’t live that long.
Nell: You know what I mean. Anyway, Henry is prepared to go undercover.
Me: Good for him.
Nell: Now, we know another zoom meeting is planned for this afternoon so Henry is going to sit in on it.
Me: But they all have screens, don’t they? So they can see who’s joining in?
Nell: Yes.
Me: Well, they won’t see Henry’s face on the screen. He’s far too small. He’ll never get a word in edgeways.
Nell: Henry isn’t logging in. He’ll be behind Sidney. Listening.
Me: That’s a terrible idea. Sidney’s already caught Henry in his web once.
Nell: Henry will be safe on David’s ear. David is going to pretend to be asleep.
Me: But Dave’s awful at pretending. It should be Harriet.
Nell: David is the only one able to hear what Henry says. Let him do this.
Me: Yes. Sorry.
