"Anyhow," said Charlotte, "_I'm_ not going to bed."

John smiled. A struggling, dejected smile.

"My dear child, I've told you they're not going to send us out first."

"I don't know--" said Gwinnie.

"I _do_ know. We shall be lucky if we get a look in when McClane's cars
break down."

"That's it. Have you seen their cars? I overhauled them this morning, in
the yard. They're nothing but old lorries, converted. And one of 'em's
got solid tyres."

"Well?"

"Well--You wait."

They waited. Even the McClane Corps had to wait.

* * * * *

"I don't care," said Charlotte, "how beastly they are to me, provided
they leave John alone."

"What can they do?" he said. "They don't matter."

"There's such a lot of them," said Gwinnie. "It's when they're all
together they're so poisonous."