That night in the Parliament of Beds there was raised at last a question which you may well be surprised had not been raised before. Emily had just reduced her family to silence by sheer ferocity, when Harry’s rapid, nervous, lisping voice piped up:
“Emily, Emily may I ask you a question, please?”
“Go to sleep!”
There was a moment’s whispered confabulation.
“But it’s very important, please, and we all want to know.”
“What?”
“Are these people pirates?”
Emily sat bolt upright with astonishment.
“Of course not!”
Harry sounded rather crestfallen.