“It’s the answer,” said Roger. “It’s Yes, and it’s Yes for me too, if I obey orders, and you and Susan take me. And if it’s Yes for me it must be Yes for Titty.”
John took the telegram. Titty scrambled up and came, running. Susan held the knife with the marmalade on it over the bread so as not to lose any, but stopped spreading. John opened the envelope, and took out the white paper.
“Read it aloud,” said Susan.
John read:
Better drowned than duffers if not duffers wont drown.
“Hurrah for daddy!” he shouted.
“What does it mean?” asked Susan.
“It means Yes,” said Titty.
“It means that daddy thinks we shall none of us get drowned and that if any of us do get drowned it’s a good riddance,” said John.
“But what are duffers if not duffers?” asked Susan.
“It doesn’t say that,” said Titty. “It says that if we were duffers we might as well be drowned. Then it stops and starts again, and says that as we aren’t duffers …”
“If,” said John.
“If we aren’t duffers we shan’t be drowned.”
“Daddy put that in to comfort mother,” said Susan. She went on spreading the marmalade.