That'll bring it to the end of November." "Just the very ticket; we must start then, I say." "But how about my wifle if we don't go home at Cwistmas ?" asked Braintree.
"Oh, bother! Couldn't you get it sent up somehow, or couldn't you fetch it next Monday ?--that's the term holiday, you know." "Hold hard," said Bowler, "I've got another plan for Monday.

You know we ought to get our hands in a bit before we start, and try and find out what we really want and all that sort of thing.

Now, my idea is for us to get the coastguard's boat for the day at Sound Bay (you know there's never any one there to look after it), and sail across to Long Stork Island, and knock about there for the day, just to see how we get on.
Of course, we shall have to come back before six; but we must make believe we've landed there for good, and see how we manage.

And, of course, if we get on there, we're bound to get on at New Swishford, for it's a far jollier place than the Long Stork." Bowler's proposition was hailed with acclamation.

His hearers were just in the humour to put their enthusiasm to the test, and the notion of a picnic on the Long Stork as a sort of full-dress rehearsal of the capture of New Swishford suited them exactly.
They proceeded immediately to discuss ways and means, and found that by putting their pocket-moneys together they could raise the very respectable sum of forty-one shillings.