"SHUT UP, Penny!" Jon yelled, and then back into the receiver, "So sorry, David! It's Penny hopping about here... Go on... Tell me again... How marvellous!... I don't see why we shouldn't... and your mother is writing, and so are you?... Grand!... Day after to-morrow?... Why not?... Sooner the better... SHUT UP, PENNY... How are the twins?... Good!... All right, David... We'll send a telegram to-morrow after Mother gets Mrs Morton's letter... See you soon... 'Bye."

When he put the receiver down and turned round Penny flew at him.

"You beast, Jon! Why are you so horrible to me? Why didn't you let me speak to him? What is it? What does he want? Why did he ring up? Don't stand there saying nothing, Jon. Answer me."

"How can I answer you when you never stop talking?"

Then he looked down at her, pretended not to notice the hurt look in her eyes, and pushed her gently into the room before him.

"What's all that, Jon?" his mother asked. "It sounds exciting."

John pulled his chair round to Penny's side of the table and sat down next to her.

"It is. That was David Morton, and they want us - Penny and me - to go up in a day or two and join them and their friends at some place in Shropshire for a holiday... I couldn't understand it all, for he sounded a long way off, but Mrs Morton has written to you."

Penny jumped up and hugged her aunt. "Say we can go. Don't hesitate - don't say but and if - don't worry, 'cos we'll be all right... PLEASE let us go, whatever it's all about!..."

Mrs Warrender disentangled herself.

"What did he say, Jon? Just tell me again."

Two mornings later Jon and Penny began their exciting journey from Rye station.

It was still dark as they stood on the platform waiting for the six-thirty morning train and Jon laughed down at his cousin.

"Thrilled, aren't you, Newpenny?"

"You know you're as excited as I am, Jon, only you just pretend not to show it... Here's the train... You bring the bags and I'll find a carriage."

"I wonder what this place Clun is like," said Jon, once they were comfortably settled in an empty compartment. "I like going to fresh places, don't you, Penny?"

He took David Morton's letter from his pocket, and although they had both read it several times already, they turned the pages again as the train roared along through the wintry dawn towards London.