3
　　Two letters – and a plan
　　The next day Philip had a letter from Dinah. He showed it to the others.
　　‘Old Dinah’s having a rough time,’ he said. ‘It’s a good thing I leave heresoon. It’s better for her when I’m there.’
　　Dear Phil [said Dinah in her letter],
　　Aren’t you ever coming back? Not that you’re much good for anythingexcept quarrelling with, but still it’s pretty lonely here with nobody butUncle and Aunt and Joe, who’s even more strange than before. He told meyesterday not to go out at night down the cliff, because there are ‘things’
　　wandering about. He’s quite mad. The only ‘things’ wandering aboutbesides me are the sea-birds. There are thousands of them here this year.
　　Don’t, for goodness’ sake, bring any creatures home these holidays. Youknow how I hate them. I shall die if you bring a bat again, and if you dare totry and train earwigs like you did last year, I’ll throw a chair at your head!
　　Aunt Polly is making me work awfully¹ hard. We wash and scrub andclean all day, goodness knows what for, because nobody ever comes. I shallbe glad when it’s time to go off to school again. When do you come back? Iwish we could earn some money somehow. Aunt Polly is worrying herselfto death because she can’t pay some bill or other, and Uncle swears hehasn’t got the money, and wouldn’t give it to her if he had. I supposeMother would send more money if we asked her, but it’s pretty awful tohave her slaving away as she does, anyhow. Tell me more about Frecklesand Lucy-Ann. I like the sound of them.
　　Your loving sister,
　　Dinah
　　Dinah sounded rather fun, Jack² thought, as he read the letter and gave itback to Philip. ‘Here you are, Tufty,’ he said. ‘Dinah sounds lonely. Hallo –there’s Mr Roy beckoning³ me. I’ll see what he wants. More work, Isuppose.’
　　By the same post had come a letter for Mr Roy, from the housekeeperwho looked after Jack’s Uncle Geoffrey. It was short and to the point.
　　Mr Roy had read it with dismay, and then called Jack in to show him theletter. Jack read it, also filled with dismay.
　　Dear Mr Roy [said the letter],
　　Mr Trent has broken his leg, and he doesn’t want the children back theseholidays. He wants to know if you will keep them with you, and he sends acheque to cover the rest of the time. They can come back two days beforeschool begins, to help me to sort out their clothes.

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