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A compass fit for a Queen


'Oh, that's nice,' mooed Norma, 'you've put an extra Not North on it!'

'I thought she deserved it,' replied Bertha.

'It'll annoy Captain Bill,' added Norma.

'I thought he deserved it,' replied Bertha.

'Mmm,' said Norma, 'well so much for my efforts to keep the peace.'

'I just like to give him something to keep him occupied,' explained Bertha. 'He'd get bored otherwise.'

'Really?' said Norma.

'I like to think so,' replied Bertha.

'Hmm,' said Norma. 'So do you think Queen Phoebe will understand how to use it?'

'About as well as our brave captain does,' replied Bertha.

'Norma was just about to make an observation about Captain Bill's bravery when she was distracted by the unexpected arrival of Horace.

'Hello!' he said.

'Afternoon,' said Norma and Bertha.

'Shouldn't you...shouldn't you be steering?' said Norma.

'Well...possibly,' replied Horace, 'it all depends on your point of view.'

'My point of view is that you probably should be,' said Norma.

'It's just that Queen Phoebe would like the ship to go faster,' replied Horace, 'so I said I'd come and ask you about how to do it.'

'So who is steering?' asked Norma. 'Please say it's Geraldine.'

'It's Queen Phoebe,' replied Horace, 'we've rigged up a sort of thingy to help her.'

And Norma and Bertha exchanged glances.

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