Mr Morgenstern

The house being nearly complete, Mr Boxe is delighted to show off the refurbished workroom to Mr Morgenstern, a dear friend of the family and also managing director of Morgenstern’s Peerless Pins, Limited.

“Of course,” says Mr Boxe, “Foxe and I will call on you to place an order for your finest pins and needles.”

“Within reason,” Miss Pond interjects.

“One cannot do first-rate work with third-rate tools,” says Mr Boxe.

“Quite true,” says Mr Morgenstern.

“And yet there is nothing wrong with practical economy,” says Miss Pond.

“Within reason,” says Mr Morgenstern. “Didn’t you once order a lot of factory seconds from Wiggle & Pyeweed, and then find they had not got any points?”

“In fact, yes,” says Mr Boxe.

“The needles had points,” says Miss Pond testily.

“But no eyes,” says Mr Boxe.

Mr Morgenstern tries very hard not to giggle.

“I am sorry, Miss Pond,” he says, “that your good intentions laid an egg.”

Miss Pond bristles. But for a duck to bristle at a hedgehog is, of course, pointless.