The DaDa troupe settled as the train smoothly and speedily whooshed towards London. Mandy wanted just to get on the train, but Jack and Pimple had been hopping all morning, practising for hopping on the train and then arguing who had won the game of hopscotch they had been playing on the Frisian Tun street, while Mandy and Cecelia selected their outfits.
Jack had chalked his hopscotch grid on the pavement outside his house, much to the chagrin of the poncy middle class neighbours, except for the admiral who lived down the road, who wanted to join in, but had to wait his turn. He then showed his sailor boy temperamental nature, as the Ooh La Lovely girls were ready to go quicker than Jack had anticipated. To ameliorate the admiral’s sour puss, Jack loaned him his special flat stone, making
