The twins were five years younger than Biff. Their ambition was sometime, someday to travel “a-lone,” as they emphatically put it. They listened goggle-eyed to tales of the adventures Biff and his father or Biff and Uncle Charlie had shared. On several occasions the twins had gone with their parents and brother to the romantic places where these adventures had taken place. Mrs. Brewster, always present when the twins were voyaging, had taken great care to see that her two youngest were not exposed to the dangers that had accompanied Biff’s far-away adventures. Ted and Monica could hardly wait until they were old enough to take part in them themselves.
“It’s for you this time, Biff,” Ted said. Excitement shone on his young face. His eyes sparkled.
“I’ll wager I can tell you who it’s from,” Mr. Brewster said, smiling.
“Uncle Charlie! Uncle Charlie!” Monica pealed, like a gay bell.
Biff ripped open the envelope. The room became silent.
“It’s from Uncle Charlie all right,” Biff said. Then he read: “YOUR PASSAGE BOOKED SOUTHERN AIRLINES FLIGHT ONE TWO NINE TO MIAMI SUNDAY MARCH TWELVE. RE-PLANE MIAMI FOR CURAÇAO CARIB AIRWAYS FLIGHT TWO NINE SIX. BE SEEING YOU. LOVE TO ALL.”
Biff handed the cablegram to his father and looked at his mother.
“I must say my brother takes things pretty much for granted,” Mrs. Brewster said, laughing.
“That’s Charlie for you,” Tom Brewster said. “When he goes into action, he moves fast.”
“He surely does, Dad, whether it’s against Chinese bandits or sending cablegrams,” Biff agreed.