"We three older ones will be proper detectives," said Larry, his eyes shining. "Pip, Daisy and me - the Three Great Detectives!"
"Can't I belong?" said the fat boy at once. "I've got plenty of brains."
The others looked at him doubtfully. His brains didn't show in his face, anyway.
"Well, we don't know you," said Larry. "My name is Frederick Algernon Trotteville," said the boy. "What are your names?"
"Mine is Laurence Daykin," said Larry, "and I'm thirteen."
"Mine's Margaret Daykin, and I'm twelve/' said Daisy.
"I'm Philip Hilton, aged twelve, and this is Elizabeth, my baby-sister," said Pip.
The boy stared at them. "You're none of you called by your names, are you?" he said. "Larry for Laurence, Pip for Philip, Daisy for Margaret and Bets for Elizabeth. I'm always called Frederick."
For some reason this seemed funny to the others. The boy spoke in a drawling, affected kind of voice, and somehow the name of Frederick Algernon Trotteville just seemed to suit him.
"F for Frederick, A for Algernon, T for Trotteville," said Pip suddenly, with a grin. "F-A-T; it describes you rather well!"