‘It’s Eskimo,’ said Rupert.
‘I know it is,’ said Charles.
‘I don’t believe you did,’ said Rupert, and Charles turned red and the girls looked at each other uncomfortably.
‘I didn’t say I did,’ Charles answered. ‘Not when I said it first. I meant I know now you’ve told me. It looked like Equismo in the books.’
This was disarming. Rupert could do no less than thump Charles on the back and say, ‘Sorry, old man’; and Caroline hastened to say, ‘What will you be, Rupert?’
‘Why, Rupert, of course. Prince Rupert. He invented Prince Rupert drops that are glass and crumble to powder if you look at them too hard. And he fought at Naseby—Rupert of the Rhine, you know. “For Charles, King of England, and Rupert of the Rhine!”’ he shouted.
‘Oh, I say,’ Charles urged, ‘do let me be Charles if you’re Rupert. It’s only fair.’
‘You can’t keep changing,’ said Rupert. ‘Besides, Charles had his head chopped off afterwards.’
‘Well, Rupert died too, if you come to that. You might, Rupert.’