Benny and Dippy exchanged a puzzled glance; they weren't used to being welcomed on occasions like this.
"You are?" Benny asked suspiciously. "How come?"
"I need someone to help me. I can't get in the house, and I've got to use the telephone."
"Locked out?" Dippy asked politely. He proceeded warily to the veranda, waving Benny along behind him.
Toffee nodded. "Would you let me in, please?"
Dippy glanced uncertainly at Benny, and Benny nodded. He turned back to Toffee. "Delighted," he said. "Which door would you like opened?"
Toffee waved her hand at a long line of French windows. "Oh, any one of them," she said. "I don't care."
With a flourish, Dippy produced a small tool kit from the inner reaches of his jacket and went to work. In a moment the door was open.
"There you are," he said. "Bet you couldn't do it faster with a regular key."
"Thank you," Toffee said. "Were you just coming in?" she asked.