POLICEMAN. Proceed.
BODIE. The only other relatives she seems to have mentioned are two sisters of unprepossessing appearance.
POLICEMAN (cleverly). If this story is correct, what is she doing here?
BODIE. I understand there is something about her father having married again, and her being badly treated. She doesn’t expect this to last. It seems that she has reason to believe that some very remarkable change may take place in her circumstances at an early date, at a ball for which her godmother is to get her what she calls an invite. This is evidently to be a very swagger function at which something momentous is to occur, the culminating moment being at midnight.
POLICEMAN (writing). Godmother. Invite. Twelve P.M. Fishy! Tell me about them boards now.
BODIE (who is evidently fond of the child). You can’t think how wistful she is to get hold of boards. She has them on the brain. Carries them off herself into the unknown.
POLICEMAN. I daresay she breaks them up for firewood.
BODIE. No; she makes them into large boxes.
POLICEMAN (sagaciously). Very likely to keep things in.
BODIE. She has admitted that she keeps things in them. But what things? Ask her that, and her mouth shuts like a trap.