Half way through the rehearsal, it dawned on Mongus that there must really be a problem. Floppy had not turned up and he would have surely rang her to let her know if he was unable to make the practice. She ended the rehearsal a little early after a rousing performance of an Abba selection that had been arranged for a neighbouring band that had kindly agreed to photostat the parts for us. This piece had understandably become a firm favourite of the band and was played at regular intervals so that it could be slotted into any performance that the band may be asked to give.

'There's something not right by here', Mongus observed as the last stand was packed away for the night.

'Well, even if that letter is genuine, there's no way we would be able to raise that kind of money.' Betty had spent every last penny at Waldi's a few days earlier.

'I have £4 but I really need to get some fags', Beeny clarified her personal situation. 'But there must be something we can do...'

'Perhaps this is why those intruders came into the bandroom last rehearsal? Let's go to the Scud and discuss it over a game of crib'. Mongus decided on a course of action that everyone agreed to - although there were some protests from one of the trio. Poor Beeny - she had still not mastered her four times table yet was expected to enjoy a card game that relied so much on numeracy.

Mongus won the first game, having received lots of points in all of her boxes thanks to the randomness of Beeny's play. Her phone rang - it was Caspero. She went to take the call in private and returned triumphantly some ten minutes later. 'Caspero is going to come down with the money and we're going to leave it just like the letter says and see what happens!' The excitement was plain to see on Mongus's face.

'Well, we'd better stay as well', Betty said.

'Oh!' wailed Beeny. 'I'm really tired and I have to get up early tomorrow'.

'Don't worry', Mongus said reassuringly. 'Caspero is already on his way!'