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packed lunch that Mrs Knuttmegg had sent up to him in the dumb-waiter that morning. There were cheese sandwiches made on white bread – the most boring sandwiches in thewhole world as far as Jasper was concerned. Still, it could have been worse: at least they weren’t egg and onion. There were a couple of apples too and a flask of tea – no chocolate biscuits, in fact no treats at all.
    As he sat there glumly eating his dull lunch Jasper thought to himself, Things really aren’t working out for me here the way I’d planned. I have to work hard, the food’s rubbish and my room is nothing special. The cook’s mad, she doesn’t like me, and my boss is a lulu. Surely a smart chap like me can do far better than this. I should move on and try my luck again elsewhere.
    Just with that, he saw Mrs Haverford-Snuffley approach from the far side of the garden, with the little bat bouncing on the end of the feather.
    ‘Yoo-hoo! May I join you, Professor Orchid?’
    Jasper smiled insincerely. ‘Why of course, dear lady.’ Lulu-in-chief , he thought, as she trotted across the lawn towards him. Queen Lulu .
    As she drew near, he could see that she was carrying a baby fox in her arms and that one of its paws was bandaged up.
    ‘Look at this poor little soldier, Professor Orchid. I found him down by the shrubbery. He’s hurt his foot.’
    ‘How heartbreaking,’ said Jasper.
    ‘Yes, isn’t it?’ she said, not hearing the sarcasm in his voice. ‘But I’ve washed it and strapped it up for him.’
    ‘So now what are you going to do with him?’
    ‘I’ll keep him in the house and look after him until he’s well enough to go back into the wild.’ She had settled herself beside Jasper on the bench and she cuddled the small fox to her.
    ‘Do you know what my dream is, Professor? To open an animal sanctuary right here at Haverford-Snuffley Hall. I’d take in all kinds of creatures: pets, farm animals, wild animals, the lot. Pigs, kittens, hedgehogs, and our little foxy friends. Any animal in need of help or care ora new home would find a refuge here. It would be looked after until it was ready to be released back into the wild or to be settled with some kind people to begin a new life. I should like to help animals in this way more than anything else.’
    ‘So why don’t you do it?’ Jasper asked. Mrs Haverford-Snuffley gave a huge sigh.
    ‘Money, I’m afraid. It would take an absolute fortune. If I sold the house I could afford it, but then I would have nowhere to build the sanctuary. What I need is one single valuable thing that I could sell. For example, some years ago I had a very special painting and I was able to sell that to get the house fixed up. The place was in a dreadful state in those days, quite falling apart. So we got everything mended and improved and we also looked after my dear little batty-watty friends, didn’t we, possum? We did! We did! We made the bats comfy and snug!’
    Mrs Haverford-Snuffley stood up andstroked the fox between its pointed ears. ‘Yes, if only I had something of immense value to sell. It’s at times like this that I wish I knew where the Green Marvel was. Ah well, we can dream, can’t we? Anyway, I must stop chattering and let you get on with your work. Good afternoon, Professor Orchid!’

10 Mrs Haverford-Snuffley Explains
    At the words ‘the Green Marvel,’ Jasper almost fell off the bench.
    ‘What? Stop! No! Wait! Help!’
    Mrs Haverford-Snuffley, who had been walking away, turned back to him, her pale blue eyes full of astonishment. ‘What is it, Professor?’
    ‘It’s just – why, it’s nothing – it’s – I – you mentioned the Green Marvel,’ he stammered. ‘Won’t you tell me about it, please?’
    ‘Haven’t you heard of it already? I thought it was famous in Woodford. It’s certainly alegend here in Haverford-Snuffley Hall. Come with me and I’ll show you.’
    Still carrying the little fox in her arms she led Jasper across the lawns to the house