'Don't know. What's a ceiling?' said Masklin.

'That is,' said the nome, pointing up to a gloom. roof of girders and shadows. 'Oh, I haven't seen anything like that,' said Masklin. 'Outside it's blue or grey, with white things floating around in it.' 'And, and, the walls are such a long way off, and there's a sort of green carpet thing that grows on the ground?' said the nome, hopping from one foot to the other.

'Don't know,' said Masklin, even more mystified 'What's a carpet?' Wow!' The nome got a grip on himself and e tended a shaking hand. 'My name's Angalo,' he said. 'Angalo de Haberdasheri. Haha. Of course that won't mean anything to you! And this is Bobo.' The rat appeared to grin. Masklin had never heard a rat called anything, except perhaps, if you were driven to it, 'dinner'.

'I'm Masklin,' he said. 'Is it all right if the rest of us come down? It was a long journey.' 'Gosh, yes! All from Outside? My father'll never believe it!' 'I'm. sorry,' said Masklin. 'I don't understand. What's so special? We were outside. Now we're inside.' Angalo ignored him. He was staring at the oth­ers as they came stiffly down the line, grumbling.

'Old people, too!' said Angalo. 'And they look just like us! Not even pointy heads or anything!' 'Sauce!' said Granny Morkie. Angalo stopped grinning.

'Madam,' he said icily, 'do you know who you're talking to?' 'Someone who's not too old for a smacked bot­tom,' said Granny Morkie. 'If I looked just like you, my lad, I'd look a great deal better. Pointy heads, indeed!' Angalo's mouth opened and shut silently. Then he said: 'It's amazing! I mean, Dorcas said that even if there was a possibility of life outside the Store, it wouldn't be life as we know it! Please, please, all follow me.' They exchanged glances as Angalo scurried away towards the edge of the lorry nest, but followed him anyway. There wasn't much of an alternative.