"I, I, I..." gasped the plumber.

"I think you'd better go!" said Mum, "And please don't come back!"

The plumber gathered his tools and fled.

"I don't know what's going on round here," said Mum, "But it makes a nice change when people tell the truth."

I slipped the loose seal back into its socket and shoved the washing-machine back into place. Gena helped me.

"I can't wait till Monday" she said.

"Why?"

"Because its school on Monday" said Gena, "I'll be able to try this stuff out on some of my friends!"

And that is exactly what she did.

The first ''victim' was Russel. He turned up late to class, as usual, and slumped down into his seat about five minutes before the bell went. The teacher, Mrs Adrienne, was not pleased.

"Come here Russel," she said.

Russel dragged himself to his feet and slouched towards her. As he passed Gena's desk she flicked a drop of truth onto his leg.

"Why are you late?" asked Mrs Adrienne.

"I slept in," said Russel, looking surprised, "No! I didn't mean to say that! I was going to give you this note!"

Mrs Adrienne took the neatly folded sheet of paper and started to read it.

"See that signature," said Russel, "Well, its a fake. I can copy Mum and Dad's signatures real easy!"

"You mean this note wasn't written by your father?"

"That's right," said Russel, "I wanted to miss your class today because I'm hopeless at Math, and I didn't want anyone to find out!"

"If you'd told me that earlier," said Mrs Adrienne, "I would have given you special attention."

"I didn't want everyone laughing at me, and saying I