The phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Yes, my name is Alexander Gromley, and I wondered if you would like a free demonstration of the new Sleepytime Freezer?"

"I don't know. I'll have to ask Mum!"

Ralph yelled and his mother switched the vacuum cleaner off.

"What?"

"There's a man on the phone who wants to show us a freezer. Do you want him to come round?"

"Might as well."

"Mum says you might as well."

"What time would you like me to call round?"

"Any time mis afternoon."

"Good. I'll see you then."

Ralph put the phone down and ran back to his drawing. Free demonstrations of freezers didn't interest him at all. He pushed his little sister away as she tried to scribble across his sheet of paper. The dog sat beside the couch, scratching, scratching, in a bedroom somewhere, one of the twins lay in his cot and cried like a fire-engine.

Later that day, after lunch, a van stopped at the gate and a man came up the path. He was dressed as perfectly as a Christmas cake, with his hair brushed back, his tie centered, his shoes like black metal, and his suit creased with a ruler.

"Good afternoon!" he said, when Ralph opened me door, "I rang earlier, about the Sleepytime Freezer. I've come to give you a free demonstration."

Mum told him to come in, but he hesitated.

"I'd rather bring the freezer in with me," he said, "It saves me a lot of back-tracking."

Mum told him he could go get his freezer so away he went, and he came back with a box with a handle, like a large suitcase. It didn't look much like a freezer to me.

"This is the latest in technology," said Mr. Gromley,