At Lloyd's Bank, where buy your side for the year ahead with the Silver Current account.

You can get European family travel insurance, mobile phone insurance,

and AA breakdown family cover all in one place for only £10 a month.

Find out more at Lloyd'sBank.com-forward-slash-silver-account.

Lloyd's Bank, buy your side.

There is a £10 monthly fee for maintaining the account

and benefits are provided by selected third parties, exclusion supply.

Chapter 5

Midnight by the Slapperton clocks

The clouds in the sky kept their promise,

and as the clocks chime the quarter before 12, the storm broke over the steeples at Slapperton.

Blue lightning flashes lit up blind Peter, an attendant thunder claps,

shook him to his very foundation.

While a violent shower of rain gave him such a washing down of every flagstone,

chimney pot, and doorstop as he did not often get.

Slapperton in bed was almost afraid to go to sleep,

and Slapperton not in bed did not seem to care about going to bed.

Slapperton at supper was nervous as to handling of glittering knives and steel forks,

and Slapperton going to windows to look out at the lightning

was apt to withdraw hurriedly at the sight thereof.

Slapperton in general was depressed by the storm,

thought there would be mischief somewhere,

...