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Posco stared at Lily in distraction. He realized now he did not know how long he was to be staying in Bywater before he went home. A few days previous he had been rather hoping it would be soon, but as he looked at Lily now he felt queerly that he decidely would not like to go. She was eating her supper now and waiting patiently for his answer. He fumbled with his thoughts and at last said in a stumbling voice, "I... I don't know. I don't think we'll be staying too much longer, but for at least three days. You would have to ask Blanco."
Her eyes travelled the Common Room and rested on Blanco with a look of inquiry. It was not difficult to tell that he was Posco's twin brother, though he was considerably tidier than Posco was. Posco set his supper to one side and got to his feet, murmuring that he would ask. Lily smiled at him though she said nothing.
Blanco appeared slightly annoyed that he had been interrupted in his listening of Falco Boffin and his friends, but did not refuse to answer the question. "Why, we'll be leaving very soon, Posco." He paused a moment and reflected, mentally counting how many days they had already spent at their aunt's house and then beamed as he came to the conclusion. "Peony is coming tomorrow, and so we'll be leaving the day after the day after tomorrow, I reckon. Two days, Posco."
Posco returned to Lily and sat down again, shyly beginning to eat his own meal. "We're going to leave in two days," he said, and when she nodded as a confirmation that she had heard, he ventured to ask, "When will you go back home, Lily?"
Bingo had been sitting in companiable silence with Tobias, caring watchfully for Iadarion, since Twylight had left, but glancing in her direction he saw that she had been joined by a man of the Big Folk. She had embraced him and seemed in deep delight at seeing him. Bingo stood, calling out her name, and when her head turned to him he beckoned her towards him, smiling the smile that disconcerted Marcho so. "Miss Twylight, I do beg you to introduce us to your newfound companion, and to invite him to dine with us this supper."
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