Posted by John Wilson on June 13, 2004 at 04:02:49 from 202.154.157.202 user hugo.
In Reply to: Re: Terror of the Seas polite and well behaved? posted by Amie K on June 12, 2004 at 02:21:00:
In PP when Timothy or “Squashy Hat” as he is called then finds them looking at the tin of white paint he is using to mark the places where he found gosson or decomposed ore, John (who turns tomato red) is as embarrased as Susan, though Dick wants to ask him a question! They all resolve that night to keep out of his way. I think AR writes that John and Nancy were (nearly?) as native as Susan.
They do not believe in telling lies, though Nancy might be a bit disingenuous with the GA! When the D’s are taking the GA back to Beckfoot in Scarab, they are worried that the GA may ask them whether they know the Walkers, and obviously they do not think of telling a lie and saying “no” if she asks. In SA when Captain Flint thinks John has lied about the firework set off on the houseboat, he says that he was a bad lad in his youth but he never lied.
In WH, the Swallows & Amazons have promised not to go camping by themselves, so Peggy & the Swallows decide that they can’t sleep on the houseboat - but it is alright for the D’s to sleep on board as they have not made a promise. Even though the D’s are regarded as younger than Nancy, Peggy, John & Susan (though Dorothea thinks that Peggy cannot be much older than her - so Susan is older than Peggy?).
So they do not believe in lying or breaking promises, though they will try and get round them! And they are polite to natives!