Posted by Roger Wardale on May 17, 2011 at 08:22:36 user RogerW.
In Reply to: Re: Book Dedications posted by Rob Boden on May 16, 2011 at 05:20:58:
I suspect AR enjoyed setting riddles. The six in SA, to most readers at the time, would be the Swallows and Amazons, and readers would look no further, giving the book a touch of verisimilitude. Just one of those little details that gave rise to so much 'Are they real?' speculation.
The AR-Altounyan relationship was always a tricky one, ranging between uneasy peace and outright war. Being ambiguous, the number six would keep the Altounyans happy also.
Don't forget that Bridget was not a Swallow in SA, only being put on the ship's papers the following year.
The best source of the answer to 'who carried the slippers?' is AR's diary entry for 19th Jan 1929 'Ernest, Taqui, Titty).
I am afraid i cannot go along with the notion that Dora appeared in the book. Sorry.