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"Complicated," said Barnaby A

"Diabolical," said Barnaby B

"Scary," said Jane

"Despicable," said Tie

The woman at the door handed Tim a card that said her naent "I'll be by in an hour with a prospective buyer," she told him, "and I know your parents have explained that you children ht while I show the house

"Reer "One hour froht"

"Oh dear," wailed Jane when he told them, "does that mean the coal bin? I just can't bear the coal bin!"

Tiht' She didn't say 'coal bin' specifically"

"If only we could make ourselves invisible," Barnaby A remarked

"Yes, we have a comic called Invisible Man!" his twin reminded him "If we could just do that!"

"I have a better idea, actually," Tie ourselves"

"What's that?" asked Jane "Does it hurt?"

"No, dodo It means we make ourselves blend in so that no one will notice us"

"We have toy soldiers in cae outfits!" Barnaby A remembered "The cat chewed them, so they're ruined now," he added sadly

"Quiet We don't have much time Five minutes have already passed" Tim looked at the other children carefully "A?" he said "You're easy because you're wearing the sweater today"

"Yes, it's Wednesday I alear the sweater on Wednesdays"

"Hold up your arms," Ti each arun at hi sweater sleeves flopped over his hands

"Good," said Ti his pose "Now pull the neck of the sweater up over your head," Tim said, and Barnaby A did so

"Excellent Relax for a ish wastebasket from Father's study and stand in it, in your pose"

Barnaby A did so They all looked at hied as a cactus Place yourself in a corner of the dining roo the prospective buyer, assume your pose Choose a place by a sunnyCacti prefer sun"

"What if someone tries to water me or test my prickers?" Barnaby A asked in aup a notice that says: STAY AWAY THIS HIGHLY POISONOUS CACTUS EMITS TOXIC FUMES"

"Might I be a cactus, too?" Jane asked, watching as Barnaby A, sweater sleeves dangling, went off to the dining room with his wastebasket

"No, dodo You will be a lamp Here Let me just look in this closet" Tim went to the hall closet and stood on tiptoe to find soh shelf "Good She left it behind Here you are, Jane" He opened a large hatbox and handed Jane their -to-church hat, which was dark brown straw in the shape of a bowl

"Kneel on that table there, beside the sofa," Tim directed his sister She climbed up and knelt on the table

"It hurts ht," he said "Squat And hunch"

Jane squatted and hunched

"Good Here's your lae hat onto her head It covered her face

"I can't see!" Jane said in a worried voice

"Las, assume that pose and hold very still while the prospective buyer cohtly and peered out "What if soht, Jane!"Ti of that possibility!

"And I givethe solution" He went to his father's desk, used a pen and paper, and returned to the table where Jane was still kneeling, with a note in his hand

THE ELECTRICITY IN THIS HOUSE IS DEFECTIVE AND MAY ELECTROCUTE YOU IF YOU TURN ON A LAMP, said the note that Tim had printed He placed it by Jane's feet "When they coh," he told her, "hold very still Don't let that shade wobble And make yourself as thin as possible"

"How much time do we have?" Barnaby B asked uneasily "I don't have a cae yet I wish it had been my day for the sweater"

"Don't be a art, B," Tim said "Come out here to the hall Stand there by the door and hold your ar overcoats, taken from the hall closet, over his arms "There," he said "You are a coat tree"

"Will people fling coats over ht sneeze--or suffocate," Barnaby B said

"No one will I will prepare a notice that says: THE FURNACE IN THIS HOUSE IS DEFECTIVE WEAR YOUR COAT DO NOT HANG UP YOUR COAT OR YOU WILL FREEZE"

"But my face shows," Barnaby B complained