day fifty-two and the spy's identity is revealed

"Tell me the beetroot soup recipe!" demanded the spy.

"I can tell you how to make burnt toast, if you like?" said Ron.

"Beetroot soup!" shouted the spy agitatedly.

"O.K!" said Ron, eyeing the harpoon-gun the spy was waving around carelessly as she took out a notebook and pencil.

"First, peel the potatoes," began Ron, trying to remember what he had read in Benny's recipe book.

"You mean beetroot!" said the spy.

"Yes, beetroot," said Ron.

"How do you spell "beetroot"?" asked the spy.

"B-e-e-t-r-o-o-t" spelt Ron.

"Then what?" said the spy.

"Then chop the potatoes... I mean beetroot."

"Good."

"Next, put the po... beetroot in a pot of boiling water, and.."

"How do you spell "boiling water"?" asked the spy.

"B-o-i-l-i... Hey, wait a minute! I know you! You're the one who was taking notes in the courtroom!" said Ron.

"No, I'm not!" said the spy.

"Yes, you are! You're the stenographer. You kept asking how to spell everything!"

"I'm not! I'm a spy!" said the spy. "How do you spell "stenographer"?" 

Ron jumped forward and tried to grab the harpoon-gun, but the spy/stenographer wouldn't let go and they rolled around the floor of the Soup Shack, crashing into tables and chairs. Then they rolled out onto the ledge and started to get covered in snow and before long they were both embedded in a giant snowball. The snowball rolled to the edge of the ledge and.... fell off.

© David Severn 2012