well, it's a pump.

Exactly. Couldn't have put it better myself.

I suppose I shall have to go back and re-read the relevant bits if I'm to say anything intelligent about what either Peter or Bunter is thinking. The trouble is, I really don't like BH. However, combing through it looking for examples of "these attached people" being "rather difficult" shoud be an antidote to all that saccharine, at least.