fat, lazy, and very spoiled. He seems to rely on his telly, his computer games and his remote control cars. They also meet the household servant, a boy named Ben who was raised by Nanny Brown. Ben is the exact opposite of Raymond and immediately feels comfortable with the group and befriends Odge. The group begins to observe Raymond and after some time arranges for him to meet them in the park where they arrange for various magical creatures to perform a show for him. Though Raymond is unimpressed by the magical performance, he is delighted to discover that he is really a prince and agrees to return to the Island. Odge tries to convince Ben to come to the Island as well, but he refuses as Nanny is very ill and in the hospital. Raymond mysteriously vanishes the next day however, and the group discovers that he told Mrs. Trottle of the plan. Believing that strangers intended to kidnap her child, she took him into hiding at a fancy hotel with several bodyguards. The group hatch a plan to take Raymond back, but everything falls apart when Ben is knocked out and nearly killed by one of the bodyguards. Given the choice of taking Raymond or rescuing Ben, the group chooses to save Ben. Raymond is abducted later by a swarm of harpies that the king and queen send and is successfully brought to the Island. Meanwhile, Nanny Brown has died and left behind a letter, in which she reveals Ben's true identity as the stolen baby, with Raymond actually having been born to Mrs. Trottle in Switzerland. Ben arrives through the gump with Odge shortly after Raymond and is instantly recognized by his parents and hailed as a prince. Raymond is hastily sent back through the gump and returned home. References 1994 British novels 1994 children's books British children's novels Children's fantasy novels Novels by Eva Ibbotson