1.Description of the B&B: Dahl describes the B&B as a cozy, welcoming place. The imagery includes a “small wooden house,” “a red geranium in the window,” and a “brightly painted sign.” Billy infers that the place looks comfortable and friendly based on its appearance.
2.The Landlady’s Speed: Dahl emphasizes the speed at which the landlady answers the door. This suggests that she is quick and efficient in managing the B&B.
3.When to Be Suspicious: Billy should be suspicious when the landlady refuses to let him see the room before renting it. This raises concerns about what might be hidden. Similarly, you should also be suspicious if you’re not allowed to inspect a room beforehand, as it may hide hygiene or facility issues.
4.Empty Room Description: Dahl includes the text “No hats or coats in the hall. No umbrellas, no walking sticks—nothing.” This creates an empty, peculiar atmosphere, piquing the reader’s curiosity. While B&Bs typically lack personal items like hats or coats, in this context, it hints at something unusual or mysterious about the place
5.Two names in the guestbook in the living room hint at something going wrong: Christopher Mulholland and Gregory W. Temple. Because Billy realizes that he has heard these names before, this suggests a connection between the missing boy and his current situation.
6.As Billy remembers the connection between the two boys, the landlady's interruptions bring suspense and tension to the story. They disrupt Billy's thoughts and heighten the reader's curiosity about the landlady's true intentions.
7.From the text, the reader can infer that the two missing boys, Christopher Mulholland and Gregory W. Temple, may be in danger at the hands of the landlady. This inference is supported by the fact that their names appear in the guestbook, which suggests that they were also guests at the boarding house and likely met a similar fate to Billy.
8.Some evidence suggests that Billy may have been fatal:
The landlady's strange behaviour and odd remarks.
The poison in the tea, the landlady's penchant for taxidermy, and the way in which she referred to previous tenants as being "in good condition" suggest that she may have harmed her guests in the past.
Two names found in the guestbook suggest a pattern of the landlady's targeting of young men, suggesting that Billy may be in danger.