Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-02

Right ho!" said. And meant It. MY
only desire IN life now was TO md the right
put on q raincoat and tucked another under
my arm, and was sallying forth when ran
into Jeeves.
"Jeeves." said. "I fear the worst Mr.. Fil-
mer Is missing. am about to scour the grounds
in search Of HIM"
At can save you the trouble, SIR Mr.. Filmer
Is on the island in the middle Of the lake"
In this rain?" Why doesn't the chunlp row
back?"
HE has no boat, sir"
Then how can he be on the island?"
HE rowed there, sir. But Master Thomas
rowed after him and set his boat adrift. He
was informing me Of the circumstances
moment ago. sir. It appears that Capt. Flint
was in the habit Of Narrowing people on
islands, and Master Thomas felt that he could
pursue no more tudicious course than to follow
his example"
1t was q time for action. Come with me.
Jeeves!"
VERY good, SIR"
buzzed for the boathouse.
The lake stood to the east Of the house, be-
yond the rose garden and covered several acres.
In the middle Of it was an island. In the mid
die Of the island was q building known as the
Octagon. As we drew nearer, striking . fast
clip with self at the oars and Jeeves handling
the tiller ropes, we heard cries Of gradually in
creasing volume; and presently, UP aloft, To-
Gated the Right Hon. He was In the middle Of
the Octagon seated on the roof and spouting
water like public fountain. It seemed to me
that even q cabinet minister ought to have
more sense than to stay out in the open like
that, when there were trees to shelter under.
made q neat landing.
Wait here, Jeeves."
Every good sir The head gardener was in
forming me this morning, sir that one of the
swans had recently nested on this island"
This Is time for natural-history gossip,
Jeeves" said, little severely.
pushed my way through the bushes. The
going was sticky but persevered and presently
came out In the open and found myself In .
sort Of clearing facing the Octagon.
The Right Hon., not having spotted the ar
rival Of the rescue party, was apparently trying
to make his voice carry across the waste Of
waters to the house; and I'm not saying it was
not a good sporting effort
Hi" shouted.
He poked his head over the edge.
"Hi!" he beloved, looking in every direction
but the right one, Of course.
Hi"
"Oh." he said, spotting me at last
lust then there was q Kissing noise IKE .
- tire bursting in nest Of cobras, and out
. Of the bushes to my left there popped some
. thing so large and white and active that. think
ing quicker than have ever done In my pun,
rose like rocketing pheasant. and before
knew what was doing had begun the climb
for life. Something slapped against the wan
about an inch below my right ankle and any
doubts may have had about remaining below
vanished.
Whoever built the octagon might have con-
sTucted it especially for this sort Of crisis. Its
walls had grooves at regular intervals, which
were just right for the hands and feet, and 1t
wasn't very long before was parked up on the
roof beside the Right Hon.. gazing down at one
Of the largest and shortest-tempered swans
had ever seen. It was standing below, stretch.
ing up o neck like hose pipe, Just where Q
bit Of brick, judiciously bunged, would catch II
amidships
bunged the brick and scored bull's-eye.
The swan extended another eight feet Of neck
and gave an imitation Of steam escaping from
Q leaky pipe. The rain continued to lash down
with what you might call indescribable fury,
and was sorry that IN the agitation INSOFAR
able from shining up q stone wall ut prac-
tically a seconds notice had dropped the RAIN
coat which had been bringing with me for
my fellow rooster.
How near did It come to getting you?"
asked
within an ace" replied my companion. II
had to make . very rapid spring."
The Right Hon. now turned TO another
aspect Of the matter. II cannot understand
how my boat, which fastened securely TO the
stump Of a willow tree can have drifted away"
Dashed mysterious"
II begin to suspect that 1t was deliberately
get loose by some mischievous person"
"Oh. say, no. hardly likely. that" This
wasn't the sort Of thing wanted his mind
dwelling on. so changed the subject. wet,
isn't it. what?" said.
at had already observed It," said the Right
Hon. in one Of those nasty, bitter voices
Chit-cl1at about the weather hadn't gone with
much of q bang, perceived. I had shot ct
bird life In the home counties.
"Rummy," said "how bad an eject family