rthest corner of the field was the Bramhall
gate, which--But the Bramhall gate needn't interest us: _we_ leave
by the railings.

The noise of a footstep disturbing the gravel caused me to look
down. A boy, hatless, ran across to the wall and walked guiltily
beneath it till he reached the railings. The fairness of his hair
arrested my attention. And, while I was wondering what any boy might
be doing hatless in the rain, my friend Doe had grasped the
railings, pulled himself to their top, and dropped on to the
pavement beyond.

Now, my dear Watson, here was a case of exceptional interest. In all
the annals of criminal investigation I know of none that presented
possibilities more bizarre, none that called more urgently for the
subtlest qualities of the private detective. I rushed out of the
building, letting doors slam behind me. Quickly I reached the
railings, raised myself to the top, and glanced down the road in
time to see Doe join the lank and sinister figure of Freedham at the
corner.

But alas! just over the road was Bramhall House, Fillet's own
kingdom, and even at that moment I saw a bald head emerge from its
central doorway. A feeling that was partly terror and partly temper
manacled me to the top of the railings; and after a few tense
seconds I was gazing fascinated into a little bearded face which was
staring with interest up at me. It was Carpet Slippers, and he may
be said to have been round a corner.

"Oh, dash!" I muttered. And then, as I stared down at him, thinking
it right that he, by virtue of his seniority, should open the
conversation, I gradually began to feel better, for I remembered
that it was War.

"Hallo, Ray," said Fillet, "what may you be d-d-doing up there?"

"Climbing over, sir." (Indeed, what more obvious?)

"Oh, you-you are climbing over, are you?"

"Yes, sir."

"Oh, indeed."

When I saw that he was trifling with me, I determined that he should
know it was War. Defiantly I answered:

"Yes, sir. Climbing over. YES, SIR. *YES, SIR*."

Fillet went white, but he only sucked in his breath and said:

"Oh, indeed. And d-d-do you contemplate coming down?"

I borrowed a favourite word of Penny's. "Ultimately, sir."

"Ah! you do, do you? Well, wh-when you 'ultimately' come down, you
will go straight to my study."

"Delighted, sir." The blood rushed to my face as I realised my own
impudence, but I was glad that I had said it.

Fillet went his way, and I came down from my rail