What conclusion does all this suggest to you,
Mr Chalmers?'
'We ought to get rid of the animal.'
'This very minute. But don't you bother to come. You must be tired
out, poor thing.'
'I never felt less tired,' said Bill stoutly.
Elizabeth looked at him in silence for a moment.
'You're rather splendid, you know, Mr Chalmers. You make a great
partner for an adventure of this kind. You're nice and solid.'
The outhouse lay in the neighbourhood of the hives, a gaunt,
wooden structure surrounded by bushes. Elizabeth glanced over her
shoulder as she drew the key from her pocket.
'You can't think how nervous I was this afternoon,' she said. 'I
thought every moment one of those newspaper men would look in
here. I--James! James! I thought I heard James in those bushes--I
kept heading them away. Once I thought it was all up.' She
unlocked the door. 'One of them was about a yard from the window,
just going to look in. Thank goodness, a bee stung him at the
psychological moment, and--Oh!'
'What's the matter?'
'Come and get a banana.'
They walked to the house. On the way Elizabeth stopped.
'Why, you haven't had any dinner either!' she said.
'Never mind me,' said Bill, 'I can wait. Let's get this thing
finished first.'
'You really are a sport, Mr Chalmers,' said Elizabeth gratefully.
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