Love Among the Chickens

can be found in the island, and the train, asif in appreciation of this fact, does no

are left on the platform, and later, when hethinks of it, a carrier looks in and conveys t

e Regis is not a place

oking through woods to the sea. The place was visible fromthe station, from w

field, Ukridge explaining that thiswas a short cut. We climbed through a hedge, crossed a stream andano

pince-nez to theiroriginal position from which t

he back way. Savestime. Tired, Millie?""A little, d

ename of Beale and his wife are in charge at present. I wrote to th

o things, Garny old h

this time. Ukridge rang the bell. Thenoise echoed thr

ote of a bell in an emptyhouse. It was plain

what?"

ed at her husband w

be something to drink, and we'd just got the door openwhen the owner turned up from behind a tree with a shot-gun. It was alittle difficult to explain. As a matter of fact, we never did whatyou might call really thresh the matter out thoroughly in all itsaspects, and you'd be su

onging to a man I employ, to keep me out of my own house? It's alittle hard. Here am I, slaving day and night to support Beale, andwhen

ason with the brute."He put his mouth to th

eavy object hurled itself againstit.

hen window."The kitchen window proved to be insecurely latched. Ukridge threw itopen and we climbed in. The

ened with grow

r himlimb from limb. Deserting us like this! The man must be a thoroughfraud. He told me he was an old soldier. If that's the sort ofd

at you've got there, Garnyold horse? Tea? Goo

lyleaving her post on the day when her master and mistress were expectedback? The abandoned woman. Look here, I'll give that dog three

dy else's beastly dog scratching holes in the doorsand ruining the expensive paint. S

s gleamed behin

ge jug, laddie," he s

llery, whence came a sound of running water. He returnedcarrying the jug with bot

."I attached myself to the handle as directed. Ukridge gave the word. Wehad a momentary vision of an excited dog of the mongrel class framedin the open doorway, all eye

source, Garny my boy. Some men would have gone on letting a gooddo

Ukridge announced that

a Ukridge became t

all eagerness and anxiety,waiting to start an up-to-date chicken farm, and no fowls! I can't runa chicken farm wi

about there till we're ready for them. There's always a way ofdoing things if you look for it. Organisation, my boy. That's thewatchword. Quiet efficiency.""I hope you are going to let the hens hatch some of the eggs, dear,"said Mrs. Ukridge. "I should love to have some little chickens.""Of course. By all means. My idea," said Ukridge, "was this. Thesepeople will send us fifty fowls of sorts. That means--call

droppedher tea-cup. At the window, with a double-barrelled gun in his hands,stood a short, square, red-headed man.

a roar like that

? What have you been doing? Whydid you shout like that? Look what you've made me do."He pointed to the floo

r, is that you?" said t

r side of the kitchen door, followed by arenewal of the s

s Bob,"

brief chat with you, laddie, ifyou can spare the time and have no other engagements."Mr. Beale, having carefully deposited the gun against the wall anddropped a pair of ve

"I've one ortwo little things to say to you."Mr. Beale gr

myself sitting in a deck-chair on thelawn, smoking and looking through the trees at the harbour below. Itwas a spot, I felt, in which it would be an easy and a ple

eale," said Ukridge, as

hired man looked thoughtful for a momen

. You knew I was coming this evening.""No, sir.""What!""No, sir.""Beale," said Ukridge with studied calm, the strong man repressinghimself. "One of us two is a fool.""Yes, sir.""Let us sift this matter to the bottom. You got my letter?""No, sir.""My letter saying that I should arrive to-day. You didn't get it?""No, sir.""Now, look he

ve been a mistake.""Yes, sir.""You are not so much t

to pieces. Where's yourgun, Beale?"But better counsels prevailed, and the proceedings closed with a coldbut ple