the spotless bicycle, chapter 2: an excellent concoction

by rhoda penmarq

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iphelia and her friends searched over a thirty meter radius of the swamp for the owner of the bicycle but found no one to claim it they decided to ride it to the fervid-st john house whose housekeeper, mrs crunch though surly and unapproachable made the best lemonade in the swamp iphelia politely enquired as to the secret of this excellent concoction but mrs crunch answered her questions with other questions a practice iphelia thought rather rude, but was too well bred herself to challenge in contrast to iphelia's own house, the wide verandah of the fervid-st john house was sparsely populated and they passed a pleasant afternoon watching the shadows pass over the yew trees colonel fervid-st john, the master of the house, lay upstairs, where he had been slowly expiring from his honourable wounds for many decades attended by his faithful companion, moseby as evening approached, a mischievous urglaut, who had been eyeing the bicycle from the shadows, stealthily approached and made off with it and rode into the depths of the dark swamp serenely indifferent to the cries of the zombies and crocodiles that assailed him from all sides iphelia, beaugard and charisse were left with no choice but to impose on the hospitality of colonel fervid-st john, and stay the night they enjoyed a sober but filling repast in the second dining room. followed by an even more sober game of whist. afterwards, beaugard and charisse were given the seldom used but meticulously maintained presidential suite, with its magnificent high ceilings iphelia was escorted to an abandoned maids room nestled under the wainscoting where she promptly bumped her head and passed the night with a head full of curious dreams chapter3: threatening skies