Trouble on walks, Trouble in the mansion

Every time the "swamis" went out, they thought they were seeing Spotty.

"That's him!" said Krackaswami, who had always had a fear of gorillas. "Capture him, Bal."



"What? Why me?" asked Balanandaswami.

They walked on a bit.

"Now that is DEFINITELY him. No question about it. Look at the eyes. He is trying to look easy to catch, and sweet, to trick us. When we get near, he will turn back into that gorilla," said Jagaswami, pleased with his own deep thinking.



"No, no, that was just a fawn. But THIS is really him. He is trying to terrify us! Rope 'em, Cracks. We can't let his get the upper hand like this."



"I know nothing of roping! I am an intellectual. YOU rope him."

All their walks went like this.

By the time they got back from even the shortest stroll, they were at each other's throats and quite worn out from the stress of encountering Spotty at every turn.

Balanandaswami always required a long hot soak to recover.



"Bring me a cold drink!" he always shouted.

"What?!" Krackaswami would shout back at the top of his lungs, freshly amazed and afronted each time. "Come make ME a new pot of coffee! This one has cooled off. And go down to the cellar and see if you can find me another box of these tasty biscuits."

Jagaswami wondered how the other two could shout at such length without getting sore throats.

"You can only receive my grace of you bring me gifts!" Krackaswami ranted on. "I am doing you a favour, allowing you to bring me things. Now bring me those cookies NOW!!!"



Upstairs, Balanandaswami thrashed in the water in exasperation, letting gallons slosh over the sides of the tub.



Krackasami, fuming on his back on the couch, was startled by a small shower of damp plaster that hit him in the face.



"Pity those Germans left the place in such poor condition. Crumbling ceilings. Overflowing dustbins. Mud all over the carpets. Jam on the counters. Biscuit crumbs so thick underfoot they get stuck in my paw pads. Torn sheets and burrs in the blankets. Terrible housekeepers!"

Jagaswami, meanwhile, was busy in the attic on a secret project. The other two had not bothered to climb the tall ladder that went up there, so had no idea there was a large safe over their heads. (They were aware that most of the mugs and glasses and quite a few plates had vanished, but they had no idea where they had gotten to.)

While the others lounged in the bath and on the couch, Jagaswami spent long hours trying to crack the safe.



At last!