"Eh! what! house all surrounded by water? Quite an island, eh? That's what we used to learn at school—Island House, eh?"
"Yes, that is what we call it," laughed Alfy, somewhat reassured by the jolly old gentleman's cheerfulness and geniality.
"Of course I'll lend the boat," said the old gentleman. "That's what we've got to do, help one another—and mind you think of that, my boy; but the question is, how can you get it up to the house?"
"I heard that the flood was running into the river," replied Alfy, "so I thought I could row up that way."
"What! you row up against the flood!" exclaimed the jolly old gentleman; "you can't do it."
"I can try," said Alfy.
"Well, I might try and help you, but I am not much of a rower, and my son—it is he, really, who uses the boat—he is away from home. I question if I could pull my own weight. Most mysterious thing this flood. Where does it come from? How did it happen?"
So Alfy told what he had heard beside the hedge.
"Eh! what! eh! this is getting serious! One of the banks of Tarnwick reservoir burst! One man saying it is because of another's carelessness! This must be seen to. What sort of men were they? Should you know them again?"
And the jolly old gentleman who was now looking very serious, drew from Alfy all he knew about the men he had heard talking by the hedge.