text: > Go downward
  Having reached the lowest branch, you grab it and swing down out of the tree. It feels good to have your feet on solid ground again.
  
  The forest thins slightly here, no doubt due to the huge old oak that is blocking most of the sunlight. The footpath continues from west to east along the wall for a bit before bending northeast to go around the tree's massive trunk.
  
  You see a paddle here.
  
  > drop all
  business card: Dropped.
  inner tube patch: Dropped.
  forked stick: Dropped.
  
  You hear birds twittering in the branches above you.
  
  > take all
  business card: Taken.
  inner tube patch: Taken.
  forked stick: Taken.
  
  > take the paddle
  You are already carrying the paddle.
  
  You hear birds twittering in the branches above you.
  
  > go west
  The south end of the property is heavily wooded. A single winding footpath starts at the gap in the hedge to the west and runs east through the dense foliage near the wall.
  
  > Go west
  After a bit of squirming you manage to squeeze through the narrow gap between the hedge and the wall. You make a mental note to reconsider your decision not to go on a diet.
  
  The gravel driveway widens a bit as it passes through a gate in the high stone wall that surrounds the estate. On the other side of the gate the road quickly bends and disappears from sight behind the trees. The neatly trimmed hedge on the west side of the driveway runs in a solid, unbroken line right up to the wall. But, oddly enough, there's a narrow gap between the hedge and the wall on the east side.
  
  You see a piece of paper here.
  
  > take paper
  Just as you reach for the piece of paper a sudden gust of wind swirls it up and deposits it on the other side of the gate.
  
  > get the paper with the paddle
  It's too far away for you to make out any detail, but it appears to be some kind of sales brochure.
  
  You can't reach the sales brochure with a paddle.
  
  > look at the gate
  The gate is an imposing affair made of wrought iron pikes interwoven with decorative ironwork vines. It was standing wide open when you arrived, but someone has apparently closed and locked it since then.
  
  > open gate
  The wrought iron gate seems to be locked.
  
  > climb the gate
  The tips of the pikes are VERY sharp. You wisely change your mind about climbing the gate.
  
  > Go west
  The thick (but neatly trimmed) hedge blocks your way. Obvious exits lead north; south; and east, back to the east footpath.
  
  > Go south
  That's strange. The gate was standing wide open when you passed through it earlier, but someone has apparently closed and locked it since then.
  
  > Go north
  The driveway runs generally north to south, with occasional deviations to pass by a large tree or, as is the case here, around a decorative cement pond. A fountain sprays and splashes cheerfully in the center of the pond. The neatly trimmed hedge continues unbroken along both sides of the driveway.
  
  > examine the fountain
  The fountain sprays and splashes cheerfully in the center of the pond.
  
  > examine pond
  It looks like one of those decorative cement ponds that landscapers are so fond of. This one is fairly large, say, maybe thirty feet across, but doesn't look to be more than knee deep. A fountain sprays and splashes cheerfully in its center.
  
  > look in the pond
  You walk around the edge of the pond peering into the water. You don't notice anything lying on the bottom within reach.
  
  > enter the pond
  Throwing caution to the wind, you step over the edge of the pond and plunge into the water.
  
  The water is surprisingly cold, but thankfully only about knee deep. The footing is a bit slippery, but as long as you're careful you should be able to move around easily enough. The glint from something shiny lying on the bottom of the pond briefly catches your eye.
  
  > take shiny
  According to my handy pocket dictionary, a glint is "a tiny bright flash of light." Now you can splash about the pond chasing phantom lights all day long if you want to, but what you might want to do instead is search the pond for whatever it is that's making the glint.
  
  > Search pond
  You slosh around the pond looking for anything visible lying on its bottom, and discover a shiny penny.
  
  > take the penny
  Taken.
  
  > examine it
  It's a shiny Lincoln cent, just like the ones that keep cluttering up your pockets. You do notice that it has the original wreath design on the reverse. You don't see many of those any more.
  
  > Search pond
  You slosh around the pond looking for anything visible lying on its bottom, but come up empty handed.
  
  > Leave
  You climb up out of the pond to stand dripping on the gravel driveway.
  
  The driveway runs generally north to south, with occasional deviations to pass by a large tree or, as is the case here, around a decorative cement pond. A fountain sprays and splashes cheerfully in the center of the pond. The neatly trimmed hedge continues unbroken along both sides of the driveway.
  
  > look at the wreath
  You look at the penny more closely. It's dated 1909 and has an "S" mint mark. You also notice the initials "VDB" at the bottom of the reverse. The penny is a lot older than it looks, and in mint condition. You find yourself wondering if it might be worth something to a collector.
  
  > Go outside
  What do you want to get out of?
  
  > North
  The garage interior is divided into five open parking bays and a service bay equipped with a hydraulic lift and an air compressor. A classic Jaguar E-Type convertible sits on the lift. The lift is currently down.
  
  A battered old canoe hangs on the wall in bay four.
  
  A large red tool cabinet sits under the canoe.
  
  A bicycle is parked in bay two. Its front wheel is secured by a bicycle lock.
  
  > enter the bay 6
  You step into the service bay.
  
  > put the penny in the hole
  (the UP button hole)
  The terminals are recessed too far inside the control panel for you to be able to touch them with the the shiny penny.
  
  > unscrew the screw with the penny
  The head of the screw is stripped out. You can't remove it.
  
  > pull the screw
  You'll have to unscrew it first.
  
  > open the panel
  You'll have to remove the screw holding it closed first. And since its head is stripped out, that's not really an option.
  
  > South
  You step out of the service bay and into the main part of the garage.
  
  > East
  The main path ends here at a circular open area, also paved in gray flagstone. There is a large and beautifully crafted bronze sculpture set on an elevated stone pedestal in its center. A polished brass plaque is attached to the pedestal below the sculpture. Decorative concrete benches are spaced around the perimeter of the pavement. The entire area is completely surrounded by lush flower beds.
  
  The brass plaque in Triton's pedestal is currently standing open.
  
  The main path leads back west. A smaller footpath continues to the east. The path to the east passes through rolling green lawn then bends south toward the small clearing.
  
  > examine the pedestal
  The stone pedestal is circular and rises about two feet above the flagstone pavement. It supports a life-sized bronze sculpture of Triton, and has a polished brass plaque attached to the front of it. The brass plaque is currently standing open.
  
  > read the plaque
  His ship was the giant Triton,
  the sound of whose conch
  affrighted the dark-blue water.
  
  You remember reading somewhere that J. Daggett's great-grandfather made his fortune as a sea captain. You can certainly understand why he might find the sea-god Triton meaningful.
  
  > examine Triton
  The life-size bronze sculpture depicts the Greek sea-god Triton. He is shown as a man from the waist up and has a dolphin's tail in place of his legs. He is holding his signature trident in one hand and his conch shell horn in the other. The beauty and level of detail of the sculpture is impressive.
  
  The brass plaque in Triton's pedestal is currently standing open.
  
  > go west
  The flagstone path ends at a circular open area, also paved in gray flagstone. There is a large and beautifully crafted bronze sculpture set on an elevated stone pedestal in its center. A polished brass plaque is attached to the pedestal below the sculpture. Decorative concrete benches are spaced around the perimeter of the pavement. The entire area is completely surrounded by lush flower beds.
  
  The main flagstone path leads back east. A rocky footpath leads north toward the cliffs overlooking the ocean.
  
  > Go north
  You soon realize you're in for a bit of a hike. The path passes to the east of a large greenhouse, then bends northeast toward the cliffs overlooking the ocean. The ground turns rocky and starts sloping downward. Before long you're winding down stairs cut into the face of the cliff.
  
  The steps end at wide ledge overlooking the ocean. The stairway that once continued on down the cliff face to the narrow crescent-shaped beach some fifty feet below you has collapsed into a twisted pile of corroded metal. The beach itself is littered with broken shells and hemmed in on both ends by a jumble of fallen rock. A rusty iron railing surrounds the overlook and protects you from falling.
  
  The way back starts with a long climb back up the steps.
  
  > examine the railing
  The railing is bolted directly to the rock, and at one time was no doubt very safe and sturdy. However long exposure to the salt air has left it badly rusted. An experimental shake causes one of the remaining bolts to crack and fall to the beach below. You cautiously take a step back from the edge.
  
  > take the railing
  Given the railing's current condition it might actually be possible to rip it right out of the rock. However you see no reason to do so.
  
  > look at stairway
  All that's left of the stairway that once descended from the overlook to the beach is a twisted pile of corroded metal on the sand below.
  
  > look at the beach
  The beach is about fifty feet directly below you. It's a narrow crescent littered with broken shells and hemmed in on both ends by a jumble of fallen rock. You can see a couple of large boulders surrounded by thick brush standing against the face of the cliff.
  
  > Oops boulders
  A couple of large boulders surrounded by thick brush stand against the face of the cliff on the narrow crescent-shaped beach.
  
  > examine the brush
  The brush is thickest around the large boulders.
  
  > examine the shells
  Broken shells litter the sand on the narrow crescent-shaped beach.
  
  > examine the ocean
  A gentle onshore breeze brings a light swell rolling onto the beach. Its color rapidly changes from green to dark blue as it deepens offshore.
  
  > examine the cliff
  You have a breathtaking view of the ocean from the cliffs.