Animal encounters - Hippo

Er... I say, chaps?

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Three stalwart fellows of the British Army Medical Corps set out in a steam launch to deliver much-needed medicines to an outpost upriver. They have absolutely no experience in matters mechanical, but as Barrington said on surveying the vessel tied up at the jetty "How hard can handling one of these things be? After all, it's not exactly brain surgery, what?" When the launch broke down halfway to their destination he acknowledged his words had returned to haunt him.

And so we picture the scene. As the crestfallen but determined Barrington puzzles over the complexities of the steam engine, Nugent-King fiddles with the boat anchor in the bows. All seems calm on the river this morning - but appearances can be deceptive, for Petherbridge has espied a bloat of hippos taking a keen interest in the proceedings.

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The waterlined hippos proved easy to make. Simply take a suitable hippo model (in this case a plastic one from a 'toob'), press the head into a flattened lump of air-dry clay until a suitable waterline is reached (just about level with that enormous mouth), remove, and fill the void with plaster (in this case Hydrostone engineering plaster). Allow to set hard, pop the casting out of the clay, paint and varnish. Some sanding may be required to ensure the casting is level.