Lord Copper newspaper magnate and proprietor of The Daily Beast has always prided himself on
his intuitive flair for spotting ace reporters. That is not to say he has not made the odd
blunder however and may in a moment of weakness make another. Acting on a dinner party tip
from Mrs Algernon Stitch he feels convinced that he has hit on just the chap to cover a
promising little war in the African Republic of Ishmaelia. But for pale ineffectual William
Boot editor of the Daily Beast's 'nature notes' column being mistaken for a competent
journalist may prove to be a fatal error...
