Cats did not immediately flow in, though the Twins, riding round the countryside on their bicycles, spread the information that they were willing to afford a home to such of those necessary animals as their owners no longer needed. They had, indeed, one offer of a cat suffering from the mange; but the Terror rejected it, saying coldly to its owner that theirs was a home, not a hospital.
The impatient Erebus was somewhat vexed2 with him for rejecting it: she pointed3 out that even a mangy cat was a beginning.
Slowly they grew annoyed that the home on which they had lavished4 such strenuous5 labor6 remained empty; and at last the Terror said: “Look here: I’m going to begin with kittens.”
“How will you get kittens, if you can’t get cats? Everybody likes kittens. It’s only when they grow up and stop playing that they don’t want them,” said Erebus with her coldest scorn.
“I’m going to buy them,” said the Terror firmly. “I’m going to give threepence each for kittens that can just lap. We don’t want kittens that can’t lap. They’d be too much trouble.”
“That’s a good idea,” said Erebus, brightening.
“It’ll stop them drowning kittens all right. The only thing I’m not sure about is the accounts.”
“You’re always bothering about those silly old accounts!” said Erebus sharply.
She resented having had to enter in their penny ledger7 the items of their expenditure8 with conspicuous9 neatness under his critical eye.
“Well, I don’t think the kittens ought to go down in the accounts. Aunt Amelia is so used to cats’ homes that are given their cats. She’s told me all about it: how people write and ask for their cats to be taken in.”
“I don’t want them to go down. It makes all the less accounts to keep,” said Erebus readily.
“Well, that’s settled,” said the Terror cheerfully.
Once more the Twins rode round the countryside, spreading abroad the tidings of their munificent12 offer of threepence a head for kittens who could just lap.
But kittens did not immediately flow in; and the complaints of the impatient Erebus grew louder and louder. There was no doubt that she loved a grievance13; and even more she loved making no secret of that grievance to those about her. Since she could only discuss this grievance with the Terror and Wiggins, they heard enough about it. Indeed, her complaints were at last no small factor in her patient brother’s resolve to take action; and he called her and Wiggins to a council.
He opened the discussion by saying: “We’ve got to have kittens, or cats. We can’t have any pocket-money for ‘overseering’ till there’s something to overseer.”
“And that splendid cats’ home we’ve made stopping empty all the time,” said Erebus in her most bitterly aggrieved14 tone.
“I don’t mind that. I’m sick of hearing about it,” said the Terror coldly. “But I do want pocket-money; and besides, Aunt Amelia will soon be wanting to know what’s happening to the home; and she’ll make a fuss if there aren’t any cats in it. So we must have cats.”
“Well, I tell you what it is: we must take cats. There are cats all over the country; and when we’re out bicycling, a good way from home, we could easily pick up one or two at a time and bring them back with us. We ought to be able to get four a day, counting kittens; and in eight days the home would be full and two over.”
“And we should be prosecuted15 for stealing them,” said the Terror coldly.
“But they’d be ever so much better off in the home, properly looked after and fed,” protested Erebus.
“That wouldn’t make any difference. No; it’s no good trying to get them that way,” said the Terror in a tone of finality.
“Well, they won’t come of themselves,” said Erebus.
“They would with valerian,” said Wiggins.
“Who’s Valerian?” said Erebus.
“It isn’t a who. It’s a drug at the chemist’s,” said Wiggins. “I’ve been talking to my father about cats a good deal lately, and he says if you put valerian on a rag and drag it along the ground, cats will follow it for miles.”
“Your father seems to know everything—such a lot of useful things as well as higher mathematics,” said the Terror.
That afternoon the Twins bicycled into Rowington and bought a bottle of the enchanting17 drug. Just before they reached the village, on their way home, the Terror produced a rag with a piece of string tied to it, poured some valerian on it and trailed it after his bicycle through the village to his garden gate.
The result demonstrated the accuracy of the scientific knowledge of the father of Wiggins. All that evening and far into the night twelve cats fought clamorously round the house of the Dangerfields.
The next day the Terror turned the cats’ home into a cat-trap. He cut a hole in the bottom of its door large enough to admit a cat and fitted it with a hanging flap which a cat would readily push open from the outside, but lacked the intelligence to raise from the inside. He was late finishing it, and went from it to his dinner.
They had just come to the end of the simple meal when they heard a ring at the back door; and old Sarah came in to say that Polly Cotteril had come from the village with some kittens. The Twins excused themselves politely to their mother, and hurried to the kitchen to find that Polly had brought no less than five small kittens in a basket.
Forthwith the Terror filled a saucer with milk and applied19 the lapping test. Four of the kittens lapped the milk somewhat feebly, but they lapped. The fifth would not lap. It only mewed. Therefore the Terror took only four of the kittens, giving Polly a shilling for them. The fifth he returned to her, bidding her bring it back when it could lap.
They took the four kittens down to the cats’ home; and since they were so small, they put them in one hutch for warmth, with a saucer of milk to satisfy their hunger during the night.
“Now we’ve got these kittens, we needn’t bother about getting cats,” said the Terror as they returned to the house. “And I’m glad it is kittens and not cats. Kittens eat less.”
“Then you’ve had all the trouble of making that little door for nothing,” said Erebus.
“It’s an emergency exit—like the theaters have—only it’s an entrance,” said the Terror. “But thank goodness, we’ve begun at last; now we can have salaries for ‘overseering’.”
During the course of the next week they added seven more small kittens to their stock; and it seemed good to the Terror to inform Lady Ryehampton that the home was already constructed and in process of occupation. Accordingly Erebus wrote a letter, by no means devoid20 of enthusiasm, informing her that it already held eleven inmates21, “saved from the awful death of drowning.” Lady Ryehampton replied promptly22 in a spirit of warm gratification that they had been so quick starting it.
But with eleven inmates in the home the Twins presently found themselves grappling earnestly with the food problem and the account-book.
The Terror was not unfitted for financial operations. Till they were six years old the Twins had lived luxuriously23 at Dangerfield Hall, in Monmouth, with toys beyond the dreams of Alnaschar. Then their father had fallen into the hands of a firm of gambling24 stock-brokers, had along with them lost nearly all his money, and presently died, leaving Mrs. Dangerfield with a very small income indeed. All the while since his death it had been a hard struggle to make both ends meet; and the Twins had had many a lesson in learning to do without the desires of their hearts.
But their desires were strong; the wits of the Terror were not weak; and taking one month with another the Twins had as much pocket-money as the bulk of the children of the well-to-do. But it did not come in the way of a regular allowance; it had to be obtained by diplomacy25 or work; and the processes of getting it had given the Terror the liveliest interest in financial matters. He was resolved that the cats’ home and the wages of “overseering” should last as long as possible.
But it soon grew clear to him that, with milk at threepence halfpenny a quart, the kittens would soon drink themselves out of house and home.
He discussed the matter with Erebus and Wiggins; and they agreed with him that milk spelled ruin. But they could see no way of reducing the price of milk; and they were sure that it was the necessary food for growing kittens.
Their faces were somewhat gloomy at the end of the discussion; and a heavy silence had fallen on them. Then of a sudden the face of the Terror brightened; and he said with a touch of triumph in his tone: “I’ve got it; we’ll feed them on skim-milk.”
“They feed pigs on skim-milk, not kittens,” said Erebus scornfully.
That was indeed the practise at Little Deeping. Butter-making was its chief industry; and the skim-milk went to the pigs.
“But how can we get it? They don’t sell it about here,” said Erebus. “And you know what they are: if Granfeytner didn’t sell skim-milk, nobody’s going to sell skim-milk to-day.”
“Oh, yes: old Stubbs will sell it,” said the Terror confidently.
“Old Stubbs! But he hates us worse than any one!” cried Erebus.
“Oh, yes; he doesn’t like us. But he’s awfully28 keen on money; every one says so. And he won’t care whose money he gets so long as he gets it. Come on; we’ll go and talk to him about it,” said the Terror.
The Twins went firmly across the common to the house of farmer Stubbs and knocked resolutely29. The maid, who was well aware that her master and the Twins were not on friendly terms, admitted them with some hesitation30. The Twins had never entered the farmer’s house before, though they had often entered his orchard31; and they felt slightly uncomfortable. They found the parlor32 into which they were shown uncommonly33 musty.
Presently Mr. Stubbs came to them, pulling doubtfully at the Newgate fringe that ran bristling34 under his chin, with a look of deep suspicion in his small, ferrety, red-rimmed eyes. Even when he learned that they had come on business, his face did not brighten till the Terror incidentally dropped a sovereign on the floor and talked of cash payments. Then his face shone; he made the admission, cautiously, that he might be induced to sell skim-milk; and then they came to the discussion of prices. Mr. Stubbs wanted to see skim-milk in quarts; the Terror could only see it in pails; and this difference of point of view nearly brought the negotiations35 to an abrupt36 end twice. But the Terror’s suavity37 prevented a complete break; and in the end they struck a bargain that he should have as much skim-milk as he required at threepence halfpenny the pailful.
In the course of the next fortnight they admitted twelve more kittens to the home; and the Terror had yet another idea. Milk alone seemed an insufficient38 diet for them; and he approached the village baker39 on the matter of stale bread. There were more negotiations; and in the end the Terror made a contract with the baker for a supply of it at nearly his own price. Now he fed the kittens on bread and milk; they throve on it; and it went further than plain milk.
The Twins enjoyed but little leisure. They had been busy filling certain shelves, which they had fixed40 up above the cat-hutches, with the best apples the more peaceful and sparsely41 populated parts of the countryside afforded. But what spare time he had the Terror devoted42 to a great feat43 of painting. He painted in white letters on a black board:—
LADY RYEHAMPTON’S CATS’ HOME
The letters varied44 somewhat in size, and they were not everything that could be desired in the matter of shape; but both Erebus and Wiggins agreed that it was extraordinarily45 effective, and that if ever their aunt saw it she would be deeply gratified.
With this final open advertisement of their enterprise ready to be fixed up, they felt that the time had come to take their mother formally into their confidence. She had learned of the formation of the cats’ home from old Sarah; and several of her neighbors had talked to her about it, and seemed surprised by her inability to give them details about its ultimate scope and purpose, for it had excited the interest of the neighborhood and was a frequent matter of discussion for fully11 a week. She had explained to them that she never interfered47 with the Twins when they were engaged in any harmless employment, and that she was only too pleased that they had found a harmless employment that filled as much of their time as did the cats’ home. Moreover, the Terror had told her that they did not wish her to see it till it had been brought to its finished state and was in thorough working order. Therefore she had no idea of its size or of the cost of its construction. Like every one else she supposed it to be a ramshackle affair of makeshifts constructed from old planks48 and hen-coops.
Moreover she had not learned that the Twins possessed49 bicycles, for they were judicious50 in their use. They were careful to sally forth18 when she was taking her siesta51 after lunch; they went across the common and came back across the common and their neighbors saw them riding very little.
When at last she was invited to come to see their finished work, she accepted the invitation with becoming delight, and made her inspection52 of the home with a becoming seriousness and a growing surprise. She expressed her admiration53 of its convenience, its cleanliness, and the extensive scale on which it was being run. She agreed with the Terror that to have saved so many kittens from the awful death of drowning was a great work. But she asked no questions, not even how it was that the cats’ home was fragrant54 with the scent55 of hidden apples. She knew that an explanation, probably of an admirable plausibility56, was about to be given her.
Then at the end of her inspection, the Terror said carelessly: “The bicycles are for bringing kittens from a distance, of course.”
“What? Are those your bicycles?” cried Mrs. Dangerfield. “But wherever did you get the money from to buy them?”
“Aunt Amelia found the money,” said the Terror. “You know she’s very keen—tremendously interested in cats’ homes. She thinks we are doing a great work, as well as you.”
Mrs. Dangerfield’s beautiful eyes were very wide open; and she said rather breathlessly: “You got money out of your Aunt Amelia for a cats’ home in Little Deeping?”
“Oh, yes,” said the Terror carelessly.
Mrs. Dangerfield turned away hastily to hide her working face: she must not laugh at their great-aunt before the Twins. She bit her tongue with a firmness that filled her eyes with tears. It was painful; but it enabled her to complete her inspection with the required gravity.
The Terror fixed up the board above the door of the home; and it awoke a fresh interest among their neighbors in their enterprise. Several of them, including the squire57 and the vicar, made visits of inspection to it; and Wiggins brought his father. All of them expressed an admiration of the institution and of the methods on which it was conducted. To one another they expressed an unfavorable opinion of the intelligence of Lady Ryehampton.
The home was now working quite smoothly58; and with a clear conscience the Twins drew their salary for “overseering.” It provided them with many of the less expensive desires of their hearts. Now and again Erebus, mindful of the fact that they had still a little more than ten pounds left out of the original thirty, urged that it should be raised to a shilling a week. But the Terror would not consent: he said their salaries for “overseeing” would naturally be much higher, and that they would have charged for their work in constructing the home, if it had not been for the bicycles. As it was, they were bound to work off the price of the bicycles. Besides, he added with a philosophical59 air, six-pence a week for a year was much better than a shilling a week for six months.
Lady Ryehampton was duly informed that the home now contained twenty-three inmates; and the children of Great Deeping, Muttle (probably a corruption60 of Middle) Deeping, and Little Deeping were informed that for the time being the home was full. Erebus clamored to have its full complement61 of thirty kittens made up; but the Terror maintained very firmly his contention62 that twenty-three was quite enough. Everything was working smoothly. Then one evening just before dinner there came a loud ringing at the front-door bell.
It was so loud and so importunate63 that with one accord the Twins dashed for the door; and Erebus opened it. On the steps stood their Uncle Maurice; and he wore a harried64 air.
“Why, it’s Uncle Maurice!” cried Erebus springing upon him and embracing him warmly.
“It’s Uncle Maurice, mother!” cried the Terror.
“It may be your Uncle Maurice, but I can tell you he’s by no means sure of it himself! Is it my head or my heels I’m standing65 on?” said Sir Maurice faintly, and he wiped his burning brow.
On his words there came up the steps the porter of Little Deeping station, laden66 with wicker baskets. From the baskets came the sound of mewing.
“Whatever is it?” cried Mrs. Dangerfield, kissing her brother.
“Cats for the cats’ home!” said Sir Maurice Falconer.
He waved his startled kinsfolk aside while the baskets were ranged in a neat row on the floor of the hall, then he paid the porter, feebly, and shut the door after him with an air of exhaustion67. He leaned back against it and said:
“I had a sudden message—Aunt Amelia is going to pay a surprise visit to this inf—this cats’ home these little friends are pretending to run for her. I saw that there was no time to lose—there must be a cats’ home with cats in it—or she’d cut them both out of her will. I bought cats—all over London—they’ve been with me ever since—yowling—they yowled in the taxi—all over London—they traveled down as far as Rowington with me and an old gentleman—a high-spirited old gentleman—yowling—not only the cats but the old gentleman, too—-and they traveled from Rowington to Little Deeping with me and two maiden68 ladies—timid maiden ladies!—yowling! But come on: we’ve got to make a cats’ home at once!” And he picked up one of the plaintive69 baskets with the air of a man desperately70 resolved to act on the instant or perish.
“But we’ve got a cats’ home—only it’s full of kittens,” said Erebus gently.
“Good heavens! Do you mean to say I’ve gone through this nightmare for nothing?” cried Sir Maurice, dropping the basket.
“Oh, no; it was awfully good of you!” said the Terror with swift politeness. “The cats will come in awfully useful.”
“They’ll make the home look so much more natural. All kittens isn’t natural,” said Erebus.
“And they’ll be such a pleasant surprise for Aunt Amelia. She was only expecting kittens,” said the Terror.
“What?” howled Sir Maurice. “Do you mean to say I’ve parleyed for hours with a high-spirited gentleman and two—two—timid maiden ladies, just to give your Aunt Amelia a pleasant surprise?”
He sank into a chair and wiped his beaded brow feebly. “I ought to have had more confidence in you,” he said faintly. “I ought to know your powers by now. And I did. I know well that any people who have dealings with you are likely to get a surprise; but I thought your Aunt Amelia was going to get it; and I’ve got it myself.”
“But you didn’t think that we would humbug71 Aunt Amelia?” said the Terror in a pained tone and with the most virtuous72 air.
“Gracious, no!” cried Sir Maurice. “I only thought that you might possibly induce her to humbug herself.”
The Twins looked at him doubtfully: there seemed to them more in his words than met the ear.
“You must be wanting your dinner dreadfully,” said Mrs. Dangerfield. “And I’m afraid there’s very little for you. But I’ll make you an omelette.”
“I can not dine amid this yowling,” said Sir Maurice firmly, waving his hand over the vocal73 baskets. “These animals must be placed out of hearing, or I shan’t be able to eat a morsel74.”
“We’ll put them in the cats’ home,” said the Terror quickly. “I’ll just put on a pair of thick gloves. Wiggins’ father—he’s a higher mathematician75, you know, and understands all this kind of thing—says that hydrophobia is very rare among cats. But it’s just as well to be careful with these London ones.”
“Oh, lord, I never thought of that,” said Sir Maurice with a shudder76. “I’ve been risking my life as well!”
The Terror put on the gloves and lighted a lantern. He and Erebus helped carry the cats down to the home; and he put them into hutches. Their uncle was much impressed by the arrangement of the home.
The cats disposed of, Sir Maurice at last recovered his wonted self-possession—a self-possession as admirable as the serenity77 of the Terror, but not so durable78. At dinner he reduced his appreciative79 kinsfolk to the last exhaustion by his entertaining account of his parleying with his excited fellow travelers. He could now view it with an impartial80 mind. After dinner he accompanied the Terror to the cats’ home and helped him feed the newcomers with scraps81. The rest of the evening passed peacefully and pleasantly.
If the Twins had a weakness, it was that their desire for thoroughness sometimes caused them to overdo82 things; and it was on the way to bed that the brilliant idea flashed into the mind of Erebus.
She stopped short on the stairs, and with an air of inspiration said: “We ought to have more cats.”
The Terror stopped short too, pondering the suggestion; then he said: “By Jove, yes. This would be a good time to work that valerian dodge83. And it would mean that we should have to use our bicycles again for the good of the home. The more we can say that we’ve used them for it, the less any one can grumble84 about them.”
“Most cats are shut up now,” said Erebus.
“Yes; we must catch the morning cats. They get out quite early—when people start out to work,” said the Terror.
Among the possessions of the Twins was an American clock fitted with an alarm. The Terror set it for half past five. At that hour it awoke him with extreme difficulty. He awoke Erebus with extreme difficulty. Five minutes later they were munching85 bread and butter in the kitchen to stay themselves against the cold of the bitter November morning; then they sallied forth, equipped with rags, string and the bottle of valerian.
They bicycled to Muttle Deeping. There the Terror poured valerian on one of the rags and tied it to the bicycle of Erebus. Forthwith she started to trail it to the cats’ home. He rode on to Great Deeping and trailed a rag from there through Little Deeping to the cats’ home. When he reached it he found Erebus’ bicycle in its corner; and when, after strengthening the trail through the little hanging door with a rag freshly wetted with the drug, he returned to the house, he found that she was already in bed again. He made haste back to bed himself.
It had been their intention to go down to the home before breakfast and put the cats they had attracted to it into hutches. But they slept on till breakfast was ready; and the fragrance86 of the coffee and bacon lured87 them straight into the dining-room. After all, as Erebus told the hesitating Terror, there was plenty of time to deal with the new cats, for Aunt Amelia could not reach Little Deeping before eleven o’clock. They could not escape from the home. The Twins therefore devoted their most careful attention to their breakfast with their minds quite at ease.
Then there came a ring at the front door; and still their minds were at ease, for they took it that it was a note or a message from a neighbor. Then Sarah threw open the dining-room door, said “Please, ma’am, it’s Lady Ryehampton”; and their Aunt Amelia stood, large, round and formidable, on the threshold. Behind her stood Miss Hendersyde looking very anxious.
There was a heavy frown on Lady Ryehampton’s stern face; and when they rose to welcome her, she greeted them with severe stiffness. To Erebus, the instructor88 of parrots, she gave only one finger.
Then in deep portentous89 tones she said: “I came down to pay a surprise visit to your cats’ home. I always do. It’s the only way I can make sure that the poor dear things are receiving proper treatment.” The frown on her face grew rhadamanthine. “And last night I saw your Uncle Maurice at the station—he did not see me—with cats, London cats, in baskets. On the labels of two of the baskets I read the names of well-known London cat-dealers90. I do not support a cats’ home at Little Deeping for London cats bought at London dealers. Why have they been brought here?”
Sir Maurice opened his mouth to explain; but the Terror was before him:
“It was Uncle Maurice’s idea,” he said. “He didn’t think that there ought only to be kittens in a cats’ home. We didn’t mind ourselves; and of course, if he puts cats in it, he’ll have to subscribe91 to the home. What we have started it for was kittens—to save them from the awful death of drowning. We wrote and told you. And we’ve saved quite a lot.”
Lady Ryehampton uttered a short snort; and her eyes flashed.
“Do you mean to tell me that your Uncle Maurice is fond enough of cats to bring them all the way from London to a cats’ home at Deeping? He hates cats, and always has!” she said fiercely.
“Of course, I hate cats,” said Sir Maurice with cold severity. “But I hate children’s being brought up to be careless a great deal more. A cats’ home is not a cats’ home unless it has cats in it; and you’ve been encouraging these children to grow up careless by calling a kittens’ home a cats’ home. If you will interfere46 in their up-bringing, you have no right to do your best to get them into careless ways.”
Taken aback at suddenly finding herself on the defensive94 Lady Ryehampton blinked at him somewhat owlishly: “That’s all very well,” she said in a less severe tone. “But is there a kittens’ home at all—a kittens’ home with kittens in it? That’s what I want to know.”
“But we wrote and told you how many kittens we had in the cats’ home. You don’t think we’d deceive you, Aunt Amelia?” said the Terror in a deeply injured tone and with a deeply injured air.
“There! I told you that if he said he had kittens in it, there would be,” said Miss Hendersyde with an air of relief.
“Of course there’s a cats’ home with kittens in it!” said Mrs. Dangerfield with some heat. “The Terror wouldn’t lie to you!”
The Terror did his best to look incapable of deceit; and it was a very good best.
In some confusion Lady Ryehampton began to stammer96: “Well, of c-c-c-course, if there’s a c-c-cats’ home—but Sir Maurice’s senseless interference—”
“Senseless interference! Do you call saving children from careless habits senseless interference?” cried Sir Maurice indignantly.
“You had no business to interfere without consulting me,” said Lady Ryehampton. Then, with a return of suspicion, she said: “But I want to see this cats’ home—now!”
“I’ll take you at once,” said the Terror quickly, and politely he opened the door.
They all went, Mrs. Dangerfield snatching a hooded97 cloak, Sir Maurice his hat and coat from pegs98 in the hall as they went through it. When they came into the paddock their ears became aware of a distant high-pitched din1; and the farther they went down it the louder and more horrible grew the din.
Over the broad round face of Lady Ryehampton spread an expression of suspicious bewilderment; Mrs. Dangerfield’s beautiful eyes were wide open in an anxious wonder; the piquant99 face of Erebus was set in a defiant100 scowl101; and Sir Maurice looked almost as anxious as Mrs. Dangerfield. Only the Terror was serene102.
“Oh, no; those must be visiting cats,” said the Terror calmly.
“Visiting cats?” said Lady Ryehampton and Sir Maurice together.
“Yes: we encourage the cats about here to come to the home so that if ever they are left homeless they will know where to come,” said the Terror, looking at Lady Ryehampton with eyes that were limpid wells of guilelessness.
“Now that’s a very clever idea!” she exclaimed. “I must tell the managers of my other homes about it and see whether they can’t do it, too. But what are these cats doing?”
“It sounds as if they were quarreling,” said the Terror calmly.
It did sound as if they were quarreling; at the door of the home the din was ear-splitting, excruciating, fiendish. It was as if the voices of all the cats in the county were raised in one piercing battle-song.
The Terror bade his kinsfolk stand clear; then he threw open the door—wide. Cats did not come out.… A large ball of cats came out, gyrating swiftly in a haze104 of flying fur. Ten yards from the door it dissolved into its component105 parts, and some thirty cats tore, yelling, to the four quarters of the heavens.
After that stupendous battle-song the air seemed thick with silence.
The Terror broke it; he said in a tone of doubting sadness: “I sometimes think it sets a bad example to the kittens.”
Sir Maurice turned livid in the grip of some powerful emotion. He walked hurriedly round to the back of the home to conceal106 it from human ken10. There with his handkerchief stuffed into his mouth, he leaned against the wall, and shook and rocked and kicked the irresponsive bricks feebly.
But the serene Terror firmly ushered107 Lady Ryehampton into the home with an air of modest pride. A little dazed, she entered upon a scene of perfect, if highly-scented, peace. Twenty-three kittens and eight cats sat staring earnestly through bars of their hutches in a dead stillness. Their eyes were very bright. By a kindly108 provision of nature they had been able, in the darkness, to follow the fortunes of that vociferous109 fray110.
In three minutes Lady Ryehampton had forgotten the battle-song. She was charmed, lost in admiration of the home, of the fatness and healthiness of the blinking kittens, the neatness and the cleanliness. She gushed111 enthusiastic approbation112. “To think,” she cried, “that you have done this yourself! A boy of thirteen!”
“Erebus did quite as much as I did,” said the Terror quickly.
“And Wiggins helped a lot. He’s a friend of ours,” said Erebus no less quickly.
Sir Maurice joined them. His eyes were red and moist, as if they had but now been full of tears.
“It’s a very creditable piece of work,” he said in a tone of warm approval.
Lady Ryehampton looked round the home once more; and her face fell. She said uneasily: “But you must be heavily in debt.”
“In debt?” said the Terror. “Oh, no; we couldn’t be. Mother would hate us to be in debt.”
“I thought—a cats’ home—oh, but I am glad I brought my check-book with me!” cried Lady Ryehampton.
She could not understand why Sir Maurice uttered a short sharp howl. She did not know that the Terror dug him sharply in the ribs114 as Erebus kicked him joyfully115 on the ankle-bone; that they had simultaneously116 realized that the future of the home, the wages of “overseering,” were secure.
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din
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| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
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vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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pointed
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lavished
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| v.过分给予，滥施( lavish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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strenuous
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| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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7
ledger
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| n.总帐，分类帐；帐簿 | |
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expenditure
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| n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗 | |
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conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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ken
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| n.视野，知识领域 | |
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11
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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12
munificent
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| adj.慷慨的，大方的 | |
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13
grievance
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| n.怨愤，气恼，委屈 | |
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aggrieved
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| adj.愤愤不平的，受委屈的；悲痛的；（在合法权利方面）受侵害的v.令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式)；令委屈，令苦恼，侵害( aggrieve的过去式和过去分词) | |
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15
prosecuted
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| a.被起诉的 | |
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16
spurned
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| v.一脚踢开，拒绝接受( spurn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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17
enchanting
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| a.讨人喜欢的 | |
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18
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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19
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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20
devoid
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| adj.全无的，缺乏的 | |
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21
inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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22
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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23
luxuriously
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| adv.奢侈地，豪华地 | |
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24
gambling
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| n.赌博；投机 | |
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25
diplomacy
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| n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕 | |
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26
fattens
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| v.喂肥( fatten的第三人称单数 )；养肥（牲畜）；使（钱）增多；使（公司）升值 | |
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27
fatten
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| v.使肥，变肥 | |
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28
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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29
resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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30
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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31
orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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33
uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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34
bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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35
negotiations
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| 协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过 | |
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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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37
suavity
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| n.温和；殷勤 | |
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38
insufficient
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| adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的 | |
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39
baker
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| n.面包师 | |
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40
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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41
sparsely
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| adv.稀疏地；稀少地；不足地；贫乏地 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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43
feat
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| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 | |
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44
varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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45
extraordinarily
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| adv.格外地；极端地 | |
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46
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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47
interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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48
planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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49
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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50
judicious
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| adj.明智的，明断的，能作出明智决定的 | |
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51
siesta
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| n.午睡 | |
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52
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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53
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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54
fragrant
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| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
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55
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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56
plausibility
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| n. 似有道理, 能言善辩 | |
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57
squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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58
smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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59
philosophical
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| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
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60
corruption
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| n.腐败，堕落，贪污 | |
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61
complement
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| n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足 | |
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62
contention
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| n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张 | |
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63
importunate
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| adj.强求的；纠缠不休的 | |
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64
harried
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| v.使苦恼( harry的过去式和过去分词 )；不断烦扰；一再袭击；侵扰 | |
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65
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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66
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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67
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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68
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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69
plaintive
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| adj.可怜的，伤心的 | |
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70
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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71
humbug
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| n.花招，谎话，欺骗 | |
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72
virtuous
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| adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的 | |
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73
vocal
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| adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目 | |
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74
morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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75
mathematician
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| n.数学家 | |
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76
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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77
serenity
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| n.宁静，沉着，晴朗 | |
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78
durable
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| adj.持久的，耐久的 | |
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79
appreciative
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| adj.有鉴赏力的，有眼力的；感激的 | |
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80
impartial
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| adj.(in,to)公正的，无偏见的 | |
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81
scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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82
overdo
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| vt.把...做得过头，演得过火 | |
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83
dodge
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| v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计 | |
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84
grumble
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| vi.抱怨；咕哝；n.抱怨，牢骚；咕哝，隆隆声 | |
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85
munching
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| v.用力咀嚼（某物），大嚼( munch的现在分词 ) | |
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86
fragrance
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| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
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87
lured
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| 吸引，引诱（lure的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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88
instructor
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| n.指导者，教员，教练 | |
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89
portentous
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| adj.不祥的，可怕的，装腔作势的 | |
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90
dealers
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| n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者 | |
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91
subscribe
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| vi.(to)订阅，订购；同意；vt.捐助，赞助 | |
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92
limpid
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| adj.清澈的，透明的 | |
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93
candor
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| n.坦白，率真 | |
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94
defensive
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| adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的 | |
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95
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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96
stammer
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| n.结巴，口吃；v.结结巴巴地说 | |
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97
hooded
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| adj.戴头巾的；有罩盖的；颈部因肋骨运动而膨胀的 | |
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98
pegs
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| n.衣夹( peg的名词复数 )；挂钉；系帐篷的桩；弦钮v.用夹子或钉子固定( peg的第三人称单数 )；使固定在某水平 | |
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99
piquant
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| adj.辛辣的，开胃的，令人兴奋的 | |
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100
defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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101
scowl
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| vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容 | |
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102
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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103
brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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104
haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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105
component
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| n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的 | |
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106
conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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107
ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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108
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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109
vociferous
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| adj.喧哗的，大叫大嚷的 | |
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110
fray
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| v.争吵；打斗；磨损，磨破；n.吵架；打斗 | |
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111
gushed
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| v.喷，涌( gush的过去式和过去分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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112
approbation
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| n.称赞；认可 | |
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113
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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114
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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115
joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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116
simultaneously
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| adv.同时发生地，同时进行地 | |
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