Chapter 7 MRS. JANES - A SPIDER - AND A POOL
Timmy growled¹, and so did Binky. The children swung round and saw the old witch-like womanstanding there, her wispy² grey hair hanging over her face.
'What's the matter, Mrs. - er - Mrs. Janes?' said Julian, fortunately remembering the name Mr.
Gringle had told him. 'We're not doing any harm.'
'My son don't like strangers here,' said Mrs. Janes, mumbling³ so much that the children could hardlyunderstand what she was saying.
'But this place belongs to Mr. Gringle surely, and his friend,' said Dick, puzzled.
'I tell 'ee my son don't hold with strangers here,' mumbled⁴ the old woman again and shook her fist atthem.
Timmy didn't like this, and growled. She at once pointed⁵ her finger at him and muttered a long stringof such queer-sounding words that Anne shrank back, afraid. Really, Mrs. Janes did look exactly likea witch - and sounded like one, too.
Timmy acted strangely. He put his tail down, stopped growling⁶ and crept close to George. She wasmost astonished.
'It looks as if she's trying to put a spell on old Tim,' said Dick, half laughing, but that was too muchfor Anne and George.
Taking Timmy by the collar, George rushed off quickly with Anne following. The boys laughed.
Binky ran after Timmy, and Toby spoke⁷ boldly to the queer old woman.
'Your son isn't even here - so what business is it of his to tell you to give orders to visitors?'
Tears suddenly began to pour down the old woman's face and she wrung⁸ her bony hands together.
'He'll hit me,' she wept. 'He'll twist my arm! Go away! Do go away! If he comes, he'll chase you off.
He's a bad man, my son is!'
'She's mad, poor old thing,' said Toby, feeling sorry for old Mrs. Janes. 'Our cook often says so,though she's harmless enough. Her son's not too bad - he's quite handy at repairs, and we used to havehim come to the farm to mend roofs and things like that. But he's not so good as he used to be. Comeon - let's go. Mr. Gringle's a bit queer, too, isn't he?'

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