They sat in their room, waiting, talking not at all. After a while Doris called them to supper, and they took their places in subdued silence. What a wonderful way father had of asking the blessing--why, every word of it seemed to call down a benediction on every one at the table. And how good the dinner was--they were not hungry, but it was delicious food, unbelievably well cooked. And Doris in the big kitchen apron was exquisite. When they reached dessert, Zee rose to the height of public confession. "Father, Treasure and I--and principally I, for I did it--were very naughty. We took the car out of the garage, and smashed the door getting it out, and we drove into the country and nearly killed horses and wagons and autos and ran into ditches and bent the fenders and ran down a lot of chickens, and got stuck, and a man brought us home. We are very sorry." How calmly they took it!--a climactic, criminal thing like that--after all, they were rather a sordid family. Father looked at the girls soberly, noted their pale faces, the dark circles under their weary eyes. "I know it," he said at last gravely. "Oh, father, you knew it--and you didn't try to find us?" There was pain and reproach in Treasure's voice. "I knew all that was happening," he said quickly, with a reassuring smile at Treasure. "Mr. Smelton telephoned that he helped you to the side of the road--that was the first we knew of it. And a little later some one else--I did not just get the name--but he telephoned that he was giving you some tea, and you were quite safe, and he was going to bring you home." "It was that Curious Cat-- You know, Doris, the one who made the Corduroy Crab be good to us--" "The Curious Cat? Oh, father, what was his name?" cried Doris, leaning way over the table in her eagerness. "It sounded like--Saunders--something like Saunders--" "Saunders, nothing," cried Zee. "Saunders is the Corduroy Crab--we heard that. Oh, it must have been him who phoned--" "He." "Yes, he. Because the Curious Cat was not away long enough--he just left a minute--to see about the horse." "And then he told Saunders to telephone--" "Yes, of course." Doris sat back. "The old torment. How can anybody find out about such a curious old--Curious Cat?" she wondered to herself. In answer to her questions, the girls could tell little. "He does not live at the Haunted House, just the Corduroy Crab--and the--the--" "The Courteous Coon," cried Zee. "Let's stick to our harmony." "They live there, and the Curious Cat lives somewhere very near--and things are lovely at the Haunted House, there are flowers on the porch, and pictures, and curtains--did you ever hear of such a thing? Soft brown curtains of silk rubbery stuff--and it is lovely. And the vines are all red and gold, and the ground is a mass of fallen leaves." "Father, please tell us the punishment. It gives you such an--empty feeling to have--unknown punishments hanging over your head."