"Well, rats or cats, what does it matter, you naughty girl? It wasn't of rats or cats you were thinking, but running away from your poor uncle, as you perfeckly well know. Yes, indeed, sir, they went into this small house and dodged you like two pickpockets and then went careering out of the Zoo in the opposite direction. The first taxi that came along they caught hold of and drove back to Church Row. 'But your uncle intended for you to go back to your father, Mr. George, in Earl's Court,' I remarked very severely. 'We know,' they says to me, laughing like two hyenas. 'But we don't want to go back to Earl's Court,' putting in a great deal of rudeness about Earl's Court, which, not wanting to get them into worse trouble than what they will get into as it is, I won't repeat. 'And we won't go back to Earl's Court,' they said, what's more. 'We _won't_ go back.' Well, sir, when I've had my orders given me, I know where I am, and the policeman at the corner being a friend of Elsa's, he helped; for, believe me or not, they struggled like two convicks with Maud and I. Well, to cut a long story short, here they are, and just about fit to be put to bed on the instant." John could not fancy that Eleanor had contrived such an elaborate display of preference for his company, and with every wish to support Mrs. Worfolk by an exhibition of avuncular sternness he could only smile at his nephew and niece. Indeed, it cost him a great effort not to take them back with him at once to Hampstead. He hardened himself, however, and tried to look shocked. "We wanted to stay with you," said Bertram. "We wanted to stay with you," echoed Viola. "We didn't _want_ to dodge you in the Small Cats' House. But we had to," said Bertram. "Yes, we had to," echoed Viola. "Their luggage _'as_ come back with them," interrupted Mrs. Worfolk, grimly. "Oh, of course, they must stay here," John agreed. "Oh, unquestionably! I wasn't thinking of anything else." He beckoned to Bertram and Viola to follow him out of the room. "Look here," he whispered to them in the passage, "be good children and stay quietly at home. We shall meet at Christmas." He pressed a sovereign into each hand. "Good lummy," Bertram gasped. "I wish I'd had this on the fifth of November. I'd have made old Major Downman much more waxy than he was when I tied a squib to his coat." "Did you, Bertram, did you? You oughtn't to have done that. Though I can understand the temptation. But don't waste this on fireworks." "Oh no," said Bertram. "I'm going to buy Miss Moxley a parrot, because we lost hers." "Are you, Bertram?" John exclaimed with some emotion. "That shows a fine spirit, my boy. I'm very pleased with you." "Yes," said Bertram, "because then with what you gave V we'll buy a monkey at the same time." "Good heavens," cried John, turning pale. "A monkey?" "That will be nice, won't it, Uncle John?" Viola asked, tenderly.