She found her way into the dark kitchen and, unlocking the door, stood at the head of the stairs. Soon she heard bumps in the wooden box. "Is that you, Andy?" she called softly. "Yes," said a muffled voice, and she heard him stumbling in the dark. Andy found his way to the stairs at last and soon stood beside her. Hortense took him by the hand and led him to Grandmother's room. "This is Andy," she said to the others. "Let us smell him," said Coal and Ember, "so we'll know him in the dark." They sniffed at his heels, and Owl glared fiercely at him. "It's not the boy who robbed my nest," said Owl. "It's lucky for his hair." "Now we'll go into the parlor for the others," said Hortense, leading the way. It was so dark in the parlor that Hortense could see nothing; so she threw open the shutters, admitting a faint light which shone on Malay Kris and made him glitter. "We want you to come down to play hide and seek," said Hortense. "I'd rather have a fight," said Malay Kris. "It's a long time since I've tasted blood. Many's the man I've slithered through like a gimlet in a plank." "These boastful talkers seldom amount to much," said Owl. Malay Kris glared at Owl, whose fierce eyes never wavered. "You have wings," said Malay Kris, "but anything that walks or swims is my meat. Show him to me." "Nonsense," said Hortense sharply. "This is hide and seek and not a pirate ship." "In that case," said Malay Kris, "I'll join you in a friendly game." Down he leaped as agile as a cat, a trim, slim fellow with bright eyes. "And now for Alligator," said Hortense. "He's asleep, as usual." She shook him roughly, and Alligator spoke in a hoarse voice like a rusty saw. "Who's tickling me?" "His voice needs oiling," said Owl. "A fat pig is what I need," said Alligator. "Well we have no fat pigs," said Hortense. "We are going to play hide and seek." "I'll play, of course," said Alligator, "but I'm slow on my feet. Now if it were a lake or river, I'd show you a thing or two." "The point is, who is to be _It_? said Owl. "Very true," said Lowboy. "He's a mind like a judge--never forgets the point." "She's _It_, of course," said Malay Kris. "She thought of the game." "Oh, very well," said Hortense. "It would be more polite to make Andy _It_," said Owl. "Always be polite to ladies." "I'll choose between Andy and me," said Hortense. "Eeny, meeny, mona, my Barcelona bona sky, Care well, Broken well, We wo wack. "I'm _It_. I'll count to a hundred, and the newel post in the hall will be goal." There was a hurrying and scurrying while Hortense hid her face. "Ready," Hortense called and opened her eyes. She moved cautiously in the dark hall and stumbled over something at the second step. Slap, slap, slap, something went against the newel post. "One, two, three for me," said a hoarse voice. "That isn't fair. You slapped with your tail," said Hortense.