She had no sooner said the words than another quick squeal came from behind the barn, and then silence. "He's swallowed the pig," said Andy. It seemed probable, indeed, that he had done so, but they saw no more of Alligator and didn't dare go out to look for him. Hortense must have taken a brief nap after that, for suddenly she became aware of Jeremiah standing in the doorway. He had come so quietly that she hadn't heard him at all. He stood there a moment, his back arched and his tail waving--his great green eyes roving about the barn. Then, with a tiny sound, appeared Grater. Tom and Jerry, in their stalls, began to tremble. Grater laughed unpleasantly and chanted in a rough voice: _Ride, ride, ride For the world is fair and wide. The moon shines bright On a magic night, And Tom and Jerry Are able very To ride, ride, ride._ With one bound Grater and Jeremiah were on the backs of the horses, and in a twinkling the horses were out of their stalls and running toward the door. Quick as they were, Malay Kris was almost as swift. In a flash he hurled himself at Grater, grazed him, and stuck deep in the wall, where he quivered and grew still. "Missed!" Malay Kris said bitterly. Andy and Hortense, with open mouths, watched the horses and riders grow smaller and smaller against the moon, and finally disappear. "Did you ever!" Hortense gasped at last. Hortense and Andy crawled out from under their sacks and found the rest of their band. Highboy and Lowboy, hand in hand, were leaning against the wall, fast asleep, and had seen nothing at all. Hortense shook them vigorously to awaken them. "You're a pretty pair," she said. "Thank you," said Lowboy, "Our beauty is due to contrast. We set each other off. He is tall and graceful, and I am short, and round like a ball. Some think me handsomer than he." Hortense turned her back upon him. "I'm out of patience with you," she said disgustedly. Lowboy's mouth began to droop at the corners; his eyes closed and round tears, like marbles, began to roll down his cheeks. Highboy hastened to offer him a handkerchief. "You musn't cry, you know," said Highboy, "or you'll warp yourself--maybe even stain your varnish." "Then I'll abstain," said Lowboy, and was so pleased with his pun that he at once began to laugh. Hortense, however, was still out of temper, quite unreasonably, because she couldn't really think of anything which any one should have done. "Where were you, Coal and Ember?" she demanded severely. "In the corner where you put us," Coal and Ember growled with one voice. "Why didn't you do something?" "Take a bite out of Grater?" Coal suggested sarcastically. "You can't bite anything that hasn't a smell!" "Why can't you?" Hortense inquired sharply. "Because if it hasn't any smell it hasn't any taste, and how can you bite a thing if you can't taste it?" "You mean, how can you taste it if you don't bite it," said Hortense. "I mean what I say," said Coal.