"Possibly! Still, I hope he isn't going to make a habit of these afternoon jaunts." I escorted Molly and her little heathen god into the dining-room, where we awaited the arrival of Gran'pa and dinner. When he came downstairs again he looked very flushed and excited, and, for some inexplicable reason, I couldn't help associating his appearance with that terrible morning when he had first read about the glandular rejuvenation of the human race. Had his absence anything to do with this? Where had he really been? And, why? Although I questioned him with great tact he was obstinately uncommunicative--even stone-deaf at times! "A little 'bus ride in town, George," he murmured, over the soup, "is a great appetizer, you know." I do believe the wicked old sinner was actually laughing up his sleeve at me. "Any other purchases besides the idol, Gran'pa?" I shouted. His eyes twinkled and he wiped his moustache on his napkin and leaned back contentedly. "Perhaps it would be as well. . . ." Then he appeared to think better of what he was going to say and added: "I did make another little purchase from a sailor I met, but it won't be along until to-morrow." "Then you _have_ been into the East End?" I cried, jubilantly. "Who said I had?" "Nobody! But I guessed it!" At that, he suddenly became quiet and extremely deaf. Evidently, he had gone further than he had intended, and for the rest of the evening he maintained an air of contemplative silence, broken once or twice by mumbled protests that he was very tired. So it came about that both Molly and I had to wait until the next day before our curiosity was satisfied. Returning home about six o'clock as usual, I let myself in and began leisurely removing my coat. I had just hung it up on the hall stand when the kitchen door opened and Nanny emerged in a great hurry. She was followed by a scuffling noise, a squeak, and then a loud crash of breaking crockery. It sounded just as if she had suddenly let out the fury of some miniature tornado which was hustling round a china shop. "Good Lord!" I gasped. "What is it?" "Oh!" she said. "It's--that nasty little monkey which came this afternoon. _Oh--h!_" As she rushed past me I saw a small, active brown body leap on to the dresser, seize a chunk of bread in its paws and then drop to the floor again, with Gran'pa and Molly in wild pursuit. CHAPTER II GRAN'PA BUYS A MONKEY As Nanny shot past me into the dining-room and slammed the door behind her, I strode forward into the kitchen. There followed a scene I shall never forget. Molly was standing on a chair, shouting and laughing. Gran'pa was on his hands and knees, fishing about under the table and making peculiar little coaxing noises; and in the centre of the room was the cat, with arched back and erect and angry-looking tail. "_Gran'pa!_" I shouted--at the top of my voice.