"There"s no hole," said Grandfather, examining the sofa carefully from end to end, "but there is something moving inside!"
He opened his pocketknife and carefully slit the covering at one end.
Uncle Jonah and Aunt Esmerelda retreated to the door and looked on with frightened faces.
Grandfather inserted his hand, felt around, and pulled forth Jeremiah, a very crestfallen cat.
"How did you get in there?" demanded Grandfather.
Jeremiah mewed and looked much ashamed.
"A most extraordinary thing," said Grandfather, carrying Jeremiah from the room.
Hortense followed with the others. As she went, she raised her eyes to Malay Kris, hanging in his customary place on the wall.
Malay Kris winked one bright eye at her.
[Ill.u.s.tration]
CHAPTER VI
"_I"ll have the charm That saves from harm;_"
Grandmother was knitting and Hortense sat on a stool at her feet, thinking, for she wished to make a request of Grandmother and she was doubtful of Grandmother"s response.
"May I ask the little boy who lives next door to come in and play?"
Hortense asked suddenly.
"I didn"t know you had seen him," said Grandmother.
"I"ve seen and talked with him," said Hortense. "His name is Andy."
"You are sure that he is a nice little boy?" Grandmother asked.
"Oh yes!" Hortense cried.
"Very well, then," said Grandmother. "You may ask him to come after luncheon."
Hortense did so. After luncheon she and Andy climbed to the attic, which Hortense wished to see in the daytime, for at night she had learned very little about it.
It was a great square attic with a roof that sloped gradually to the floor from the cupola, which was like the lamp high above in a lighthouse. Like all proper attics it held old trunks, furniture, and all kinds of things. In the drawers of the bureaus and wardrobes were old suits and dresses, and in the trunks, other dresses and suits and old hangings. Andy and Hortense took them out and dressed in them--and played they were a lord and a lady, and pirates, and Indians. Then they sat down to eat the four apples which Hortense had thoughtfully brought with her.
"Where do you suppose the Cat hid the night I followed him and he disappeared?" Hortense asked.
"There are lots of corners to hide in," said Andy, but Hortense was sure that the Cat had some particular place; so Andy and she crawled all around the attic under the eaves, looking behind every trunk and into every corner. Yet they could find no place that seemed especially secret.
"There"s no secret corner," said Andy, sitting down beside the big chimney and leaning his back against it.
But as he spoke he suddenly began to disappear through the floor and only by catching the edge of it did he save himself. He and Hortense were too surprised to speak for a moment. Then they knelt on the edge of the opening and peered down.
"It"s a trapdoor," said Andy. "We must find out where it goes."
He pushed the door to one side and revealed a little staircase.
"Are you afraid to go down?" Andy asked.
"Of course not," said Hortense. "You go first."
Andy led the way and Hortense followed. A few steps brought them to a small room. It was dark, but the light from the trapdoor enabled them to see a little after a while. There was nothing in the room but a large chest.
"Shall we open it?" Andy asked.
"Of course," said Hortense.
By pulling and tugging they succeeded at last in lifting the lid.
"It"s empty," said Andy much disappointed. "I hoped it might be full of gold and jewels."
Hortense had a sudden thought.
"This is where Jeremiah went the time we couldn"t find him."
Andy was unconvinced.
"A cat couldn"t open a trapdoor," he said.
"Maybe Jeremiah could. He"s no ordinary cat. Besides there"s another one."
"Another cat?" Andy demanded.
"No. Somebody else we haven"t seen, but I can guess who it is."
"Who is it?"
"I won"t tell yet--not until I"m sure. But we"ll see him. Maybe we"ll surprise him and Jeremiah here some night and take them captive."
"h.e.l.lo," said Andy as he put his foot on the stairs. "What"s this?"
Beside the chimney was a black hole and fastened to the chimney was an iron bar like the rung of a ladder. Andy peered down.
"There"s another rung," he said. "I wonder where this ladder goes?"
"We"ll have to find out," said Hortense. "Dear me, this is a most mysterious house."
Andy put one foot on the ladder and began to descend. Soon his head disappeared from sight.