The boy took their cards, and then, as they sat down together upon a settee, he set their nerves in a thrill by darting behind a curtain with a shrill cry, and prodding at something with his foot.

The bull pup which they had seen upon the day before bolted from its hiding-place, and scuttled snarling from the room.
"It wants to get at Eliza," said the youth, in a confidential whisper.
"Master says she would give him more'n he brought." He smiled affably at the two little stiff black figures, and departed in search of his mistress.
"What--what did he say ?" gasped Bertha.
"Something about a---- Oh, goodness gracious! Oh, help, help, help, help, help!" The two sisters had bounded on to the settee, and stood there with staring eyes and skirts gathered in, while they filled the whole house with their yells.

Out of a high wicker-work basket which stood by the fire there had risen a flat diamond-shaped head with wicked green eyes which came flickering upwards, waving gently from side to side, until a foot or more of glossy scaly neck was visible.

Slowly the vicious head came floating up, while at every oscillation a fresh burst of shrieks came from the settee.
"What in the name of mischief!" cried a voice, and there was the mistress of the house standing in the doorway.

Her gaze at first had merely taken in the fact that two strangers were standing screaming upon her red plush sofa.