Then their father had fallen into the hands of a firm of gambling stock-brokers, had along with them lost nearly all his money, and presently died, leaving Mrs.Dangerfield with a very small income indeed.

All the while since his death it had been a hard struggle to make both ends meet; and the Twins had had many a lesson in learning to do without the desires of their hearts.
But their desires were strong; the wits of the Terror were not weak; and taking one month with another the Twins had as much pocket-money as the bulk of the children of the well-to-do.

But it did not come in the way of a regular allowance; it had to be obtained by diplomacy or work; and the processes of getting it had given the Terror the liveliest interest in financial matters.

He was resolved that the cats' home and the wages of "overseering" should last as long as possible.
But it soon grew clear to him that, with milk at threepence halfpenny a quart, the kittens would soon drink themselves out of house and home.
He discussed the matter with Erebus and Wiggins; and they agreed with him that milk spelled ruin.

But they could see no way of reducing the price of milk; and they were sure that it was the necessary food for growing kittens.
Their faces were somewhat gloomy at the end of the discussion; and a heavy silence had fallen on them.