The maid that was being crowded fumed and fretted and struggled and presently came to a half-waking condition and protested against the crowding.

That voice paralyzed Orion.

He couldn't move a limb; he couldn't get his breath; and the crowded one discovered his new whiskers and began to scream.

This removed the paralysis, and Orion was out of bed and clawing round in the dark for his clothes in a fraction of a second.

Both maids began to scream then, so Orion did not wait to get his whole wardrobe.