Elfreda Briggs was standing on a chair, Anne Nesbit had run into the garden which she had reached by a short cut through an open window.

Tom and Hippy, having sprung back, were gazing on the intruder in startled amazement, while Nora Wingate, standing on the table with one foot in the platter of venison, was screaming.
Grace, who had backed into a corner, was trying to subdue her own individual panic sufficiently to reason out the situation.

Joe Shafto's words, when Grace finally absorbed them, brought enlightenment.
"Will he bite, Mrs.Shafto ?" she called.
"Won't bite nothin' if ye don't bother him." Grace ran to Emma and bathed her face with water.
"Get down!" commanded Lieutenant Wingate, holding up a hand to Nora.
"Don't you see you're spoiling a perfectly good lot of venison?
I never saw such a parcel of 'fraid cats in all my life." "Neither did I," grumbled Mrs.Shafto.

"I didn't know Henry was down there or I'd a shooed him out before ye set down." "I won't get down until that beast is out of the house," declared Nora.
"Whoever heard of such a thing.

Don't!" Hippy pulled her down without ceremony and placed Nora in a chair.
"Behave yourself! You will see more bears, and then some, before you finish this journey." Joe took a broom and shooed Henry out into the yard.