Hermpf," snorted Aunt Esmerelda. "I suppose yo' friends include dat
good for nuttin' Andy, whose all da time botherin' Uncle Jonas hawses.
But dats all right, chile; ef you likes my cookies, you jus hep yoself
to dem. Dat's what day is fo."

That evening, after supper when they were all having a cup of tea in
the parlor Grandmother took a long look at Hortense, but said nothing.
Grandfather took a few puffs on his pipe and Jeremiah walked in.

"That cat has just been in too much mischief lately," declared
Grandfather. "I believe I'll try locking him the basement tonight and
see if he will stay out of trouble." At this Jeremiah arched his back
and started for the door, but Grandfather jumped up quickly and caught
him.

"Don't blame the cat," Grandmother admonished. "After all you know very
well there have been strange goings on which the cat certainly couldn't
account for--like the disappearance of the sofa."

"Nevertheless, he's been in his share of trouble, what with jumping
down the chimney and all," retorted Grandfather. "We'll try it for a
night or two this way, anyway." So against the plaintive cries of the
cat, the cellar door was locked securely after he was put downstairs.

Later, when everyone had retired, Hortense could hear Grandfather and
Grandmother talking in their bedroom, but try as she could she couldn't
catch a word they were saying, and she wondered if he might have told
Grandmother about the plan to go to the little people again. However,
after some time the conversation ceased and when all was quiet Hortense
quietly slipped downstairs and told Malay Kris of the plan. He jumped
down from the wall quickly.

"There's nothing I'd like better than a battle," he said. "Now that
Grater is out of the way maybe I can get a taste of that cat. He'd be a
nice juicy bite I fancy."

The two of them slipped out to the barn where they met Fergus and Andy.

"Now," said Hortense, dividing up the cookies, "Andy and Kris and I
will go on the back to the attic and eat our cookies, then go through
the tunnel to the place of the little people on the mountain side. The
moon is just beginning to rise, so when it is directly overhead, Fergus
can eat his cookies and fly to meet us with Tom and Jerry. That should
give us time enough to rescue Coal and Ember and alligator sofa."

On arriving at the attic and dropping down into the secret room, they
sat down and ate their cookies, then climbed on down the ladder to the