and dresses, and in the trunks, other dresses and suits and
old hangings. Andy and Hortense took them out and dressed in them--and
played they were a lord and a lady, and pirates, and Indians. Then they
sat down to eat the four apples which Hortense had thoughtfully brought
with her.

"Where do you suppose the Cat hid the night I followed him and he
disappeared?" Hortense asked.

"There are lots of corners to hide in," said Andy, but Hortense was
sure that the Cat had some particular place; so Andy and she crawled
all around the attic under the eaves, looking behind every trunk and
into every corner. Yet they could find no place that seemed especially
secret.

"There's no secret corner," said Andy, sitting down beside the big
chimney and leaning his back against it.

But as he spoke he suddenly began to disappear through the floor and
only by catching the edge of it did he save himself. He and Hortense
were too surprised to speak for a moment. Then they knelt on the edge
of the opening and peered down.

"It's a trapdoor," said Andy. "We must find out where it goes."

He pushed the door to one side and revealed a little staircase.

"Are you afraid to go down?" Andy asked.

"Of course not," said Hortense. "You go first."

Andy led the way and Hortense followed. A few steps brought them to a
small room. It was dark, but the light from the trapdoor enabled them
to see a little after a while. There was nothing in the room but a
large chest.

"Shall we open it?" Andy asked.

"Of course," said Hortense.

By pulling and tugging they succeeded at last in lifting the lid.

"It's empty," said Andy much disappointed. "I hoped it might be full of
gold and jewels."

Hortense had a sudden thought.

"This is where Jeremiah went the time we couldn't find him."

Andy was unconvinced.

"A cat couldn't open a trapdoor," he said.

"Maybe Jeremiah could. He's no ordinary cat. Besides there's another
one."

"Another cat?" Andy demanded.

"No. Somebody else we haven't seen, but I can guess who it is."

"Who is it?"

"I won't tell yet--not until I'm sure. But we'll see him. Maybe we'll
surprise him and Jeremiah here some night and take them captive."

"Hello," said Andy as he put his foot on the stairs. "What's this?"

Beside the chimney was a black hole and fastened to the chimney was an
iron bar like the rung of a ladder. Andy peered down.

"There's another rung," he said. "I wonder where this ladder goes?"