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"Alas," said the Queen, "Grater has already made prisoners of Highboy and Lowboy. I had persuaded the King to make them his Court Jester and Poet but before they could even be brought here, they were waylaid and borne away." "In that case," said Hortense, "we must go to their rescue. Will you grant us permission?"
At the top of the stairs Highboy paused and leaned over the bannisters. Somebody was walking to and fro in the hall beneath with soft regular footfalls like the ticking of a clock. "It's only Grandfather's Clock," said Highboy in a relieved whisper. "He always walks that way at night." Highboy and Hortense descended the stairs into the hall.
"Too late," said Alligator, making off to the parlor. "I suppose the party's broken up for to-night," said Owl. All moved away by common consent. Hortense let Andy out of the back door and locked it after him. Taking Highboy, who was still shaking, by the hand, she led him up the stairs. "That Alligator's a dreadful person," said Highboy. "I'm sure I'll not sleep at all."
I'm going to have some real thrills at this sale." The preacher entered into the spirit of the girl and smiled at her promise to bid on the third thing put up for sale. "Oh, look at the highboy," she exclaimed to him. "Do you like it?" he asked. "Yes. See how it's inlaid with hollywood and cherry and how fine the lines of it are! I wonder how much it will bring.
He stood in the middle of the room with his tail waving to and fro and looked suspiciously from side to side. Both Firedogs growled; the Cat spit; White Owl cried, "Who-oo-o," and flew down from his perch. In a twinkling Hortense was running down the hall, hand in hand with Highboy and Lowboy, behind Coal and Ember.
"I'm longing to see the bright, round one with prickly sides. I've a guess as to who it is." Highboy shivered again. "Don't mention them in my hearing please!" he begged. "You never can tell when Jeremiah is snooping about, and he's a telltale." "Well, we needn't be afraid of Jeremiah," Hortense said. "Malay Kris will make the other one run, too, I expect." She looked out of the window.
But everybody's afraid of time, and Grandfather's Clock has all the time there is." When Hortense and Highboy entered, only the embers of the fire were left on the hearth in Grandmother's room. White Owl was wide-awake with staring eyes, but the Firedogs were evidently napping and Lowboy was sound asleep. "Hello," said Highboy, and at once Lowboy's eyes opened wide and both the Firedogs growled.
"He isn't here," said Owl. "I can see in every corner, and he isn't here. But where could he have gone?" Nobody had an answer to make, and every one felt that there was something mysterious in the Cat's sudden disappearance. "I think I'd better go back," said Highboy nervously. "It's time I was asleep. Suppose we should be found way up here!"
Dressed, she opened the door of her room very quietly and peeped curiously out. And there in the wide hall, dusting an old highboy, was the girl with the dark hair. "Hullo!" exclaimed Robin, delighted at the encounter. The girl stared for a moment. She was tall and thin; her eyes so intensely blue as to look black and startling in their contrast to the whiteness of her skin.
Chests, filled with linens and antique woolen coverlets, afforded a resting place for the fortunate ones who had arrived earliest. A few antique chairs and tables, a mahogany highboy in excellent condition and an antique corner-cupboard of wild-cherry wood occupied prominent places among the collection. Truly, the sale warranted the attention it was receiving.
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