The Terrible Twins

sight among the gorse, in silence. They were glad at his going, but sorry

for the point of view of Wiggins, Mrs. Dangerfield.

n uncommonly violent bomb at a quiet garden party," said the

, but there was no exce

and Wiggins," said Sir Maurice amiably. "And if we start apologizing, there will be no end to

changed the subject firmly, saying: "We're going to London next we

; and Mrs. Dangerfield and Sir Maurice were seeing to it that every one, even Mrs. Blenkinsop and Mrs. Morton, were getting their little chances of shining. The Twins and Wiggins slipped away; and their elders talked the more at the

s violent niece had made on a guest. The Terror was also doing his best in the matter: with unbending firmness he prevented Erebus, eager to enjoy her un

eive these milder rebukes in the proper meek spirit. Unlike the philosophic Terror, who for the most part accepted his mother's just

a guest on the previous evening, since he was making a descent on the house unin

every one-especially to me. And if he was always trying to score off me, I'd a perfect right to score off him. And anyhow, I wasn'

lf with closing the discussion by telling Erebus not to do it again. She knew that however bitterly Erebus might prote

dued vivacity into which they always fell after a signal exploit that came to their mother's notice, were very pleasant companions; and the peaceful life and early hours of Li

at by the fact that the Terror went every morning to study the classics with the vicar, and Erebus l

therefore, toward Mr. Carrington's house which stood nearly a mile away on the outskirts of Little Deeping, and watched it from the

ccess of caution, he bolted for covert and disappeared in the gorse sixty yards away on their left. They fell noiselessly back, going as quickly as concealment permitted, to

the immemorial oaks for a quarter of a mile round emptied th

d grimy notebook, gloomily made an entry in it, and gloomily said: "That makes you

ebus scowled, and a faint frown broke the

Wiggins now, he'll be so c

We never get really far from the village. We always get stopped on the way-rats, or somethin

here where they don't know

ve been thinking so for a

moon!" said Ereb

o far away," said

his Cosmic All a mere time-honored cheat. With ears impervious to his sister's vain lament, the Terror strode on serenely thoughtful, pon

ister which caused the Terror to say: "I've go

he monotonous

mon, and were nearing the village, when they me

re you going to do with that

pond," said Billy Beck in the i

hands. "You're not going to do anything

ck flushed redder with rage an

she won't 'ave 'im about the

have him,"

f their simple joy, burst into blubbering ro

isn't any one's to d

away from him ready to fly, should human justice intervene actively. The Terror put his hand in his pocket and fumbl

can buy bull's-eyes with it," he sa

's tearful eyes. "'E's worth more'n a

to Billy's feet, turned on his heel and went back across the common away from t

He was only going to drown the kit

't take it without paying for

ddling the kitten and t

and said, "There ought to be a home

rt, and said: "By Jove

re money than all the rest of the family put together, and yet never rained posta

tone of considerable animation. "Come

e any disgusting lette

ds in the dictionary, and Wiggins can help because, seeing so much of his

Erebus clamoring to have her suddenly aroused curiosity gratified. Practise had made the Terror's ears impervious at will to his sister's questions, which were frequent and innumerable. Without a word of explan

't make any blots, or you'll

ied Erebus, ruffled. "Mr. Etheridge says I write ev

the Terror coldly. "Fire away: 'My dear Aunt Amelia'-I s

s' there are in 'interested'-and 'awfully' is an

nfulness, and announced triumphantly that there was but a single "r" in

Wiggins with the air of

nt Amelia: I have often heard that you are

ink you had!

ing," said the Terror. "I've got to make this let

eous grimace and

no: 'tremendously.' I like that word 'tremend

ourself now," said

tity of kittens that are drowned is horrible'-that ought to fetch her; kittens are s

ops-lots," said Er

to have a cats' home here'-What's the ri

number of his freckles see

seer'-slaves have them

ld overseer it for you. I have got my eye on a building which would suit us tremendously well.

ness!" cried Erebus; an

ally. "Go on: 'Or else just as the cats get to be happy and fe

id Wiggins wit

you would like to have a cats' home here and send me some money, I will start it at once. Your a

together," said Erebus in

stayed with Aunt Amelia, and taught her parrot to say 'Dam,'

ere the silly old parrot couldn't say a thing; and when I came away, he co

ple don't like,"

a dam in a river. I told Aunt

how truthfully we've been brought up," said t

ught to sign your name

nd it will go better with the rest of the

the money going to be to us, if we've got to spend it on

y cats in Little Deeping-not enough to fill a cats' home decently," he said slowly. "We should

her charming face, as she cried in a tone of awe not unt

or. "If I didn't we should

as pleased with him for his thought: she wished him to stand well with his great-aunt, since she was a rich woman without children of her own. She did not, indeed, suggest that the letter should

ould bring about; she would pause in the very middle of some important enterprise to discuss the rides they would take on them, the orchards that those machine

on. As the purport of her great-nephew's letter slowly penetrated her mind, a broad and beaming smile of gratification spread slowly over her large round face; a

stirred Lady Ryehampton to a noble phrase. Her eyes brightened with humorous appreciation as she read the letter of Erebus; and when she came to the end of it she opened her mouth to point ou

s, smiled and said warmly: "It's really wonderful. You

on with an air of satisfaction. "And I

of Lady Ryehampton's money should go to him; indeed that money ought to be educating him at a good school. It was monstrous that the great

hing to discourage enthu

ad not better send fifty. Miss Hendersyde made her conscience quite comfortable by compromising: she said that she thought thirty

spending of it. But Miss Hendersyde kept referring to the Terror's enterprise all that day and the next morning, with the result that on the next afternoon Lady Ryehampton signed

ho had been watching for the postman, received it from him, signed the receipt with t

her with flawless sereni

flush covered his face; and he said in a so

hic dance which she invented on

she cried. "It's the best

f his coat. A frown of the most thoughtful consideration furrowed his brow. Then he said firmly: "The

said Erebus, with eage

to the house, Erebus spurning the earth a

and with a casual air, as if he was not greatly eager for

!" cried Mrs. Dangerfield, who lived in fear of th

do what we liked with, I think we coul

eing how hard up you always are. You can have the cow-house. It's right at the end of the paddock-well away from the house-

Terror quickly. "But we'll tell you all about it w

kfast he left the co

g-that would make talk enough-and then, having begged a holiday from the vicar, he took the train to Rowington, their market town, ten miles away,

or receding by letting a straggly beard try to cover it, till his nerves were all on edge. Then the Terror, drawing a handful of sovereigns out of his pocket and gazing at them lovingly, seemed unable to make up his mind whether to buy two bicycles or one; and the bearded but chinless young man perspired with his eloquent efforts to demonstrate the advantage of buying two. He was quite weary when the persuaded Terror proceeded to develop the point that there must b

ly up and down High Street. Then he said: "W

said

y hungry and thirsty doi

said Erebus quickly; and her eyes

o pay for refreshment. It's a l

ght," said Erebu

to a confectioner's shop, propped them up carefully against

tart the Terror said: "Of cou

they do," s

ket-money," said the Terror. "W

Erebus in a tone of

nce. And I tell you what: we shall have to keep accounts. I'll buy an account-book.

erature prevented him from paying more than a penny for it. From the stationer's he went to an ironmonger's and bought a saw, a brace, a gimlet, a screw-driver and two gross of screws-his tool-box had lon

quiet orchard, in a lovely unguarded spot, and filled the cat-basket on Erebus' bicycle with excellent apples. The tools had been packed into th

amily: "I shouldn't wonder if these bicy

e where they didn't know us," said

ay their bicycles in the cow-house. At lunch they

with an important moneyed air, down to the village carpenter, the only timber merchant in the neighborhood, and bought planks from him. There was some discussion before his idea about the price of planks and that of the Terror were in exact accord; and as he took the

onstructive genius to the creation of cat-hutches. That eveni

s proposed that they should forthwith mount their bicycles and

he cats' home finished before we use those

e vicarage for his morning's lessons with the vicar. He set to work again as soon a

pt them within their borders. He was deeply impressed by the sight of the bicycles, but not greatly surprised: his estimation of the powers of his friends was too high for any of their exploits to

them. But their spirits never flagged; and by sunset on the third day they had constructed accommodation for thirty cats. It may be that the wooden bars of the

d the transformed cow-house with shining triumphant eye