Therefore, quickly hopping down the remaining steps he grabbed up the squalling Jerry and administered a sound spanking, which so took the little bear by surprise that he stopped abruptly in the middle of a fearful shriek and at once became as still as a mouse.
After this slight interruption, the bears proceeded to institute a vigorous search for the cider. At first they struck the vinegar barrel from which they retired in dismay, the very odor of the acid stuff giving the baby bear an attack of colic. But their next experiment proved more successful and soon they were filling themselves with the sweet liquid. When they could hold no more they all sat down rather tipsily on the bottom step, not quite sure what they wanted to do next. Of course they had not thought to turn off the faucet of the cider barrel, and the little amber stream continued to run steadily, slowly spreading over the floor, where it presently formed a shining lake in which the flickering light of the candle cast some grotesque and ever changing reflections.
Just about this time the swift patter of furry paws sounded on the kitchen floor and were heard rapidly approaching the cellar door. Immediately the frightened bears knew what had happened. Rough House had awakened, in a really very inconsiderate manner, and missing the bear family had hurried downstairs to do a little detective work on his own account.
Instantly Peter Pan blew out the candle and the whole family scurried away in the pitch black darkness, wading knee deep through the lake of cider, and finally taking refuge in the coal bin.
Meanwhile Rough House was not a little astonished to find such a state of affairs in cook’s orderly domain. He sniffed around cautiously and so quick were his movements that his sharp brown eyes caught a glimpse of the flickering candle gleam below stairs before Peter Pan had time to extinguish it.
At once he conjectured that the Teddy bears had been the authors of all the mischief; and filled with an impish desire to get even with the creatures of whom he had grown so jealous, he quickly sprang behind the door and charging upon it with lowered head had the joy of seeing it swing securely shut, leaving his enemies close prisoners in the darkness and silence below stairs.
Rough House had been trained never to help himself to anything to eat unless it was first offered to him. But he could not refrain from licking up a few tempting, sugary crumbs, and little scraps of cake that the bears had left scattered about the floor. Then after pushing at the door with his nose to make sure that all was hard and fast he trotted upstairs, wagging his tail with much satisfaction and laid himself down across the foot of Sally’s bed, where he was soon fast asleep; keeping one eye open, however, as he usually did, in order to be able to head off the bears should they by any manner of means succeed in escaping from their confinement.