Half an hour later Randy chanced to hear Prue talking to Tabby, just under the kitchen window.
“Now, Tabby,” she was saying, “if you lie real still while I drag you ’round, you’ll get a lovely ride and nobody’ll ever know it; but if you squirm and act naughty, I’ll put the basket right back in Aunt Prudence’s room, and I won’t give you any ride at all.”
Randy waited to hear no more, for upon looking out over the wide window-sill she espied naughty little Prue dragging Miss Prudence’s best cap basket around the dooryard. She had made Tabby lie in the basket, then pressing down the cover she had fastened the little straw loop and thus locked Tabby into a very close carriage. Out rushed Randy, to rescue Tabby and the pretty basket at the same time.
“What makes you think to do such naughty things, Prue Weston?” said indignant Randy; “don’t you know you’re plaguing Tabby and Aunt Prudence at the same time?”
“Tabby likes to ride,” asserted Prue, “and I don’t care if I do plague—” but the mischievous little elf did not finish the sentence, for on looking up, there stood Aunt Prudence in the doorway.
Randy’s face was suffused with hot blushes, and Prue, naughty little Prue, looked completely abashed.
Aunt Prudence was the first to speak. “Bring my basket to me,” said she, abruptly, but not unkindly.
Slowly Prue unfastened the cover of the pretty, round cap basket, and with even more moderation Tabby stepped out, stopping to yawn and stretch while her hind legs were still in the basket.
Prue stooped and energetically lifted her out upon the ground. Randy watched Aunt Prudence while Prue walked very slowly toward her, the forefinger of her left hand in her mouth, while with the right hand she reluctantly handed the basket to its owner.
Did Aunt Prudence smile? Randy thought she espied a twinkle in the sharp eyes behind the glasses.