"That's better," said Bernice, and she began to look at the treasures all about her.
There were many tall cases, like book-cases, and on their shelves were ranged curios and valuables of all sorts. These proved more interesting to Dotty than the birds and butterflies.
"Oh, look at the old jewellery!" she cried. "Just like what we saw in the museum, Doll."
"Yes, here are old Egyptian trinkets,—aren't they, Uncle Forbes?"
"Yes, those are Egyptian and Abyssinian. This nose ring was worn by a lady in India some centuries before you girls were born."
"What is the oldest thing you have, Uncle?" asked Alicia. "This jewellery?"
"No; this is my oldest piece," and Mr. Forbes took from a shelf an image of a cat. It was of dark brown material, and was dingy and roughened, as if by fire.
"This came from an old Egyptian tomb," he said. "You know they put all sorts of idols and charms in the tombs of their dead. Then once in a while these things are exhumed, and in some instances sold by the Egyptian Museum authorities. I buy only what is guaranteed by them to be genuine. I have an agent, who has travelled in many countries to collect authentic antiquities for me. This cat dates from about 2000 B. C."
"Gracious!" cried Dotty, "and there's been nearly two thousand years since B. C. That makes Mr. Cat about four thousand years old! Some cat!"
"Well, a cat has nine lives anyway," laughed Alicia, "so it ought to be a long time dead."