Ethel, alarmed, started for the house. I, nonplussed, stood still. James burst out laughing.
A moment later Minerva came running out of the front door, her apron over her head.
“What is it, Minerva?” said Ethel, taking hold of her and uncovering her face.
“Ow, Mis. Vernon, dere’s der stranges’ animal in the kitchen. Tain’t a dog an’ it has a mouth like hinges, an’ I’m afraid it’ll eat Miss Pussy up.”
“What a child you are, Minerva,” said Ethel. “There’s no animal there. I’m sure of it.”
“Let’s see what it is,” said I, and turned to speak to James, but he had disappeared.
I could hear his hearty voice shattering the air with laughter, but I could not see him.
“Come, we’ll go in and see this beast,” said I. “Perhaps it’s a rat.”
“’Deed it ain’t a rat. I ain’t agoin’ in. It’s scutterin’ all over de place, an’ it’s stark naked.”
Scuttering all over the place and stark naked. A light burst on me.