"Tommy, don't frighten Mabel," says his mother anxiously.
"I'm not frightening her. I'm only keeping her quiet," says Tommy defiantly.
"Hah-hah!" says Mr. Courtenay vacuously.
"How wonderfully unpleasant children can make themselves," says Mrs. Blake, making herself 'wonderfully unpleasant' on the spot. "Your little boy so reminds me of my Reginald. He pulls his sister's hair merely for the fun of hearing her squeal!"
"Tommy does not pull Mabel's hair," says Barbara a little stiffly. "Tommy, come here to Mr. Browne; he wants to speak to you."
"I want to know if you would like a cat?" says Mr. Browne, drawing Tommy to him.
"I don't want a cat like our cat," says Tommy, promptly. "Ours is so small, and her tail is too thin. Lady Baltimore has a nice cat, with a tail like mamma's furry for her neck."
"Well, that's the very sort of a cat I can get you if you wish."
"But is the cat as big as her tail?" asks Tommy, still careful not to commit himself.
"Well, perhaps not quite," says Mr. Browne gravely. "Must it be quite as big?"