The two hung over the gate and deliberately stared into the little shed. "No goat ever stopped still for so long," persisted Edith, when three full minutes had passed without motion in the shed.
"I'll go in and see," began Roger, about to climb the gate. A sudden exclamation from Frances deterred him.
"Goodness, here's a black cat! Where did it come from?"
Upon the doorstep now sat a perfectly motionless black cat.
"Look at the black hens!" added Edith, bursting into laughter.
At either corner of the stone cottage two coal black hens were visible, also like statues, and possessing bright yellow eyes.
"And a black dog in a barrel!" Frances fairly shrieked.
"Well, a dog has some sense!" said Roger, whistling and calling. Strange to say, the dog neither stirred nor lifted its head. Nose on its paws it remained absolutely still.
"This is a bum lot of animals," observed Roger. "I never saw a dog before that wouldn't at least bark at strangers."
"It's probably dumb as well as deaf," commented Frances.