“Yes, Uncle Abe; and what happened then?”
“I jes’ opened the door gently, an’ looked out.”
“Well?”
“Well! The door were open. I yeerd the cracking o’ the fire an’ the humming o’ the kettle.”
“Someone had called?”
“Perhaps so; perhaps not. ’Tany rate the fire were lit. And when I looked out the front door there were the old man baboon plucking the feathers from the grey hen.”
“Humph!”
“Yes. An’ when he done plucking he popped the old fowl inter the pot.”
“Ha! I suppose the tiger was lying dead?”
“Who—the tiger? Not he. The darned critter pulled the plug outer the water barrel, then turned the barrel over an’ let all the water out. Arter that he pulled the roof offun my shed.”