"Uncle Toby's pets!" exclaimed Mrs. Martin.
"Is there a dog?" asked Teddy, his eyes shining in delight. "Won't Skyrocket be glad? Do you hear that, old fellow?" went on Teddy, leaning down to pet the dog that had jumped from the automobile and was looking as if in wonder at the house whence came such strange noises. "You're going to have another dog to play with. Uncle Toby did leave a dog, didn't he?" Teddy asked of Mrs. Watson. "I hear a dog barking in the house."
"A dog!" exclaimed the queer little old housekeeper. "He left two dogs, Uncle Toby did!"
"Two dogs!" murmured Mrs. Martin, with a hopeless look at her husband.
"Did he leave a cat?" asked Janet. "I thought I heard one mewing. And Turnover would like another cat to play with."
"Yes, Uncle Toby left you a cat, also," said Mrs. Watson.
Just then shrill screams, barks, squeaks and squawks, all mixed together, seemed to float out of the opened windows of the old house—windows in which were strong wire screens.
"Two dogs and a cat!" exclaimed Mr. Martin. "My dear Mrs. Watson," he went on, as he sat down on the top step of the porch rather limply, "will you please tell us, as fast as you can, just how many and what pets Uncle Toby has left us? We may as well hear the worst at once," he said to his wife. "I never imagined Uncle Toby cared for animal pets."
"Oh, indeed he did," replied Mrs. Watson. "Of late years he grew very fond of animals. All his pets are animals, and he'd have gotten more only I said I wouldn't stay and keep house for him if he brought in what he spoke of last."
"What was that?" Mrs. Martin wanted to know.