Red's mother intervened. "Do you mean to say you're keeping a meat-eating animal, Red? It might bite you and give you blood-poison."
"They're only small ones," quavered Red. "They hardly budge if you touch them."
"They? How many do you have?"
"Two."
"Where are they?"
The Industrialist touched her arm. "Don't chivvy the child any further," he said, in a low voice. "If he says he'll get rid of them, he will, and that's punishment enough."
He dismissed the matter from his mind.
VIII
Lunch was half over when Slim dashed into the dining room. For a moment, he stood abashed, and then he said in what was almost hysteria, "I've got to speak to Red. I've got to say something."
Red looked up in fright, but the Astronomer said, "I don't think, son, you're being very polite. You've kept lunch waiting."