This new version of an old and familiar story was received with tremendous applause, to which Fred's boots added not a little.
Next appeared Sir Percy once more, this time without any outward adornments. He was laid upon the floor, and in his mouth was thrust a pointed stick, bearing a paper, on which was written in Maggie's largest, roundest hand, these words:—
"This is a disagreeable smelling dead cat."
About and around the dead cat walked five young ladies, uttering exclamations of disgust, wondering where the smell could come from, but strangely blind to the offensive animal which lay before them.
"Ow! how horrid!" cried one.
"Ugh! disgusting!" exclaimed another.
"What an awful smell!" said the third.
"Ugh! it's that dead cat!" said the fourth. "Let's shun it, let's shun it!"
And with loud cries of "Shun it, shun it," the five young ladies scamper into the store-room, from which the sound of smothered laughter had now and then mingled with the public applause without.
It was not difficult now to guess the word; nevertheless the whole charade must be played out before it was even hinted at to the performers.