Freddie began to open the little door, and he was not very much afraid, for now the cat was purring and rubbing around his legs, and the little boy felt sure that there could be no dog, or anything else scary, in the box-house, or else the cat would not have come so close.
"Maybe there isn't anything in there," suggested Flossie.
"Oh, there's got to be SOMETHING!" declared Freddie. "It's a place for chickens, maybe."
"It's too little for chickens," said Flossie.
"Well, maybe it's a place for——"
That is as far as Freddie got in his talk, for, just then, a voice called from somewhere behind the children:
"Hi there! What do you want?"
"Oh!"
Freddie and Flossie both called out in surprise as they turned. They saw, standing on the back steps of the big house, a boy about as big as Bert.
"We came in after this cat," said Freddie, and he pointed to the stray pussy that was rubbing against his legs.