Meanwhile Graywhisker sat in his hole, laying plans for the future.
“It’s provoking,” he said to himself, “that they found the gray kitten so soon. However, I caused them some trouble, and it couldn’t have been very pleasant for her to be penned up over night in the hay without food; there’s some comfort in that. Then I’ve got Posy’s amber necklace all safe. She didn’t think the ‘great ugly rat’ that frightened her so when she was playing in the barn knew enough to pick it up when it dropped off. Well, that’s encouraging too; and then Hannah’s thimble,—here it is, safe and sound, and here it will stay; and then, my dear Mrs. Barn-cat, here’s your fine collar that you were so fond of. You were in such an excited state of mind when you lost it off that you didn’t know it had gone. Here it is, and here it will remain too. I should like to see you venture in here again, my fine young cock-sparrow; you wouldn’t get off quite so easily the next time, I can tell you. I shan’t go out again without leaving somebody here on guard. Hallo! who’s that?” he exclaimed, as his quick ears caught a faint sound. “Oh, I know your light step, Mrs. Silverskin; come in.”
Mrs. Silverskin appeared in her usual timid manner. “I have heard something I thought you would be pleased to know,” she said in her little weak voice. “I was hiding behind the kitchen door yesterday, where I picked up a few crumbs the children had dropped from their lunch, and I heard Hannah tell Mrs. Winton that Nancy was a thief, and had stolen Posy’s amber necklace and Hannah’s silver thimble and the cat’s collar.”
“Good!” exclaimed Graywhisker, with a disagreeable chuckle that displayed his broken front tooth very unpleasantly; “nothing could be better! and what did Mrs. Winton say?”
“She said she didn’t believe it,—that she should believe her innocent until she had proof of her guilt.”
“She shall have proof of it,” said the old rat maliciously, “and before long too.”
“How so?” asked Mrs. Silverskin.
“It’s easy enough to bring that about,” replied Graywhisker. “Don’t you see that if Hannah’s thimble is hidden among Nancy’s things it will be sufficient proof of her guilt?”
“But who will put it there?” asked Mrs. Silverskin, who had a secret misgiving that the task would fall upon her.
“You!” said Graywhisker; “haven’t I done favors enough for you?”