“Is that Minkie?”
“There you go again. ‘Minkie,’ indeed, and you not two hours in the house!”
“Sorry.”
“Well, if you behave yourself properly I’ll forgive you this time. Before you go, kindly pass those nuts from the sideboard.”
“What kind of nuts are they?” said Rikki, thoughtfully.
“Brazil. They’re rank poison for mongooses.”
“Oh.” He leaped up and gazed at the dish. “Shabàsh!” he said, cracking one. “They’re good eating.”
“I’ll shabàsh you,” I screamed. “Help! Thieves! Hi, hi, hi! Oh, mother, look at Dick!”
“What’s the row now?” demanded Tib, trotting in from the hall.
“Tib, if you love me, chase that red-haired vagabond away from my nuts,” I implored her.