The entrance to the home of Mr. Mouse was through a crack between two bricks. The General knocked loudly several times, and receiving no answer, he told the rest to wait for him, and stepped boldly in. He found no one at home, and so, leaving his card, returned to the waiting Teenie Weenies.
“I’m awfully sorry Mr. Mouse is out,” said the Lady of Fashion, as the little people moved away. “I haven’t seen him for a long time.”
“Here he comes now,” cried the Cook, pointing toward a pile of lumber at the other end of the cellar. “And there’s another mouse with him.”
Billie Mouse saw the Teenie Weenies, and came bounding joyfully up to them.
“My, it does my eyes good to see you again,” he cried. “It’s a long time since I have seen you.”
Motioning the other mouse to come up, he introduced him to all the Teenie Weenies.
“I’m delighted to meet you,” the new mouse said, making a deep bow.
“Well how have you been?” asked the General, sitting down on the edge of an old scrubbing brush.
“Oh I’m in pretty good shape now,” answered Billie Mouse, “but I have had a very bad time of it for the last three weeks. I had a bad case of ptomaine poisoning.”
“Ptomaine poisoning!” exclaimed the General. “That’s rather serious.”