and were going
to the vaults where the Animals and Things had been shut up. What a
sight met their eyes! The wretches had eaten and drunk such a lot that
they were lying on the floor quite tipsy! Tylo himself had lost all
his dignity. He had rolled under the table and was snoring like a
porpoise. His instinct remained; and the sound of the door made him
prick up his ears. He opened one eye, but his sight was troubled by
all that he had had to drink and he did not know his little master
when he saw him. He dragged himself to his feet with a great effort,
turned round several times and then dropped on the floor again with a
grunt of satisfaction.

Bread and the others were as bad; and the only exception was the Cat,
who was sitting up prettily on a marble and gold bench and seemed in
full possession of her senses. She sprang nimbly to the ground and
stepped up to Tyltyl with a smile:

"I have been longing to see you," she said, "for I have been very
unhappy among all these vulgar people. They first drank all the wine
and then started shouting and singing and dancing, quarrelling and
fighting and making such a noise that I was very glad when, at last,
they fell into a tipsy sleep."

The children praised her warmly for her good behaviour. As a matter of
fact, there was no great merit in this, for she could not stand
anything stronger than milk; but we are seldom rewarded when by rights
we ought to be and sometimes are when we have not deserved it.

After fondly kissing the children, Tylette asked a favour of Light:

"I have had such a wretched time," she whined. "Let me go out for a
little while; it will do me good to be alone."

[Illustration: The Cat at once draped her cloak round her, opened the
door and ran and bounded out into the forest]

Light gave her consent without suspecting anything; and the Cat at
once draped her cloak round her, put her hat straight, pulled up her
soft grey boots over her knees, opened the door and ran and bounded
out into the forest. We shall know, a little later, where treacherous
Tylette was going so gaily and what was the horrid plot which she was
mysteriously concocting.

As on the other days, the Children had their dinner with Light in a
large room all encrusted with diamonds. The servants bustled around
them smiling and brought delicious dishes and cakes.

After dinner, our little friends began to yawn. They felt sleepy very
early, after all their adventures; and, Light--ever