see it till it had
been brought to its finished state and was in thorough working order.
Therefore she had no idea of its size or of the cost of its
construction. Like every one else she supposed it to be a ramshackle
affair of makeshifts constructed from old planks and hen-coops.

Moreover she had not learned that the Twins possessed bicycles, for
they were judicious in their use. They were careful to sally forth
when she was taking her siesta after lunch; they went across the common
and came back across the common and their neighbors saw them riding
very little.

When at last she was invited to come to see their finished work, she
accepted the invitation with becoming delight, and made her inspection
of the home with a becoming seriousness and a growing surprise. She
expressed her admiration of its convenience, its cleanliness, and the
extensive scale on which it was being run. She agreed with the Terror
that to have saved so many kittens from the awful death of drowning was
a great work. But she asked no questions, not even how it was that the
cats' home was fragrant with the scent of hidden apples. She knew that
an explanation, probably of an admirable plausibility, was about to be
given her.

Then at the end of her inspection, the Terror said carelessly: "The
bicycles are for bringing kittens from a distance, of course."

"What? Are those your bicycles?" cried Mrs. Dangerfield. "But
wherever did you get the money from to buy them?"

"Aunt Amelia found the money," said the Terror. "You know she's very
keen--tremendously interested in cats' homes. She thinks we are doing
a great work, as well as you."

Mrs. Dangerfield's beautiful eyes were very wide open; and she said
rather breathlessly: "You got money out of your Aunt Amelia for a cats'
home in Little Deeping?"

"Oh, yes," said the Terror carelessly.

Mrs. Dangerfield turned away hastily to hide her working face: she
_must_ not laugh at their great-aunt before the Twins. She bit her
tongue with a firmness that filled her eyes with tears. It was
painful; but it enabled her to complete her inspection with the
required gravity.

The Terror fixed up the board above the door of the home; and it awoke
a fresh interest among their neighbors in their enterprise. Several of
them, including the squire and the vicar, made visits of inspection to
it; and Wiggins brought his father. All of them expressed an
admiration of the institution and of the me