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〃All right；〃 laughed the man。 〃Come on； Miss Billy。〃
On the door at the head of the stairs he tapped twice； lightly。
〃Well； Pete；〃 called Cyril's voice； none too cordially。
〃Pete； indeed！〃 scoffed Bertram。 〃You've got company； young man。
Open the door。 Miss Billy is viewing the Strata。〃
The bare floor echoed to a quick tread； then the door opened and
Cyril faced them with a forced smile on his lips。
〃Come inthough I fear there will be littleto see；〃 he said。
Bertram assumed a pompous attitude。
〃Ladies and gentlemen； you behold here the lion in his lair。〃
〃Be still； Bertram；〃 ordered Cyril。
〃He is a lion； really；〃 confided Bertram； in a lower voice； 〃but as
he prefers it； we'll just call him 'the Musical Man。'〃
〃I should think I was some sort of music…box that turned with a
crank；〃 bristled Cyril。
Bertram grinned。
〃ACRANK； did you say？ Well； even I wouldn't have quite dared to
say that； you know！〃
With an impatient gesture Cyril turned on his heel。 Bertram fell
once more into his pompous attitude。
〃Before you is the Man's workshop；〃 he orated。 〃At your right you
see his instruments of tor I mean； his instruments： a piano；
flute； etc。 At your left is the desk with its pens； paper；
erasers； ink and postage stamps。 I mention these because there
areerso few things to mention here。 Beyond； through the open
door； one may catch glimpses of still other rooms； but they hold
even less than this one holds。 Tradition doth assert； however；
that in one is a couch…bed； and in another； two chairs。〃
Billy listened silently。 Her eyes were questioning。 She was not
quite sure how to take Bertram's words； and the bare rooms and
their stern…faced master filled her with a vague pity。 But the
pause that followed Bertram's nonsense seemed to be waiting for her
to fill it。
〃Oh； I should like to hear youplay； Mr。 Cyril；〃 she stammered。
Then； gathering courage。 〃CAN you play 'The Maiden's Prayer'？〃
Bertram gave a cough； a spasmodic cough that sent him； red…faced；
out into the hall。 From there he called：
〃Can't stop for the animals to perform； Miss Billy。 It's 'most
dinner time； and we've got lots to see yet。〃
〃All right； butsometime；〃 nodded Billy over her shoulder to Cyril
as she turned away。 〃I just love that 'Maiden's Prayer'！〃
〃Now this is William's stratum；〃 announced Bertram at the foot of
the stairs。 〃You will perceive that there is no knocking here；
William's doors are always open。〃
〃By all means！ Come income in；〃 called William's cheery voice。
〃Oh； my； what a lot of things！〃 exclaimed Billy。 〃Mymywhat a
lot of things！ How Spunk will like this room！〃
Bertram chuckled； then he made a great display of drawing a long
breath。
〃In the short time at our disposal；〃 he began loftily； 〃it will be
impossible to point out each particular article and give its
history from the beginning； but somewhere you will find four round
white stones； which〃
〃Eryes； we know all about those white stones；〃 interrupted
William； 〃and you'll please let me talk about my own things
myself！〃 And he beamed benevolently on the wondering…eyed girl at
Bertram's side。
〃But there are so many！〃 breathed Billy。
〃All the more chance then；〃 smiled William； 〃that somewhere among
them you'll find something to interest you。 Now these Chinese
ceramics； and these bronzesmaybe you'd like those；〃 he suggested。
And with a resigned sigh and an exaggerated air of submission；
Bertram stepped back and gave way to his brother。
〃And there are these miniatures； and these Japanese porcelains。 Or
perhaps you'd like stamps； or theatre programs better；〃 William
finished anxiously。
Billy did not reply。 She was turning round and round； her eyes
wide and amazed。 Suddenly she pounced on a beautifully decorated
teapot； and held it up in admiring hands。
〃Oh； what a pretty teapot！ And what a cute little plate it sets
in！〃 she cried。
The collector fairly bubbled over with joy。
〃That's a Lowestofta real Lowestoft！〃 he crowed。 〃Not that hard…
paste stuff from the Orient that's CALLED Lowestoft； but the real
thingEnglish； you know。 And that's the tray that goes with it；
too。 Wonderfulhow I got them both！ You know they 'most always
get separated。 I paid a cool hundred for them； anyhow。〃
〃A hundred dollars for a teapot！〃 gasped Billy。
〃Yes； and here's a nice little piece of lustre…ware。 Prettyisn't
it？ And there's a fine bit of black basalt。 And〃
〃ErWill；〃 interposed Bertram； meekly。
〃Oh； and here's a Castleford；〃 cried William； paying no attention
to the interruption。 〃Marked； too； see？ 'D。 D。 & Co。； Castleford。'
You know there isn't much of that ware marked。 This is a beauty；
too； I think。 You see this pitted surfacethey made that with tiny
little points set into the inner side of the mold。 The design stands
out fine on this。 It's one of the best I ever saw。 And； oh〃
〃ErWilliam；〃 interposed Bertram again； a little louder this time。
〃May I just say〃
〃And did you notice this 'Old Blue'？〃 hurried on William； eagerly。
〃Lid sets down in； you seethat's older than the kind where it
sets over the top。 Now here's one〃
〃William；〃 almost shouted Bertram； 〃DINNER IS READY！ Pete has
sounded the gong twice already！〃
〃Eh？ Oh； sure enoughsure enough；〃 acknowledged William； with a
regretful glance at his treasures。 〃Well； we must go； we must go。〃
〃But I haven't seen your stratum at all；〃 demurred Billy to her
guide； as they went down the stairway。
〃Then there's something left for to…morrow；〃 promised Bertram； 〃but
you must remember； I haven't got any beautiful 'Old Blues' and
'black basalts；' to say nothing of stamps and baggage tags。 But
I'll make you some teasome real teaand that's more than William
has done； with all his hundred and one teapots！〃
CHAPTER XI
BERTRAM HAS VISITORS
Spunk did not change his name； but that was perhaps the only thing
that did not meet with some sort of change during the weeks that
immediately followed Billy's arrival。 Given a house； five men； and
an ironbound routine of life； and it is scarcely necessary to say
that the advent of a somewhat fussy elderly woman； an impulsive
young girl； and a very…much…alive small cat will make some
difference。 As to Spunk's nameit was not Mrs。 Stetson's fault
that even that was left undisturbed。
Mrs。 Stetson early became acquainted with Spunk。 She was
introduced to him； indeed； on the night of her arrivalthough
fortunately not at table： William had seen to it that Spunk did not
appear at dinner； though to accomplish this the man had been
obliged to face the amazed and grieved indignation of the kitten's
mistress。
〃But I don't see how any one CAN object to a nice clean little cat
at the table；〃 Billy had remonstrated tearfully。
〃I know； buterthey do； sometimes；〃 William had stammered； 〃and
this is one of the times。 Aunt Hannah would never stand for it
never！〃
〃Oh； but she doesn't know Spunk；〃 Billy had observed then；
hopefully。 〃You just wait until she knows him。〃
Mrs。 Stetson began to 〃know〃 Spunk the next day。 The immediate
source of her knowledge was the discovery that Spunk had found her
ba