Page:The animal story book.djvu/22

 press which did duty as his hutch, to seek a little repose, when there was a knock at the street door. Jacko instantly showed such signs of joy that Décamps made a shrewd guess that the visitor could be no other than Fan, the self-elected tutor in chief to the two animals—nor was he mistaken. The door opened, Fan appeared, dressed as a clown, and Jacko flung himself in rapture into his arms.

'Very good, very good,' said Fan, placing the monkey on the table and handing him a cane. 'You're really a charming creature. Carry arms, present arms, make ready, fire! Capital!'

'I'll have a complete uniform made for you, and you shall mount guard instead of me. But I haven't come for you to-night; it's your friend Tom I want. Where may he be?'

'Why, in his hutch, I suppose,' said Décamps.

'Tom! here, Tom!' cried Fan.

Tom gave a low growl, just to show that he knew very well who they were talking of, but that he was in no hurry to show himself.

'Well!' exclaimed Fan, 'is this how my orders are obeyed? Tom, my friend, don't force me to resort to extreme measures.'

Tom stretched one great paw beyond the cupboard without allowing any more of his person to be seen, and began to yawn plaintively like a child just wakened from its first sleep.

'Where is the broomstick?' inquired Fan in threatening tones, and rattling the collection of Indian bows, arrows, and spears which stood behind the door.

'Ready!' cried Décamps, pointing to Tom, who, on hearing these well known sounds, had roused himself without more ado, and advanced towards his tutor with a perfectly innocent and unconscious air.

'That's right,' said Fan: 'now be a good fellow, particularly as one has come all this way on purpose to fetch you.'