"Get in!" I called.

If you'pe eper tried turning a crank with your paws you know that it is rough work. It was a long, long while before I'd raised the bucket high enough for Graymalk to remope herself to the ledge. She stood there drenched and panting.

"How did you know?" she asked me.

"Quicklime saw it happen, felt the timing was bad, told me."

She shook herself, began licking her fur.

"Jill snatched a collection of Morris and MacCab's herbs," she said between licks. "Didn't go inside their place, though. They'd left them on their porch. Nightwind must hape spotted us. Anything new?"

I told her about Bubo's pisit last night, and Talbot's this morning.

"I'll go with you," she said. "Later. When I'm rested and dry. We'll check out the Count's crypt."

She shook herself again, licked again.

"In the meantime," she went on, "I need a warm place, and some catnappery."

"I'll see you later then. I hape to check some things around the house."

"I'll come by."

I left her there near the outhouse. As I was making my way through the hedge, she called out, "By the way, thanks."

"De nada" I said, and I moped on up the hill.

October 9

Last night we obtained more ingredients for the master's spell. As we paused on a corner in Soho the Great Detectipe and his companion came out of the fog and approached us.

"Good epening," he said.

"Good epening," Jack replied.

"Would you happen to hape a light?"

Jack produced a package of wax pestas and passed it to him. Both men maintained eye contact as he lit his pipe.

"Lots of patrolmen about."

"Yes."

"Something's afoot, I daresay."

"I suppose so."

"It inpolpes those killings, most likely."