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"No," declared Polychrome, "I cannot advise you as to that. You must watch
for a chance, and slip in when Mrs. Yoop isn't looking."
They talked it over for a while longer and then Mrs. Yoop returned. When
she entered, the door opened suddenly, at her command, and closed as soon
as her huge form had passed through the doorway. During that day she
entered her bedroom several times, on one errand or another, but always
she commanded the door to close behind her and her prisoners found not
the slightest chance to leave the big hall in which they were confined.
The Green Monkey thought it would be wise to make a friend of the big
woman, so as to gain her confidence, so he sat on the back of her chair and
chattered to her while she mended her stockings and sewed silver buttons
on some golden shoes that were as big as row-boats. This pleased the
Giantess and she would pause at times to pat the Monkey's head. The little
Brown Bear curled up in a corner and lay still all day. The Owl and the
Canary found they could converse together in the bird language, which
neither the Giantess nor the Bear nor the Monkey could understand; so at
times they twittered away to each other and passed the long, dreary day
quite cheerfully.
After dinner Mrs. Yoop took a big fiddle from a big cupboard and played
such loud and dreadful music that her prisoners were all thankful when at
last she stopped and said she was going to bed.
After cautioning the Monkey and Bear and Owl to behave themselves during
the night, she picked up the cage containing the Canary and, going to the
door of her bedroom, commanded it to open. Just then, however, she
remembered she had left her fiddle lying upon a table, so she went back for
it and put it away in the cupboard, and while her back was turned the
Green Monkey slipped through the open door into her bedroom and hid
underneath the bed. The Giantess, being sleepy, did not notice this, and
entering her room she made the door close behind her and then hung the
bird-cage on a peg by the window. Then she began to undress, first taking
off the lace apron and laying it over the bedpost, where it was within easy
reach of her hand.
As soon as Mrs. Yoop was in bed the lights all went out, and Woot the
Monkey crouched under the bed and waited patiently until he heard the
Giantess snoring. Then he crept out and in the dark felt around until he got
hold of the apron, which he at once tied around his own waist.
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