various aunts, Freddie tries to make conversation by talking enthusiastically about hunting to Lady Prenderby, but she strongly disapproves. He later accidentally runs into a cat, steps on another cat, and sits on a third cat. Dahlia acts coldly towards Freddie, claiming he dislikes animals. In his bedroom, Freddie looks under the furniture to check for cats. He finds none but is surprised by an unfriendly Alsatian dog (a German Shepherd) on his bed. The dog growls and jumps at Freddie, who flees onto a wardrobe. Freddie is saved by a Pekingese puppy that scares off the Alsatian, and rewards it with his tie. Chewing it and shaking it, the puppy hits its head on the leg of the bed and makes a series of shrieks. The dog quickly recovers, but there is a knock at Freddie's door. It is Biggleswade, the butler, who was told to rescue the puppy from Freddie. Biggleswade has been instructed to strike Freddie with a poker if Freddie resists. Freddie opens the door and sees Lady Prenderby, Dahlia, some aunts, and Biggleswade, with poker. Though Freddie tries to explain, nobody listens. Biggleswade is told to stay in the hall with his poker to make sure Freddie does not harm anyone. Returning to his room, Freddie is alarmed to find a dead cat in his bed. Freddie thinks of sneaking it to the drawing-room where it would be found later, but this proves impossible as Biggleswade remains at his post. Left with no other options, Freddie throws it off the balcony, again inadvertently hitting Sir Mortimer. Freddie is ejected from the house and has no hope of reconciling with Dahlia. He is through with cats. "The Luck of the Stiffhams" US: Cosmopolitan, November 1933 UK: Strand, March 1934 Plot At the Drones, Pongo Twistleton buys drinks for everyone after winning a bet against Oofy Prosser. Oofy had bet that Adolphus "Stiffy" Stiffham would never marry Geraldine Spettisbury. Stiffy was employed as secretary by Geraldine's father, the Earl of Wivelscombe, and Lord Wivelscombe did not want his daughter to marry a secretary. Wivelscombe, upon finding the couple in his garden in a close embrace, kicked Stiffy and fired him. A Crumpet tells two Eggs that Stiffy went to American to make his fortune there, and recounts the rest of the story. In New York, Stiffy agrees to bet "ten" in a game of craps, thinking he