These seemed to cease as the man in waiting admitted him; but before he
could make an inquiry or produce a card, bedlam itself apparently broke
loose somewhere in the immediate upper landing--noise in its crudest
elemental definition--through which the mortified man at the door
strove to make himself heard: "Beg pardon, sir, it's the children broke
loose an' runnin' wild-like--"

"The _what_?"

"Only the children, sir--fox-huntin' the cat, sir--"

His voice was lost in the yelling dissonance descending crescendo from
floor to floor. Then an avalanche of children and dogs poured down the
hall-stairs in pursuit of a rumpled and bored cat, tumbling with yelps
and cheers and thuds among the thick rugs on the floor.

Here the cat turned and soundly cuffed a pair of fat beagle puppies, who
shrieked and fled, burrowing for safety into the yelling heap of
children and dogs on the floor. Above this heap legs, arms, and the
tails of dogs waved wildly for a moment, then a small boy, blond hair in
disorder, staggered to his knees, and, setting hollowed hand to cheek,
shouted: "Hi! for'rard! Harkaway for'rard! Take him, Rags! Now, Tatters!
After him, Owney! Get on, there, Schnitzel! Worry him, Stinger!
Tally-ho-o!"

At which encouraging invitation the two fat beagle pups, a waddling
dachshund, a cocker, and an Irish terrier flew at Selwyn's nicely
creased trousers; and the small boy, rising to his feet, became aware of
that astonished gentleman for the first time.