"But what is it? He has something!" insisted Mrs. Bobbsey.

"Maybe I can coax Snoop out," put in Nan. "He minds me better than he
does any one else. Here, Snoop! Come on out, nice Snoop!" she called in
a gentle voice.

But Snoop only growled in answer, and seemed to be shaking, beneath the
table, the unknown animal he had caught and dragged there.

"Shall I get the rake and pull him out?" asked Bert.

"No, you might hurt him," replied Mr. Bobbsey. "Go out to the garage and
get the big flash lamp from Sam. I can shine that under the table and we
can see what it is before we do anything. Evidently Snoop isn't going to
come out until he gets ready. And it may be he has a large rat or----"

Dinah gave a scream.

"Oh--a rat!" she cried.

"Maybe it's only a little mouse--I like a funny little mouse," said
Flossie.

"Well, I don't," said Dinah. "They eats mah food."

"Maybe it's only a little mole from the garden," went on Mr. Bobbsey.

"It's bigger'n a ground mole!" declared Freddie. "I saw it, an' it's
long and brown and has legs an' brown eyes that shine."