`` Call off that dog , '' I said warningly to Alexander Abraham . `` Call him off yourself , '' he retorted . `` Since you 've brought that cat here you can protect him . '' `` Oh , it was n't for William Adolphus ' sake I spoke , '' I said pleasantly . `` William Adolphus can protect himself . '' William Adolphus could and did . He humped his back , flattened his ears , swore once , and then made a flying leap for Mr. Riley . William Adolphus landed squarely on Mr. Riley 's brindled back and promptly took fast hold , spitting and clawing and caterwauling . You never saw a more astonished dog than Mr. Riley . With a yell of terror he bolted out to the kitchen , out of the kitchen into the hall , through the hall into the room , and so into the kitchen and round again . With each circuit he went faster and faster , until he looked like a brindled streak with a dash of black and white on top . Such a racket and commotion I never heard , and I laughed until the tears came into my eyes . Mr. Riley flew around and around , and William Adolphus held on grimly and clawed . Alexander Abraham turned purple with rage . `` Woman , call off that infernal cat before he kills my dog , '' he shouted above the din of yelps and yowls . `` Oh , he wo n't kill min , '' I said reassuringly , `` and he 's going too fast to hear me if I did call him . If you can stop the dog , Mr. Bennett , I 'll guarantee to make William Adolphus listen to reason , but there 's no use trying to argue with a lightning flash . '' Alexander Abraham made a frantic lunge at the brindled streak as it whirled past him , with the result that he overbalanced himself and went sprawling on the floor with a crash . I ran to help him up , which only seemed to enrage him further . `` Woman , '' he spluttered viciously , `` I wish you and your fiend of a cat were in -- in -- '' `` In Avonlea , '' I finished quickly , to save Alexander Abraham from committing profanity .
`` So do I , Mr. XXXXX , with all my heart .
Abraham Adolphus Avonlea Bennett Riley caterwauling crash lightning min yowls