But Mr. Riley -- since that was the brute 's name -- paid no attention to Alexander Abraham . He had caught sight of William Adolphus curled up on the cushion , and he started across the room to investigate him . William Adolphus sat up and began to take notice . `` 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 XXXXX a crash .
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