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500
ACT Math Questions
to know by test day
500
ACT Math Questions
to know by test day
Third Edition
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CONTENTS
Introduction vii
Diagnostic Quiz 1
Questions 1–20
Answers 181
‹ v
‹ vii
500
ACT Math Questions
to know by test day
‹ 1
The following questions refer to different units in this book. These questions will
help you test your understanding of the concepts tested on the ACT exam by
giving you an idea of where you need to focus your attention as you prepare. For
each question, simply circle the letter of your choice. Once you are done with the
exam, check your work against the given answers, which also indicate where you
can find the corresponding material in the book.
Good luck!
‹ 3
x +2 x +6
1. If = , then what is the value of x?
3 6
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 4
(D) 5
(E) 6
2. The value of three consecutive odd integers is 567. What is the value of the
second of these three consecutive integers?
(A) 175
(B) 181
(C) 187
(D) 189
(E) 193
4. If a six-sided die is thrown, what is the probability that the result of two
consecutive throws will be two sixes?
1
(A)
72
1
(B)
36
(C) 1
24
(D) 1
3
(E) 1
2
‹ 5
5. Tim has a box with a set of 8 green, 5 blue, 6 yellow, and 7 black toys. What
is the probability that a random selection would yield a blue or black toy?
5
(A)
26
1
(B)
4
6
(C)
13
1
(D)
2
15
(E)
26
8. The ratio of x to y is 7 to 18. If the value of x is 49, then what is the value of y ?
(A) 25
(B) 56
(C) 90
(D) 96
(E) 126
D C
6
A 6 B I x J
(A) 9
(B) 12
(C) 15
(D) 18
(E) 24
10. Mitch became school council president by winning 64% of the vote. If his
opponent won 396 votes and all of the votes cast were valid, what was the
total number of votes cast?
(A) 618
(B) 694
(C) 791
(D) 1,025
(E) 1,100
4
11. Given the visual shown below, the ratio of x to y is 1 : . What is the value
3
of y?
C
5
x
A y B
(A) 2
(B) 3
(C) 4
(D) 5
(E) 6
12. Which of the following lines has a negative slope with a positive
x-intercept?
(A) 4
–6 –4 –2 0 2 4 6
–2
–4
(B) 4
–4 –2 0 2 4 6 8
–2
–4
(C) 6
–6 –4 –2 0 2 4 6
–2
4
(D)
–4 –2 0 2 4 6 8
–2
–4
(E) 4
–4 –2 0 2 4 6
–2
–4
13. If the point (-3, y) lies on f (x) = -3x + 4, then what is the correct value
of y?
(A) -13
(B) -5
(C) 4
(D) 9
(E) 13
14. The length of a diagonal of a rectangle is 5 cm, and its width is 3 cm.
What is the area of the rectangle?
(A) 8
(B) 12
(C) 15
(D) 20
(E) 24
15. What is the greatest common factor of 16, 28, and 32?
(A) 2
(B) 3
(C) 4
(D) 6
(E) 8
16. The sum of 41 numbers is 1025. What is the average of these numbers?
(A) 23
(B) 25
(C) 31
(D) 41
(E) 50
18. The sum of the values -2x, x + 2, and 3x - 4 is 12. What is the value of x?
(A) 4
(B) 5
(C) 6
(D) 7
(E) 12
19. Jennifer’s parents are saving for retirement. The value of their investment
can be represented with the function FV(X ) = 12,500 (1 + 0.09)t, where
FV is the future value of the investment while t is the time in years that
has passed. Rounded to two decibels, what will be the value of their
investment in 25 years?
(A) 75,259.41
(B) 93.321.56
(C) 101,214.24
(D) 107,788.51
(E) 131,199.24
20. Which of the following could be a slope of a line perpendicular to one that
passes through (0, 2) and (4, 8)?
(A) -3
3
(B) −
2
2
(C) −
3
(D) 1
(E) 3
‹ 13
12. (D) Both (A) and (B) have positive slopes. While answers (C) and (D), and (E) all have
negative slopes, only (D) has a negative x-intercept.
We can solve the equation by determining that as x2 = 16 and the side of a rectan-
gle has to be a positive number. This means that the only possible option is that x = 4.
As the area is calculated by multiplying the length with the width, the correct answer is
4 * 3 = 12.
18. (D) If the sum of these values is 12, this can be mathematically written as -2x + x +
2 + 3x - 4 = 12.
This can then be simplified as 2x = 14 meaning that the value of x = 7.
8 = 4a + b
Use the following table to answer questions 1 and 2. It shows the class
level of the 500 students at Greenville High School.
MODELING
2. If the fraction of students who are freshmen is represented using a
circle graph (pie chart), what should be the measure (in degrees) of the
central angle of that portion of the graph?
(A) 12
(B) 25
(C) 40
(D) 65
(E) 90
‹ 17
3. The following chart represents the final course grades for students in two
math classes. What fraction of students in the courses received a final
course grade of A or B?
20
20
15
15
Number of students
10
5
5
3
2
A B C D F
Final grade
1
(A)
9
2
(B)
9
3
(C)
9
4
(D)
9
5
(E)
9
MODELING 4. The following circle graph represents the distribution of students in a local
high school. If there are 1000 total students in the high school, how many
more are 9th graders than 11th graders?
Distribution of students by grade level
24%
9th grade
45% 10th grade
11th grade
10%
12th grade
21%
(A) 500
(B) 450
(C) 350
(D) 120
(E) 100
MODELING 5. A factory can produce 100 bracelets every 15 minutes. How many
bracelets can the factory produce in three and a half hours?
(A) 300
(B) 350
(C) 550
(D) 1400
(E) 5250
11. If the length of one side of a square is increased by 20%, then the
perimeter will increase by
(A) 5%
(B) 10%
(C) 20%
(D) 40%
(E) 80%
MODELING 13. A special garden design requires that the garden have three distinct square
sections whose areas follow the ratio 2:3:5. If such a garden is designed to
have a total area of 1550 square feet, then what would be the area of the
smallest section in square feet?
(A) 155
(B) 250
(C) 300
(D) 500
(E) 750
14. In the following figure, triangles ABC and DEF are similar. What is the
value of x ?
C
20
x
30 E
B
2
8
D
(A) 5.0
(B) 7.5
(C) 15.0
(D) 24.0
(E) 36.5
b
15. If a is directly proportional to and a = 1 when b = 10, then what is the
value of a when b = 35? 2
1
(A)
7
1
(B)
5
2
(C)
9
9
(D)
4
7
(E)
2
MODELING 17. Greg can read w words a minute. How many minutes will it take Greg to
read an n-page document if each page contains 500 words?
500n
(A)
w
500w
(B)
n
(C) 500nw
(D) 500(n + w)
(E) 500n + w
1 1
18. Which of the following represents of ?
2 20
(A) 0.000025
(B) 0.00025
(C) 0.0025
(D) 0.025
(E) 0.25
19. In an election with two parties, Party A won 54% of the votes. If Party B
received 874 votes, how many votes were cast in total?
(A) 400
(B) 472
(C) 1619
(D) 1900
(E) 2102
20. Each side of square A has a length of 3 meters, while each side of square B
has a length of 9 meters. What is the ratio of the area of square A to the
area of square B?
(A) 1:1
(B) 1:3
(C) 1:6
(D) 1:9
(E) 1:12
21. The ratio of the lengths of each of the sides of a triangle is 4:12:14. If the
shortest side has a length of 2 feet, what is the perimeter of the triangle in
feet?
(A) 15
(B) 24
(C) 34
(D) 57
(E) 68
22. In a college with 14,000 students, 490 are majoring in mathematics. What
percentage of the student body does the number of math majors represent?
(A) 0.0035%
(B) 0.035%
(C) 0.35%
(D) 3.5%
(E) 35%
B 18 C
A F E
(A) 12
(B) 28
(C) 54
(D) 108
(E) 216
24. In the following figure, rectangles ABCD and EFGD are similar. What is
the perimeter of EFGD?
B 30 C
F 3
10 G
A E D
(A) 4
(B) 8
(C) 26
(D) 30
(E) 40
25. If 3x + 6xy + 9y = 15, then what is the value of x + 2xy + 3y equal to?
(A) 2
(B) 5
(C) 6
(D) 7.5
(E) 10
28. If the ratio of A to B is 3:8 and the ratio of B to C is 1:6, what is the ratio
of A to C ?
(A) 1:2
(B) 1:14
(C) 1:16
(D) 1:24
(E) 1:48
29. A $154.99 graphing calculator can be purchased with a coupon that gives
a 15% discount. What is the price of the calculator if it is purchased with
the coupon?
(A) $23.25
(B) $68.47
(C) $131.74
(D) $139.99
(E) $152.67
30. The length of a rectangle is 40% larger than its width. If the area of the
rectangle is 140 square feet, what is the width of the rectangle in feet?
(A) 10
(B) 22
(C) 35
(D) 56
(E) 64
3
31. For x > 0, which of the following represents x % of ?
4
3x
(A)
40
3x
(B)
400
3
(C)
400 x
1
(D)
28
30 x
(E)
4
1 1
32. What is % of ?
4 4
(A) 0.000250
(B) 0.000625
(C) 0.0025
(D) 0.0050
(E) 1
MODELING 33. The following table represents the percentages of employees in each of four
possible classifications at a certain company. If there are no other possible
classifications, what is the value of x ?
Classification Percentage
Part-time 35%
Full-time, hourly 20%
Full-time, salary 24%
Full-time, salary and bonus x%
(A) 1
(B) 21
(C) 44
(D) 79
(E) 65
34. If the ratio of x to y is 1:6, what is the difference between y and x when
x = 12?
(A) 5
(B) 12
(C) 17
(D) 60
(E) 72
35. In the following figure, the ratio of x to y is 1:4. What is the ratio of the
area of the triangle with base x to the area of the triangle with base x + y ?
B
A x y C
(A) 1:2
(B) 1:4
(C) 1:5
(D) 1:7
(E) Cannot be determined
36. Rectangles ABCD and PQRS in the following figure are similar. What is
the value of x ?
Q R
B C
16
4
A 13 D P x – 13 S
(A) 13
(B) 25
(C) 38
(D) 52
(E) 65
38. The circles in the following figure are centered at points O and P,
AB
respectively. If = 3, what is the ratio of the area of the circle centered
CD
at point O to the area of the circle centered at point P ?
A B C D
O P
(A) 3:1
(B) 3:2
(C) 6:1
(D) 9:1
(E) 9:2
39. The number representing the length of one side of a square is 20% as large
as the number representing its area. What is the perimeter of this square?
(A) 5
(B) 15
(C) 20
(D) 34
(E) 60
40. If the ratio of x to y is 2:5, and y is always 30% of z, then for all possible
x
nonzero values of x, y, and z, =
z
1
(A) .
12
3
(B) .
25
2
(C) .
3
5
(D) .
6
3
(E) .
4
x
41. If × 280 = 112, then x % of 280 is
50
(A) 23.
(B) 56.
(C) 102.
(D) 188.
(E) 224.
42. The triangles in the following figure are similar. In terms of x, what is the
perimeter of triangle DEF ?
B
x E
x
(A) +6
6
x
(B) +6
3
2x
(C) +6
3
(D) 2 x + 6
(E) 6 x + 6
43. A weather station reported that 90% of the days in a 30-day period
had measurable snowfall. How many of these days received measurable
snowfall?
(A) 3
(B) 12
(C) 18
(D) 27
(E) 29
44. Triangle A and triangle B are equilateral triangles such that the ratio of the
length of one side of triangle A to the length of one side of triangle B is 6
to 7. If the perimeter of triangle A is 9, what is the length of a single side
of triangle B ?
2
(A)
3
7
(B)
2
(C) 12
(D) 18
(E) 21
x 1
45. In the following figure, ABCD is a rectangle such that = . If the area of
ABPQ is 12, what is the area of ABCD ? y 5
B P C
A x Q y D
(A) 32
(B) 56
(C) 60
(D) 72
(E) 112
46. The ratio of x to y is 2 to 3. If the sum of x and y is 125, what is the value
of x ?
(A) 15
(B) 25
(C) 50
(D) 75
(E) 100
1
47. Which of the following represents 0.2% of ?
5
1
(A)
25,000
1
(B)
2500
1
(C)
250
1
(D)
25
1
(E)
10
48. For any circle with radius r > 0, what is the ratio of the length of its radius
to its area?
(A) 1:p
(B) 1:2p
(C) 1:pr
(D) 1:2pr
(E) 1:pr2
MODELING 49. Every student enrolled in a science course is either a physics major or a
biology major. If the ratio of physics majors to biology majors is 3 to 1
and there are 21 physics majors enrolled, how many biology majors are
enrolled in the course?
(A) 7
(B) 15
(C) 23
(D) 45
(E) 63
1
50. Suppose that m is inversely proportional to n and that m = when n = 6.
2 2
If n = , what is the value of m?
3
1
(A)
6
(B) 2
(C) 3
9
(D)
2
(E) 6
x+4 x −3
51. If = , then what is the value of x?
y − 2 2y − 4
(A) –14
(B) –11
(C) –3
(D) 5
(E) 8
1
52. If y is directly proportional to x and if y = 6 when x = , then which of the
4
following equations describes the relationship between x and y ?
1
(A) y = x
4
3
(B) y = x
2
23
(C) y = x
4
(D) y = 6 x
(E) y = 24 x
54. If the length of one side of a square is 28% of 50, then the area of the
square is equal to
(A) 70
(B) 84
(C) 140
(D) 196
(E) 289
MODELING 56. This week, the price of a plane ticket is $436.00. Over the next three
weeks, suppose the price of the ticket rises 5% in the first week, falls 10%
the next week, and then rises 20% in the third week. To the nearest cent,
what is the cost of the plane ticket in three weeks?
(A) $412.02
(B) $457.80
(C) $494.42
(D) $501.40
(E) $523.20
57. Of 600 items in a storage closet, 40% are pens or pencils, 10% are first-aid
items, and 5% are notebooks. How many items in the storage closet have
not been described?
(A) 45
(B) 60
(C) 240
(D) 270
(E) 300
It was an undeniable fact that the chauffeur spent much more time
in the Manor grounds than driving the car. The car was rarely used,
and anything was better than loafing about the yard or the village
with his hands in his pockets—one of the unemployed. Wynyard
liked the fresh smell of the earth, and growing things, the songs of
birds—especially of the blackbird, with his leisurely fluting note.
The garden, which lay to the left of the house, overlooked meadows,
and was evidently as ancient as the Manor itself. It was also one
after the heart of Bacon, “Spacious and fair, encompassed with a
stately hedge.” The farmer, who had neglected the roof and upper
floors of the dwelling, had suffered these same yew hedges to grow
as they pleased; and they now required a great deal of labour in
trimming them to moderate proportions. The soil was rich—anything
and everything seemed to flourish in the garden, which was
intersected by broad gravelled walks that crossed one another at
regular intervals; these were lined by a variety of old-fashioned
plants—myrtle, lavender, and sweetbrier, grown to gigantic
dimensions; here were also Madonna Lilies, London Pride,
Hollyhocks, Sweet-William, and bushes of out-of-date roses, such as
the “York and Lancaster,” and other Georgian survivals. Precisely in
the middle of the garden, where four walks met, was a hoary sundial,
which bore the inscription, “Time Tries All.” A path, leading direct
from the sundial to an ancient bowling-green, was enclosed with
rustic arches, and in the summer time the Manor pergola was a
veritable tunnel of roses, and one of the sights of the neighbourhood.
And here it was that the unemployed chauffeur spent most of his
time, clipping intractable hedges, planting, pruning, and digging.
Such occupation removed him effectually from the orbit of his enemy
—Miss Parrett—who merely pottered about the beds immediately
surrounding the house. This was Miss Susan’s realm—she was the
family gardener; his volunteered labour also afforded Wynyard the
now rare and priceless privilege of seeing Miss Morven when she
ran in to talk to her aunt and help in the greenhouse—since, thanks
to her active exertions, the Manor had been set in order, and her
visits were no longer of daily occurrence. Now and then he caught
sight of her, walking with Mrs. Ramsay and her “guests,” motoring
with Mrs. Waring, or riding with her father. Once or twice they had
passed him in the lanes at a late hour, riding fast, pursued by the
panting Mackenzie. His best opportunity of meeting the young lady
was at choir practice, and here he admired Miss Morven, not only for
her sweet, clear voice, but her marvellous tact and admirable skill,
the way she pacified Pither, the cranky old organist (a fine musician),
and smoothed down rivals who claimed to sing solos, applauded the
timid, and gently repressed the overbold. It was delightful to watch
her consulting and advising and encouraging; but how could any one
escape from the effect of that girl’s beauty and contagious spirits? or
withstand the influence of the subtle power called charm?
On Sundays she sat in the Rector’s pew, facing the square
enclosure of the Woolcocks, over which hung stately hatchments
and memorials of the Davenant family; and from his corner in the
choir Wynyard noted, with secret uneasiness and wrath, how the heir
of Westmere—a squarely built, heavy young squire—kept his
worshipping eyes fastened upon Aurea’s clear-cut profile. After all,
what was it to him? he asked himself furiously. Young Woolcock was
heir to twenty thousand a year, and what was he at present? but her
aunts’ servant!
There had been a good deal of excited speculation in the village
respecting Wynyard—as to who he really was, and where he came
from. But although some swore he had been a soldier, and others
vowed he had been a sailor, no one was any the wiser than the first
day that he had arrived at Mrs. Hogben’s, followed by his yellow tin
box. “Ay, he could hold his tongue, that was sure; and was always
ready enough to lend an ear to other people’s affairs—but tight as an
oyster with regard to his own.”
Miss Susan, who felt towards him a kindness that was almost
maternal, tormented by curiosity, had done her utmost to pump him.
One day, in the greenhouse, she had seemed to see her opportunity.
He had read off a French name on a label, and his accent and
glibness were perfection.
“Ah! I see you have had a good education, Owen,” she remarked,
beaming at him over her glasses.
“Oh, middling, miss.”
“You keep a boy to clean the motor, I hear!”
“Only once or twice, miss, when my hand was sore. His people are
poor, and a shilling doesn’t come amiss.”
“I feel certain,” clearing her throat, “that you are not accustomed to
this sort of life, Owen.” As she spoke, she kept her clear blue eyes
on his face, and looked at him with the direct simplicity of a child. “I
am interested in you, Owen. Do tell me about yourself, you know I
wish you well.”
“Miss Susan,” and he straightened his shoulders and set down the
pot he was holding, “you received my reference from Lady Kesters—
and I believe it was all right?”
Miss Susan became very red indeed, and the garden scissors
slipped from her thumb. There was something unusual in the young
man’s tone and glance.
“If you or Miss Parrett find that I am not giving satisfaction——”
“Oh no, no, no!” she broke in breathlessly, “I—I’m afraid I’m rather
inquisitive—but I take a real interest in you, and you have been such
a help to me—and I feel so friendly towards you—but, I won’t ask
you any more questions.”
This little scene was subsequently related to Aurea, as she and her
aunt drank tea together at the Rectory, and Miss Susan imparted to
the girl—between bites of buttered toast—her own eager
speculations. Mystery has a wonderful charm! A handsome young
man, who was both reserved and obliging, who, it was known, was
respected in the Drum, and kept to himself, and whom she believes
to be one of her own class—offers a dangerous attraction for a girl of
twenty! Aurea debated the puzzle in the abysmal depth of her own
heart, and when a girl once allows her thoughts to dwell persistently
upon a man—no matter what his station—her interest in him is
bound to develop far beyond the bounds of everyday acquaintance!
Aurea was startled to discover that her mind was dwelling on the
chauffeur more than was desirable; he occupied too large a share of
her thoughts, though she did her utmost to expel him, and fill them
with other matters—such, for instance, as the parish almshouses,
the clothing club, and the choir—but a taciturn, mysterious young
man, figuratively, thrust himself head and shoulders above these
commonplace matters. Owen had a good voice, and had been
impressed into the choir—a rollicking hunting song, sung at the
Drum, had betrayed him. It was customary there, on certain nights,
to sit round in a circle and call upon the members for entertainment,
and Owen’s “John Peel” had established his reputation.
Aurea was secretly annoyed by the way that girls on practice nights
set their caps at the newcomer—boldly attracting his attention,
appealing to his opinion, nudging one another significantly, and
giggling and simpering when they spoke to him. And he? He met
them half-way, shared hymn-books, found places, and talked, and
seemed to be entirely happy and at ease in their company. Why not?
He was ostensibly of their own class. He had not flinched from
accepting a peppermint from Lily Jakes,—on the contrary, had
received it with effusion,—and the overblown rosebud, tossed at him
by Alexandra Watkins, had subsequently decorated his buttonhole.
Aurea contemplated these signs of good fellowship with stifled
irritation. Was she envious, because the chauffeur, her aunts’
servant, usually so monosyllabic and self-contained, could laugh and
talk with these village girls? At this appalling arraignment her face
flamed, she shrank in horror from her own thoughts. No, no, no, a
hundred thousand times no!
Still, it must be confessed that, strive as she would, she could not
help wondering and speculating about Owen, the chauffeur—
whether she saw him vigorously washing the car, or trundling a
wheelbarrow in the garden; zealously as he worked, it seemed to her
observant eye that he looked as if he had not been accustomed to
such employment. Who was he? The answer to this question came
to her unexpectedly, and in a most unlikely place.
Aurea and her Aunt Susan went to Brodfield one afternoon, in order
to execute various commissions for the Manor; the car was
grudgingly lent for the occasion. There would have been no
expedition, only that Miss Parrett was out of a certain shade of pink
wool, the new cook was out of tapioca, and Miss Susan was a little
out of sorts, and declared that “a drive in the air would cure her.” The
car waited at the post office, whilst the ladies accomplished their
different errands in different shops. Aurea was the first to finish, and
was sauntering slowly up the street, when she noticed that rare sight
—a soldier in uniform—a smart Hussar on furlough, with a friend in
mufti, coming towards her. As they passed the car, they glanced at it,
and the soldier started, made a sort of halt, stared stupidly, and
brought his hand to the salute! Yes, and the chauffeur gave him a
little nod, and put his finger to his cap! (apparently unconscious of
Miss Morven’s vicinity).
As the two men approached, talking loudly, she overheard the
Hussar say, as he strutted by—
“Well I’m damned, if that fellow on the car wasn’t Lieutenant
Wynyard! I was in his troop at Lucknow—a rare smart officer, too.
What’s his little game?”
“You’d better go back and arsk ’im,” suggested the other, with a loud
laugh.
“Not me,” and they were out of earshot.
Aurea felt dumbfounded, as she moved on and got into her place.
Susan, of course, was lingering as usual, chattering and last-wording
to acquaintances, and she was not sorry to have a few moments to
herself, to sit and meditate on her surprising discovery. So Owen’s
real name was Wynyard—and he had been an officer in a Hussar
regiment. What was his game?
And her first impressions were justified; he was a gentleman, in spite
of Joey’s authoritative verdict and Mrs. Ramsay’s gloomy
forebodings. What dreadful thing had he done to be compelled to live
under an assumed name, and bury himself, of all places, in Ottinge?
Aurea was now more deeply interested and puzzled than ever! She
and Susan had no secrets from one another—for Susan was so
young in her mind and heart that she seemed to be almost Aurea’s
contemporary!
From the first they liked the chauffeur, and though they had not said
much, each was conscious of the other’s opinion. Now that Aurea
knew his name and former status for a fact, strange to relate, she
resolved to have just this one little secret from Susan—and keep the
knowledge to herself!
On the way home she proved an unusually silent and unsympathetic
companion. Her conversation was jerky and constrained; she was
not in the least interested in the scraps of local news that her aunt
had collected in street and shops, but appeared to be lost in a maze
of speculation and abstraction.
CHAPTER XV
BY WATER
By the middle of June Miss Susan had departed to visit friends in the
south of England, escorting her niece as far as London, where she
was to spend some weeks with General and Mrs. Morven. The motor
was in hospital at Brodfield, and Owen, the chauffeur, had absolutely
nothing to do; no gardening, no greenhouse, no car. Miss Parrett
was now the undisputed ruler of Ottinge—manor and village—and
he kept out of her way in a crafty, not to say cowardly, fashion; when
at home, Miss Susan and her niece had intervened as buffers
between him and Miss Parrett’s despotic rudeness. Doubtless her
bullying and browbeating were a legacy from her burly grandfather,
the Hoogly Pilot; indeed, she was positively so insulting with regard
to repairs, his bill for petrol, and the extraordinary—the incredible
quantity he wasted, that sooner than face her and have rows, he
more than once paid for it out of his own pocket! But do not let it be
for a moment supposed that the chauffeur was afraid of the old lady;
he was afraid of himself—afraid that if she became altogether
insupportable, he might lose, in one and the same moment, his
temper, and his situation!
When Bella Parrett reigned alone, it was a sore time for the Manor,
and especially for Joss. The old lady did not care for any animals or
pets, save a venerable green and blue parrot—her own
contemporary. She had accepted Joss, a gift from Mr. Woolcock, as
she was assured that, having no man living at the Manor, a dog was
a necessity in case of robbers, but chiefly because Miss Parrett half
suspected that the Martingales—neighbours of the Woolcocks—
were anxious to possess the said amusing little puppy. Joss was
often in disgrace; but what could one expect of an idle young dog,
without companions, education, or pursuits? When Susan was at
home all went well; she looked after him and screened his failings,
and took him out—though her sister frequently expostulated, and
said—
“Now, I won’t have the creature attaching himself to you, Susan; he
must learn to know that he is my dog!”
All the same, she never troubled about “her dog’s” food or sleeping
quarters, and it was actually Susan who paid for his licence!
Now Susan was absent, also his good friend Aurea—and Joss was
in confinement and deep disgrace; even before his friends’ departure
he had been under a black cloud. His youthful spirits were
uncontrollable; Joss had inherited the keen sporting instincts of his
father, with the intellectual faculties of his accomplished mother,
Colette, the poodle, and was both bold and inquisitive. Recently, the
wretched animal had chewed off the tail of a magnificent tiger-skin,
and concealed it, no one knew where! Miss Parrett hoped he had
eaten it—as it was cured with arsenic—but more likely it had been
stored in one of his many bone larders. He had poked his nose into a
valuable jar, upset, and smashed it! he had come in all wet and
muddy from a rat-hunting excursion in the river, and recouped his
exhausted energies by a luxurious siesta in Miss Parrett’s own bed—
and there was also a whispered and mysterious communication
respecting the disappearance of a best and most expensive front,
which had undoubtedly gone to the same limbo as the tiger’s tail!
“The brute is worse than a dozen monkeys,” declared his furious
mistress, and he was accordingly bestowed on a farmer, who lived
miles away near Catsfield, merely to return, accompanied by a piece
of rope, the same evening. After this, the word “poison” was
breathed; but luckily for Joss, Ottinge did not possess a chemist.
Finally he was condemned to a fare of cold porridge, and solitary
confinement in an empty stable—being suffered to roam loose at
night after the house was closed.
The chauffeur and the brown dog had a good deal in common; they
were both young and both captives in their way. Oh, those long,
endless summer days, when the young man hung about the yard,
with nothing to do, awaiting orders, unable to undertake any job in
case the car should be wanted. When he called each morning for