scrounging

subsided

anxiously

niche

subway

scrounging

• hunting for something

“ And when he wasn’t collecting, “scrounging” as he called it, or sleeping, he liked to sit at the opening of the drain pipe and watch the world go by…..”

subsided

• quieted down

The bustle of the day had long subsided, and even the nighttime crowds, returning from the theaters and movies, had vanished.

anxiously

• eagerly

Tucker watched anxiously to see if any of them would stop to buy a paper.

niche

• special place; nook, cranny

But it was late now: time to crawl back to his comfortable niche in the wall and go to sleep.

subway

• underground train

He had heard the rumble of the subway trains and the shriek their iron wheels make as they go around a corner.

Plucked

Rummaged

Scornfully

peculiar

plucked

• pull at the strings of a musical instrument and quickly release

It was like a quick stroke across the strings of a violin, or like a harp that had been plucked suddenly.

rummaged

• to look for carefully

He rummaged through his He rummaged through his jacket pocket and found a jacket pocket and found a piece of chocolate bar piece of chocolate bar that had been left over that had been left over from supper.from supper.

scornfully

• to ridicule; to make fun of

Mama paused. Mama paused. “Cricketer,” she said “Cricketer,” she said scornfully. “What do we scornfully. “What do we want with a cricketer?”want with a cricketer?”

peculiar

• strange or weird

“At the first sign of his cricketer friends, or if we come down with peculiar diseases – out he goes!”

Eavesdropping

Wistfully

Liverwurst

Furiously

Forlornly

listening secretly to someone’s listening secretly to someone’s conversationconversation

Next to scrounging, Next to scrounging, eavesdropping on human eavesdropping on human beings is what he enjoyed beings is what he enjoyed most.most.

longing for something; wishing for longing for something; wishing for somethingsomething

““Yes,” said Chester. “I guess I’ll Yes,” said Chester. “I guess I’ll never see it again,” he added never see it again,” he added wistfully.wistfully.

sausage containing ground liversausage containing ground liver

““You like liverwurst?” Tucker You like liverwurst?” Tucker broke in. “Wait! Wait! Just broke in. “Wait! Wait! Just wait!”wait!”

intensely; powerfullyintensely; powerfully

“Anyway, I worked furiously to get loose.”

sadlysadly

““And here I am,” Chester And here I am,” Chester concluded forlornly. “I’ve concluded forlornly. “I’ve been lying over there for been lying over there for three days not knowing what three days not knowing what to do.”to do.”

LoomingLooming

AcquaintanceAcquaintance

LeeryLeery

appearing

The cricket began to make The cricket began to make frantic signs that the mouse frantic signs that the mouse should look up and see what should look up and see what was looming over him.was looming over him.

a person one knows but not well

“I’m very pleased to make your acquaintance,” said Harry Cat in a silky voice.

suspicious; afraid ofsuspicious; afraid of

““I guess so,” said Chester, I guess so,” said Chester, although he was really a little although he was really a little leery of venturing out into New leery of venturing out into New York City.York City.

ClusteredClustered

DinDin

GeniusGenius

ProphesyProphesy

groupedgrouped

Every Saturday during the Every Saturday during the winter, when the opera was winter, when the opera was broadcast, they would sit broadcast, they would sit clustered around the radio clustered around the radio and newsstand, straining to and newsstand, straining to hear the music above the din hear the music above the din of the subway station.of the subway station.

noisenoise

Every Saturday during the Every Saturday during the winter, when the opera was winter, when the opera was broadcast, they would sit broadcast, they would sit clustered around the radio clustered around the radio and newsstand, straining to and newsstand, straining to hear the music above the din hear the music above the din of the subway station.of the subway station.

natural ability or natural talentnatural ability or natural talent

I could add nothing to the I could add nothing to the genius of this little black genius of this little black Orpheus.Orpheus.

predictpredict

““Perhaps someday your cricket Perhaps someday your cricket will play as well. I prophesy will play as well. I prophesy great things for a creature of great things for a creature of such ability, Mario.”such ability, Mario.”

LurchedLurched

AbruptAbrupt

CranedCraned

KnickknacksKnickknacks

NoveltiesNovelties

IncenseIncense

AvalancheAvalanche

PagodaPagoda

spirespire

move suddenly forwardmove suddenly forward

He was staring at an old lady He was staring at an old lady wearing a straw hat, wondering wearing a straw hat, wondering if the flowers on it were real, as if the flowers on it were real, as if they were what they would if they were what they would taste like, when the train taste like, when the train lurched to a halt.lurched to a halt.

sudden or quicksudden or quick

Like most people who Like most people who first ride the subway, first ride the subway, Chester wasn’t use to Chester wasn’t use to the abrupt stops.the abrupt stops.

turnedturned

Chester craned his head out Chester craned his head out as far as he could to get his as far as he could to get his first look at New York by day.first look at New York by day.

small ornamental objects

The paint was peeling off the doors and the windows were crammed with years’ and years’ collection of knickknacks.

small inexpensive itemssmall inexpensive items

A sign hanging A sign hanging out in front out in front said, Sai Fong – said, Sai Fong – Chinese Chinese Novelties.”Novelties.”

any of a variety of any of a variety of substances that give off a substances that give off a pleasant odor when burnedpleasant odor when burned

And there was a faint, sweet And there was a faint, sweet smell of incense in the air.smell of incense in the air.

anything that comes in anything that comes in overwhelming numbersoverwhelming numbers

He was afraid He was afraid that if he that if he moved, he moved, he would be would be buried under buried under an avalanche an avalanche of Chinese of Chinese novelties.novelties.

a temple in the form of a temple in the form of a pyramidal towera pyramidal tower

He was carrying a cricket He was carrying a cricket cage in the shape of a cage in the shape of a pagoda. pagoda.

top or point of a structuretop or point of a structure

There were several There were several tiers to it, each one a tiers to it, each one a little smaller than the little smaller than the one below, and it ended one below, and it ended in a slender spire.in a slender spire.

GapingGaping

SouffléSoufflé

KeenKeen

KimonoKimono

contentmentcontentment

lookinglooking

Tucker Mouse Tucker Mouse stopped stopped gaping at the gaping at the cricket cage cricket cage long enough to long enough to say, “Once I say, “Once I thought of thought of living down living down there.”there.”

a baked food which is made light a baked food which is made light and puffy in cookingand puffy in cooking

They could They could make a soufflé make a soufflé out of a out of a mouse.mouse.

eagereager

““Yes,” said Yes,” said Chester, Chester, “but I’m “but I’m not so not so keen on keen on staying in staying in a cage.”a cage.”

a loose outer garment a loose outer garment with short, wide sleeves with short, wide sleeves and a sashand a sash

““If only I had a If only I had a kimono now,” he kimono now,” he said, standing up on said, standing up on his hind legs again his hind legs again and resting one paw and resting one paw on a bar.on a bar.

satisfactionsatisfaction

Chester Chester and and Harry Harry heard heard him him draw a draw a deep deep breath breath of of contentcontentment.ment.

RapRap

AccuseAccuse

WhoppedWhopped

HeavedHeaved

DenouncedDenounced

UnsavoryUnsavory

GildedGilded

bailbail

GildedGilded

bailbail

PatheticPathetic

LootLoot

PerilPeril

GaloshesGaloshes

skinflintskinflint

the blame or punishmentthe blame or punishment

““Then stay Then stay and take the and take the rap,” he said. rap,” he said. He crept out He crept out of his cage of his cage and and examined the examined the remains of remains of the money.the money.

to find fault or blameto find fault or blame

““They’d accuse They’d accuse each other of each other of losing it,” said losing it,” said Chester.Chester.

hit; strikehit; strike

He He whopped whopped me with a me with a mop last mop last week.week.

throw or hurlthrow or hurl

She picked She picked up a Fortune up a Fortune magazine- magazine- very big and very big and heavy- and heavy- and heaved it heaved it after Tucker.after Tucker.

criticizedcriticized

A three-cornered A three-cornered conversation began. conversation began. Mama denounced Mama denounced Chester as a money Chester as a money eater and said eater and said further that she further that she suspected him of suspected him of inviting mice and inviting mice and other unsavory other unsavory characters into the characters into the newsstand at night.newsstand at night.

disagreeable or unpleasantdisagreeable or unpleasant

A three-cornered A three-cornered conversation began. conversation began. Mama denounced Mama denounced Chester as a money eater Chester as a money eater and said further that she and said further that she suspected him of inviting suspected him of inviting mice and other unsavory mice and other unsavory characters into the characters into the newsstand at night.newsstand at night.

coated with a gold coated with a gold colorcolor

That night, after That night, after Papa had shut up Papa had shut up the newsstand, the newsstand, Chester was Chester was hanging through hanging through the gilded bars of the gilded bars of his cage.his cage.

money paid to be freed from imprisonment

“Couldn’t you get out on bail for the time being?” asked Tucker.

pitiful; sorrowfulpitiful; sorrowful

Tucker Tucker looked looked nervously nervously from one to from one to the other. “I the other. “I have my have my life’s life’s savings,” he savings,” he said in a said in a pathetic pathetic voice.voice.

moneymoney

“ “ All of which means that you’ve All of which means that you’ve got a pile of loot back there in got a pile of loot back there in the drain pipe,” said Harry.the drain pipe,” said Harry.

dangerdanger

And whenever one of them dropped a And whenever one of them dropped a coin – however small! – pennies I love coin – however small! – pennies I love – I would dash out, at great peril to life – I would dash out, at great peril to life and limb, and bring it back to my and limb, and bring it back to my house.house.

bootsboots

Ah, when I think of the tramping Ah, when I think of the tramping shoes and the dangerous shoes and the dangerous galoshes - !galoshes - !

cheapskate; cheapskate; misermiser

““I will!” said Harry. “Now stop I will!” said Harry. “Now stop acting like a skinflint and let’s get acting like a skinflint and let’s get the money.”the money.”

ChopsticksChopsticks

SolemnSolemn

LusciousLuscious

KumquatsKumquats

MulberryMulberry

Beside the places that had been set Beside the places that had been set were two pairs of chopsticks, each were two pairs of chopsticks, each one in its own paper wrapper.one in its own paper wrapper.

two small sticks held together two small sticks held together in one hand used in Asia to lift in one hand used in Asia to lift food to the mouth.food to the mouth.

Then, drawing himself up to his full Then, drawing himself up to his full height, he made a very low and height, he made a very low and solemn bow.solemn bow.

seriousserious

The pieces of roasted duck were The pieces of roasted duck were swimming in a luscious, sweet swimming in a luscious, sweet sauce.sauce.

deliciousdelicious

When four of them had eaten as much of the When four of them had eaten as much of the chow yuk and chow mein and pork fried rice chow yuk and chow mein and pork fried rice and duck with pineapples as they wanted, Sai and duck with pineapples as they wanted, Sai Fong brought out some candied kumquats for Fong brought out some candied kumquats for desert.desert.

orange-colored, oval orange-colored, oval citrus fruit about the size citrus fruit about the size of a small plumof a small plum

““Then we’ve got to find a mulberry Then we’ve got to find a mulberry tree,” said Mario.tree,” said Mario.

type of treetype of tree

LuminousLuminous

AmateurAmateur

VaudevilleVaudeville

wrenchedwrenched

The dial of the clock was The dial of the clock was luminous and it shed a very luminous and it shed a very soft green light.soft green light.

bright or radiantbright or radiant

Harry twisted the dial and Harry twisted the dial and went through a quiz show, an went through a quiz show, an amateur hour, and a play amateur hour, and a play about the deep South before about the deep South before he got what he wanted.he got what he wanted.

a beginner; one who is a beginner; one who is inexperienced.inexperienced.

““Chester can play – I can Chester can play – I can dance,” he panted. “We dance,” he panted. “We should go into vaudeville.”should go into vaudeville.”

a stage show consisting of mixed a stage show consisting of mixed specialty acts including songs, dances, specialty acts including songs, dances, and comic skits.and comic skits.

The cover was The cover was wrenched off.wrenched off.

twisted or pulled suddenlytwisted or pulled suddenly

DespairDespair

ReproachReproach

IndignantlyIndignantly

JinxJinx

dwindleddwindled

““So -!” said Mama So -!” said Mama Bellini, all her despair Bellini, all her despair changing into anger.changing into anger.

to lose all hope or to lose all hope or confidenceconfidence

He would open his mouth He would open his mouth to defend Chester, but to defend Chester, but before he could say a before he could say a thing, the words were thing, the words were drowned in Mama’s flood drowned in Mama’s flood of reproaches.of reproaches.

blame; censureblame; censure

““Good luck!” said Mama Good luck!” said Mama indignantly. “He eats indignantly. “He eats money - he commits money - he commits arson!”arson!”

angrily; expressing angerangrily; expressing anger

““He’s a jinx. He goes.”He’s a jinx. He goes.”

a person or thing that a person or thing that reportedly brings bad luckreportedly brings bad luck

When she was loud, he was When she was loud, he was too – and then softer when too – and then softer when she got choked up with she got choked up with emotion and her voice emotion and her voice dwindled.dwindled.

to become smaller; decreaseto become smaller; decrease

GreedyGreedy

RodentRodent

imploreimplore

““Now wait, please, Harry, please, Now wait, please, Harry, please, just listen a minute before you just listen a minute before you begin calling me a greedy begin calling me a greedy rodent,” said Tucker.rodent,” said Tucker.

wanting everything for oneself wanting everything for oneself without thinking of otherswithout thinking of others

““Now wait, please, Harry, please, Now wait, please, Harry, please, just listen a minute before you just listen a minute before you begin calling me a greedy begin calling me a greedy rodent,” said Tucker.rodent,” said Tucker.

gnawing mammals which include gnawing mammals which include rats, mice, and squirrelsrats, mice, and squirrels

I urge – I implore!I urge – I implore!

begbeg

DazedDazed

ThrongsThrongs

CoaxCoax

But she wasn’t one to be so But she wasn’t one to be so dazed by good fortune that dazed by good fortune that she missed out on such a she missed out on such a chance.chance.

confusedconfused

All the announcers were All the announcers were talking about the talking about the remarkable insect who was remarkable insect who was delighting throngs in the delighting throngs in the Times Square subway Times Square subway station.station.

crowd of peoplecrowd of people

He coaxed He coaxed Chester with a Chester with a mulberry leaf.mulberry leaf.

persuade or persuade or encourageencourage

AmblingAmbling

WearilyWearily

SummitSummit

Harry followed him, Harry followed him, ambling silently along as ambling silently along as always.always.

walking slowly

Wearily Chester crossed Wearily Chester crossed his wings into position for his wings into position for playing.playing.

tired

Other people have retired Other people have retired at the peak of their at the peak of their careers.careers.

peak; top

CompartmentCompartment

MuffleMuffle

(The mulberry leaves were kept (The mulberry leaves were kept in the compartment next to the in the compartment next to the quarters.)quarters.)

sectionsection

Holding it tight against him to Holding it tight against him to muffle the tinkle, he jumped to muffle the tinkle, he jumped to the stool, to the floor and out the stool, to the floor and out the crack.the crack.

to deaden to deaden the soundthe sound