| A | B |
|---|
| vat | a large vessel, such as a tub, to hold liquid |
| poise | a state of balance or equilibrium; stability; composure |
| grubby | dirty; grimy |
| scuttle | a metal pail for carrying coal |
| lye | a strong alkaline liquid rich in potassium carbonate leached from wood ashed; to make soap |
| unfurl | unroll, unfold, or spread out to be unrolled |
| jimmy | to move or force in an effort to get something open |
| abdicated | to relinquish (power of responsibility) formally (in the book, the character meant to use the word that means "kidnapped") |
| shriek | a shrill, often frantic cry |
| shrouded | wrapped (a corpse) in burial clothing; shut off from sight or screened |
| valise | a small piece of hand luggage |
| anvil | a heavy block of iron or steel with a smooth, flat top |
| gander | a look or glance |
| frazzle | condition of exhaustion |
| belfry | a bell tower |
| crackbrained | insanely irresponsible |
| estate | one's possessions, property, and debts left at death |
| cockeyed | foolish, ridiculous, absurd |
| bogus | counterfeit or fake; not genuine |
| cootie | a parasitic louse that infests the body of human beings (in the book the character meant to use the word that means "an eccentric or crotchety person") |
