16 Bosh-Bosh Oil.

“What kind of a cat? Big and strong and
a fighter, I daresay?’’

“No, rather a gentle, frightened looking cat.”
The small dog’s body grew suddenly rigid. Her
eyes rolled. She smacked her lips and_ said:

‘“‘Ah, well, she was very near her home, I
suppose?”’

“No, in a field.”’

“Z’hounds! You don’t say so? Of course she
was near shelter of some sort? Near a _ tree?”’

“No, in an open field.”’

“You don’t say so?”

Pitcher was now trembling and her voice was
hoarse with excitement.

“This cat—this cat,’ she panted, ‘‘was facing
the road, I suppose?”

“On the contrary,” said Gardner, ‘her back
was toward the road, and she was sound asleep.”

“Back toward the road—and asleep! Great
Sirius! This is too much!! I cannot let this
chance go,’ and with a howl of delirious excite-
ment, Pitcher vanished down the path! Gardner,
laughing heartily, went on.