ing at the
hall-door, and passed my evenings in thinking about her, sometimes by
the kitchen fire, sometimes in the study, on the rug at my master's
feet. But the more I thought about her, the more I missed her, till at
last I quite lost all my spirits. I could not eat my food without her to
partake of it; I scarcely cared to growl, and took no pleasure in
barking. In short, I pined for her as I had once done for Lily; and John
and my master asked each other every day what could be the matter with
me.

At last, finding it impossible to bear such a life any longer, I began
to consider whether there was no remedy in my power. I knew that if my
master objected to any thing, he did not lie on the rug and mope, but he
worked hard to set it to rights. The more I thought about it, the more I
perceived that mere thinking would not do; I must set to work and help
myself. So I took my resolution, and determined to risk every thing
rather than go on in this dawdling way, fretting my heart out.

But how? Why, how did I come here myself? People had tried to bring me,
and succeeded; why should not I try to bring Pussy? I might not succeed,
for I did not conceal from myself the difficulties of the undertaking;
but what great enterprise was ever accomplished without danger or
difficulty? At any rate, it was worth the trial; and if I _did_ succeed,
Pussy was worth every thing. So, as she would not come, I would go and
fetch her.

This once decided, it was evident that the sooner I set off the better;
because the road not being familiar to me, it was important that I
should travel it again before all traces of our former journey were
lost. As yet, we had not been so long in London but that I had reason to
think I should recognise the principal turnings, besides various objects
on the road. I had been asleep during part of the journey, it is true;
but I hoped that my acute sense of smell would come to my help when
eyesight failed.

And here I reflected with satisfaction upon the many advantages I had
over my master in travelling. First, what a much better nose mine was!
His seemed of very little use to him up in the air, out of reach of the
ground. If he had not been able to ask his way, I am sure he could never
have found it out by smelling. Then, how inconvenient to be obliged to
carry so many things with him! He could not move without a portmanteau
or a carpet-bag full of strange clothes, instead of being contented with
one good c