o her to keep quiet, and Bill went on with his
yarn. When he got to the part about the sharks, she turned deliberately
round and looked at him. I tell you there was an expression of disgust
on that cat's face as might have made a travelling Cheap Jack feel
ashamed of himself. It was that human, I give you my word, sir, I forgot
for the moment as the poor animal couldn't speak. I could see the words
that were on its lips: "Why don't you tell us you swallowed the anchor?"
and I sat on tenter-hooks, fearing each instant that she would say them
aloud. It was a relief to me when she turned her back on Bill.

"'For a few minutes she sat very still, and seemed to be wrestling with
herself like. I never saw a cat more set on controlling its feelings, or
that seemed to suffer more in silence. It made my heart ache to watch
it.

"'At last Bill came to the point where he and the captain between 'em
hold the shark's mouth open while the cabin-boy dives in head foremost,
and fetches up, undigested, the gold watch and chain as the bo'sun was a-
wearing when he fell overboard; and at that the old cat giv'd a screech,
and rolled over on her side with her legs in the air.

"'I thought at first the poor thing was dead, but she rallied after a
bit, and it seemed as though she had braced herself up to hear the thing
out.

"'But a little further on, Bill got too much for her again, and this time
she owned herself beat. She rose up and looked round at us: "You'll
excuse me, gentlemen," she said--leastways that is what she said if looks
go for anything--"maybe you're used to this sort of rubbish, and it don't
get on your nerves. With me it's different. I guess I've heard as much
of this fool's talk as my constitution will stand, and if it's all the
same to you I'll get outside before I'm sick."

"'With that she walked up to the door, and I opened it for her, and she
went out.

"'You can't fool a cat with talk same as you can a dog.'"

CHAPTER VII

Does man ever reform? Balzac says he doesn't. So far as my experience
goes, it agrees with that of Balzac--a fact the admirers of that author
are at liberty to make what use of they please.

When I was young and accustomed to take my views of life from people who
were older than myself, and who knew better, so they said, I used to
believe that he did. Examples of "reformed characters" were frequently
pointed out to me--indeed, our village, situate a few miles from a sm