e boat from
the pier to take Captain Gordon out to his ship, and as the sound
of the oars in the rowlocks died away in the night I fell asleep.

Chapter XII. A Tragedy And A Transportation.

I was up and about on the following morning when the town was yet
asleep. A cool, dewy mist hung in the air, and the rising sun
spread a rosy bloom on the eastern sky. When I arrived at Andrew
Drever's house there was no one moving within, but the door was not
locked, and quietly lifting the latch I went inside to find the cat
Baudrons, that I might take him out to the Lydia according to my
promise.

I made so little noise that even the jackdaw did not seem to notice
my entrance, and I looked to his cage on the side table. To my
surprise the cage door was standing wide open and Peter was not
there. But presently, from the school room, I heard him chattering
and croaking. Following the sound of his voice I discovered the
bird perched high upon the dominie's desk looking down at Baudrons,
who crouched below him on the floor in the very act of preparing to
spring, his checks swelled out and his great tail lashing the dusty
floor. The door creaked as I opened it, and before I could
interfere the cat was upon the desk with Peter struggling in his
claws. Peter left a few black feathers in Baudron's possession, and
escaping, flew over to the table by the window, where he hopped
about with the greatest coolness, muttering, "William the
Conqueror, ten sixty-six"--words which he had gathered from our
history lessons in the school. Baudrons was after him in a moment.

And now followed a terrible encounter. Instead of flying away the
bird deliberately met the cat and stabbed at him valiantly with his
long, heavy beak. They fell over on the floor together, and as they
struggled, amid much noise of growling and chattering and flapping
of wings, I flung my cap at them, trying to effect a separation.
Alas! before I could help the dominie's pet, the cat had the
uppermost of him, and ran off into the schoolmaster's private room
with the jackdaw held firmly in his teeth.

I followed, and tried to make the animal loosen his grip of poor
Peter. He growled and spat as I approached him, and, fearing for
the jackdaw's life, I hammered with my fist upon the door of the
schoolmaster's press bed and called out: "Mr. Drever! Mr. Drever!"

The dominie opened the bed door and sprang out to the rescue, his
red woollen nightcap upon his head. But his