"
"Well, doesn't that beat the Dutch!" muttered Dan.
But we were all crowding about the Awkward Man, demanding where
and when he had found Paddy.
"You'd better come over to my place and make sure that it really
is your cat," suggested the Awkward Man, "and I'll tell you all
about finding him on the way. I must warn you that he is pretty
thin--but I think he'll pull through."
We obtained permission to go without much difficulty, although the
spring evening was wearing late, for Aunt Janet said she supposed
none of us would sleep a wink that night if we didn't. A joyful
procession followed the Awkward Man and the Story Girl across the
gray, star-litten meadows to his home and through his pine-guarded
gate.
"You know that old barn of mine back in the woods?" said the
Awkward Man. "I go to it only about once in a blue moon. There
was an old barrel there, upside down, one side resting on a block
of wood. This morning I went to the barn to see about having some
hay hauled home, and I had occasion to move the barrel. I noticed
that it seemed to have been moved slightly since my last visit,
and it was now resting wholly on the floor. I lifted it up--and
there was a cat lying on the floor under it. I had heard you had
lost yours and I took it this was your pet.
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