"'It irritated me that Bill should have such an animal about him to
encourage him, and when he had finished I said to him, "I wish you'd tell
that yarn round at my quarters one evening."
"'Why?' said Bill.
"'Oh, it's just a fancy of mine,' I says. I didn't tell him I was
wanting my old cat to hear it.
"'Oh, all right,' says Bill, 'you remind me.' He loved yarning, Billy
did.
"'Next night but one he slings himself up in my cabin, and I does so.
Nothing loth, off he starts. There was about half-a-dozen of us
stretched round, and the cat was sitting before the fire fussing itself
up. Before Bill had got fairly under weigh, she stops washing and looks
up at me, puzzled like, as much as to say, "What have we got here, a
missionary?" I signalled to 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.
Pages:
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165