按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
anything about thather one thought was to go home。 It may have been
chance that took her back in the direction of Gramercy Grange Hill； but
she did arrive there after sundry small adventures。 And now what？ She
was not at home； and she had cut off her living。 She was beginning to be
hungry； and yet she had a peculiar sense of happiness。 She cowered in a
16
… Page 17…
Animal Heroes
front garden for some time。 A raw east wind had been rising； and now it
came to her with a particularly friendly message； man would have called it
an unpleasant smell of the docks； but to Pussy it was welcome tidings
from home。 She trotted down the long Street due east； threading the rails
of front gardens； stopping like a statue for an instant； or crossing the street
in search of the darkest side； and came at length to the docks and to the
water。 But the place was strange。 She could go north or south。 Something
turned her southward； and； dodging among docks and Dogs； carts and Cats；
crooked arms of the bay and straight board fences； she got； in an hour or
two； among familiar scenes and smells； and； before the sun came up； she
had crawled back …weary and foot…sore through the same old hole in the
same old fence and over a wall to her junk…yard back of the bird…cellar
yes； back into the very cracker…box where she was born。
Oh； if the Fifth Avenue family could only have seen her in her native
Orient！
After a long rest she came quietly down from the cracker…box toward
the steps leading to the cellar； engaged in her old…time pursuit of seeking
for eatables。 The door opened； and there stood the negro。 He shouted to
the bird…man inside：
〃Say； boss； come hyar。 Ef dere ain't dat dar Royal Ankalostan am
comed back！〃
Jap came in time to see the Cat jumping the wall。 They called loudly
and in the most seductive； wheedling tones： 〃Pussy； Pussy； poor Pussy！
Come； Pussy！〃 But Pussy was not prepossessed in their favor； and
disappeared to forage in her old…time haunts。
The Royal Analostan had been a windfall for Japhad been the means
of adding many comforts to the cellar and several prisoners to the cages。 It
was now of the utmost importance to recapture her majesty。 Stale meat…
offal and other infallible lures were put out till Pussy； urged by the
reestablished hunger…pinch； crept up to a large fish…head in a box…trap； the
negro； in watching； pulled the string that dropped the lid； and； a minute
later； the Analostan was once more among the prisoners in the cellar。
Meanwhile Jap had been watching the 'Lost and Found' column。 There it
was； 〃25 reward；〃 etc。 That night Mr。 Malee's butler called at the Fifth
17
… Page 18…
Animal Heroes
Avenue mansion with the missing cat。 〃Mr。 Malee's compliments； sah。 De
Royal Analostan had recurred in her recent proprietor's vicinity and
residence； sah。 Mr。 Malee had pleasure in recuperating the Royal
Analostan； sah。〃 Of course Mr。 Malee could not be rewarded； but the
butler was open to any offer； and plainly showed that he expected the
promised reward and something more。
Kitty was guarded very carefully after that； but so far from being
disgusted with the old life of starving； and glad of her ease； she became
wilder and more dissatisfied。
VIII
The spring was doing its New York best。 The dirty little English
Sparrows were tumbling over each other in their gutter brawls； Cats
yowled all night in the areas； and the Fifth Avenue family were thinking of
their country residence。 They packed up； closed house and moved off to
their summer home； some fifty miles away； and Pussy； in a basket； went
with them。
〃Just what she needed： a change of air and scene to wean her away
from her former owners and make her happy。〃
The basket was lifted into a Rumble…shaker。 New sounds and passing
smells were entered and left。 A turn in the course was made。 Then a
roaring of many feet； more swinging of the basket； a short pause； another
change of direction； then some clicks； some bangs； a long shrill whistle；
and door…bells of a very big front door； a rumbling； a whizzing； an
unpleasant smell； a hideous smell； a growing horrible； hateful choking
smell； a deadly； griping； poisonous stench； with roaring that drowned poor
Kitty's yowls； and just as it neared the point where endurance ceased； there
was relief。 She heard clicks and clacks。 There was light； there was air。
Then a man's voice called； 〃All out for 125th Street；〃 though of course to
Kitty it was a mere human bellow。 The roaring almost ceaseddid cease。
Later the rackety…bang was renewed with plenty of sounds and shakes；
though not the poisonous gas； a long； hollow； booming roar with a
pleasant dock smell was quickly passed； and then there was a succession
of jolts； roars； jars； stops； clicks； clacks； smells； jumps； shakes； more
smells； more shakes；big shakes； little shakes；gases； smokes； screeches；
18
… Page 19…
Animal Heroes
door…bells； tremblings； roars； thunders； and some new smells； raps； taps；
heavings； rumblings； and more smells； but all without any of the feel that
the direction is changed。 When at last it stopped； the sun came twinkling
through the basket…lid。 The Royal Cat was lifted into a Rumble…shaker of
the old familiar style； and； swerving aside from their past course； very
soon the noises of its wheels were grittings and rattlings； a new and
horrible sound was addedthe barking of Dogs； big and little and
dreadfully close。 The basket was lifted； and Slum Kitty had reached her
country home。
Every one was officiously kind。 They wanted to please the Royal Cat；
but somehow none of them did； except； possibly； the big； fat cook that
Kitty discovered on wandering into the kitchen。 This unctuous person
smelt more like a slum than anything she had met for months； and the
Royal Analostan was proportionately attracted。 The cook； when she
learned that fears were entertained about the Cat staying； said： 〃Shure；
she'd 'tind to thot； wanst a Cat licks her futs； shure she's at home。〃 So she
deftly caught the unapproachable royalty in her apron； and committed the
horrible sacrilege of greasing the soles of her feet with pot…grease。 Of
course Kitty resented itshe resented everything in the place； but on being
set down she began to dress her paws and found evident satisfaction in
that grease。 She licked all four feet for an hour； and the cook triumphantly
announced that now 〃shure she'd be apt to shtay。〃 And stay she did； but
she showed a most surprising and disgusting preference for the kitchen；
the cook； and the garbage…pail。
The family； though distressed by these distinguished peculiarities；
were glad to see the Royal Analostan more contented and approachable。