252 THE FIRESIDE SPHINX 



was loaded, and ready to depart. Search was made 

 in vain about the wharves, and Captain Hugo was 

 compelled, not only to sail without his mascot, but 

 to assume the responsibility for her abandoned 

 infants. 



Two days later the prodigal came back. Another 

 and a larger boat filled the Bayonne's place. Re- 

 pentant and dismayed, she visited every steamer in 

 the clocks ; then, convinced that her indiscretions 

 had made her both homeless and kittenless, she 

 took up her quarters in a watch-box, and patiently 

 awaited Captain Hugo's return. Week followed 

 week ; scores of barks arrived, and were each in 

 turn anxiously inspected ; and still, undiscouraged 

 by repeated disappointments, she bravely kept her 

 post. At last the Bayonne was sighted, and there 

 was no need this time to hunt for the cat. There 

 she stood, quivering with agitation, on the extreme 

 edge of the wharf, as the malodorous little craft 

 plied its way along the river. The captain's big 

 black dog, Pussy's old friend and companion, barked 

 his furious welcome from the deck. The sound in- 

 creased her excitement, and, when the steamer was 

 still twelve feet from the docks, she cleared with 

 flying leap the intervening space, and, mid the 

 cheers of the crew, ran straight to the captain's 

 cabin where she had left her kittens two months 

 before. They were well-grown young cats by this 



