A CONVENTION BBOKEN UP IN A BOW. 117 



the impression that at least twenty little children had fallen 

 into as many tnbs of boiling water. I threw open the win- 

 dow and stepped out upon the roof of the tea-room. I don't 

 intend to exaggerate, but I honestly believe that there were 

 less than three hundred cats over against me, on the roofe 

 of the out-houses ; each one of which had a tail bigger 

 than a Bologna sausage, his back crooked up like an oxbow, 

 and his great round eyes gleaming fiercely in the moonlight, 

 putting in his very best in the way of catterwauling. Two 

 of the largest, one black as night and the other a dark 

 grey or brindle, appeared to be particularly in earnest, and 

 the way they scolded, and screamed, and swore at each 

 other was a sin to hear. I won't undertake to report all 

 they said ; a decent regard for the proprieties of language, 

 compels me to give only a sketch of the debate. 



" 'You infernal^ big-tailed, hump-backed, ugly-mugged thief,' 

 screamed the grey, ' I'd like to know what you are out here 

 for this time of night, skulking, and creeping, and nosing 

 about in the dark, poaching upon other people's preserves ?' 



< y er y well ! mighty well 1' was the reply, ' for you to 

 talk, you black-skinned, ogre-eyed, growling and sputtering 

 robber, to come upon this roof, sticking up your back and 

 taking airs on yourself. I'd like to know what business 

 you've got to be prowling about and crowding yourself into 

 honest people's company ?' 



" ' I'm a regular Tom Cat, I'd have you know, and go where 

 I please, and I'll stand none of your big talk and insolent 

 looks/ 



