THE CAT: 



For if Sam every day were sent 

 Off from his work your fish to buy, 



Why, men are men, he might resent, 

 And starve or kick you on the sly; 

 Eh! Hodge, my cat? " 



The Dictionary was laid down, 



The Doctor tied his vast cravat, 

 And down the buzzing street he strode, 

 Taking an often-trodden road, 

 And halted at a well-known stall: 



" Fishmonger," spoke the Doctor gruff, 

 " Give me six oysters, that is all ; 



Hodge knows when he has had enough, 

 Hodge is my cat." 



Then home ; Puss dined, and while in sleep 



He chased a visionary rat, 

 His master sat him down again, 

 Rewrote his page, renibbed his pen; 

 Each i was dotted, each t was crossed, 



He laboured on for all to read, 

 Nor deemed that time was waste or lost 

 Spent in supplying the small need 

 Of Hodge, the cat. 



81 



