228 RABBITS, CATS, AND CAVIES 



have sent rabbits, cats and cavies in this way all over the 

 kingdom without any difficulty. 



To return to my story, when the boxes were opened, 

 to our intense astonishment, there was not one cat in the 

 whole of them, the boxes were all empty. 



At that time I had certainly some of the most 

 valuable cats in the show world, comprising four or five 

 champions and others fit for any show, and was some- 

 what dismayed at the state of affairs. 



Before I had decided whether I should return to London 

 to inquire what had become of the missing cats, another 

 telegram came from the manager of the show, saying : 



"All your cats safe. Discovered the empty boxes 

 sent off in error. Sending them by special messenger to 

 Paddington, reach you to-night." 



So the cart made another journey to the station, and 

 this time really brought the travellers with it, they were 

 each packed in a separate basket, and made a good 

 cartload. 



I heard afterwards that all my boxes were stacked 

 together, and when the manager ordered them to be sent 

 off, his deputy did not open any of them , but took it for 

 granted the cats were inside, and so the mistake arose, 

 which was found out after the boxes were gone by seeing 

 a number of cats still in the pens. 



I have had such things occur with dogs more than 

 once when I have not been there to see them despatched, 

 but I think that was the only thing of the kind I 

 remember with cats, at anyrate where there were so 

 many left behind at any show. The manager and his 



