'ands
in 'is pockets looking over garden fences and calling "Puss." He asked
everybody 'e see whether they 'ad seen a white cat with one blue eye and
one yaller one, and every time 'e came into the _Cauliflower_ he put his
'ead over the bar and called "Puss," 'cos, as 'e said, it was as likely
to be there as anywhere else.

It was about a week after the cat 'ad disappeared that George Barstow was
standing at 'is door talking to Joe Clark, who was saying the cat must be
dead and 'e wanted 'is property, when he sees a man coming up the road
carrying a basket stop and speak to Bill Chambers. Just as 'e got near
them an awful "miaow" come from the basket and George Barstow and Joe
Clark started as if they'd been shot.

"He's found it?" shouts Bill Chambers, pointing to the man.

"It's been living with me over at Ling for a week pretty nearly," ses the
man. "I tried to drive it away several times, not knowing that there was
fifteen pounds offered for it."

George Barstow tried to take 'old of the basket.

"I want that fifteen pounds fust," ses the man.

"That's on'y right and fair, George," ses Bob Pretty, who 'ad just come
up. "You've got all the luck, mate. We've been hunting 'igh and low for
that cat for a week."

Then George Barstow tried to explain to the man and call Bob Pretty names
at the same time; but it was all no good. The man said it 'ad nothing to
do with 'im wot he 'ad paid to Bob Pretty; and at last they fetched
Policeman White over from Cudford, and George Barstow signed a paper to
pay five shillings a week till the reward was paid.

George Barstow 'ad the cat for five years arter that, but he never let it
get away agin. They got to like each other in time and died within a
fortnight of each other, so that Joe Clark got 'is property arter all.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The White Cat, by W.W. Jacobs

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