Part 10 (1/2)

However, she never heard, nor did she ever again see her little friend without any tail. But I might tell you that the little Cloth Dog was still on the mantel when the flood went down and Jeff and the family moved back into their bas.e.m.e.nt. The Cloth Dog was not drowned, and he lived for many years after that, even without his tail, though I cannot say he was very happy.

”Well, you take care of the China Cat. I am going to get my breakfast,”

said the policeman who had brought the white p.u.s.s.y into the station house.

”I'll take care of her, and send her back to Mr. Mugg as soon as I have a chance,” the sergeant promised.

Then he set the China Cat off the top of the big desk, and on a smaller one, so she would not get broken. All the remainder of the morning the China Cat was in the police station, though she was not arrested, you understand. Oh, my, no! She had done nothing wrong, even though she was very dirty. But of course being dirty was not her fault.

The China Cat saw many strange sights as she sat in the police station, and some of the sights were sad ones. She heard much about the flood, too, for it was a very high one, the river having overflowed its banks in many places.

At last all the poor people were rescued, and the police sergeant, who had been very busy, was given a few moments' rest. He leaned back in his chair and looked at the China Cat.

”I think I shall telephone Mr. Mugg and tell him to come here and get his China Cat,” the sergeant said. ”This may not be his toy. It may have been stolen from some other store. But I'll soon find out.”

So the police sergeant telephoned to Mr. Mugg. The toy-store keeper and his daughters, Angelina and Geraldine, were very busy, getting things to rights after the fire. It had not been as bad as was at first supposed, being down in the bas.e.m.e.nt. Some smoke and water got up on the main floor, however, but this was soon cleaned up and the store put to rights again.

”What's that?” cried Mr. Mugg over the telephone, though of course the China Cat could not hear what he said. ”You have my white China Cat? Oh, I am so glad! I'll be right down to get her.”

”All right,” answered the sergeant. ”She is here waiting for you. Though I would not call her very white,” he added as he hung up the telephone.

”What do you think of that, Geraldine--Angelina!” called Mr. Mugg to his two daughters. ”Our China Cat, that was stolen when the toys were carried out on account of the fire, has been found!”

”Oh, I am so glad!” said Geraldine.

”Where is she?” asked Angelina.

”In the police station,” her father replied. ”I am going down to get her.”

”I'll go with you,” offered Geraldine. ”I want to see the China Cat again. I hope she isn't chipped. Who had her?”

But this Mr. Mugg did not know, for the sergeant did not tell him the whole story over the telephone. A little later Mr. Mugg and Geraldine were in the police station.

”I have come for my China Cat,” said Mr. Mugg, rubbing his hands and looking over the tops of his gla.s.ses.

”Here she is,” said the sergeant, and he handed over the p.u.s.s.y who had been rescued from the flood.

For a moment the toy-store keeper looked at the plaything. Then he sadly shook his head.

”No, I am sorry to say that is not my China Cat,” he said.

Well, you can just imagine how the China Cat felt. Her heart, such as she had, was beating with joy when she saw Mr. Mugg and Geraldine come into the station house. But now to hear Mr. Mugg say she was not his Cat! Oh, it was terrible, I do a.s.sure you!

”Not your Cat?” exclaimed the sergeant. ”Why, I understood a lot of toys were stolen from your shop after the fire, and a China Cat was among them.”

”Yes, that is so,” answered Mr. Mugg. ”But my China Cat was a white one, and this is black and white. No, she does not belong to me.”

He turned away, and the China Cat would have shed tears if China Cats ever cry. But Miss Geraldine stepped forward.

”Please let me look at that toy,” she said.

The sergeant handed her the China Cat. Geraldine looked closely at her.