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 If I had had the least suspicion of it I should have gone out in search of her," said her father.

"I did not think much of it then, as Milly said she went to the door, but Ponto never barks at nothing, and perhaps he frightened her away. The more I think of it, the more confident I am of a glimpse of some sort of a bonnet. Oh Ponto! you must learn better manners. That was not civil. You should frighten only rogues away. There, see how penitent he is, he seems to say, 'Forgive me this time, and I will never do so again.

"I've got it, I've got it!" exclaimed Walter. "Halloa, pussy cat, don't rub it out, stretching your long paws out here, and opening your mouth as if you wanted to swallow all the knowledge you can get without working for it. Father, did you ever see such a funny cat? She will sit straight up and go to sleep, and nod just like folks; and if we speak to her she'll open her eyes just a little bit and then nod as if assenting to what we say."

"She's a wonderful cat, no doubt, and one of her most wonderful feats is, as you will think, that she knows your step. She will start out of a sound sleep when she hears it and look for you as eagerly as a child for its mother."

"I've noticed that she's always up and wide awake when I come in, but never stirs afterward? for anybody else."

"Then you've finished your equation have you, let me see it?"

"Yes, Rosa, it is finished at last, and that is wonderful, in the midst of your talk."