WAS IT THE CAT?
Usually Bob Burton slept all night; but to-night, unfortunately for
Clip, he awakened about two o'clock in the morning. By an equally
perverse chance, just as he awoke, the concealed passenger, now enjoying
the freedom of the deck, broke out into a stentorian sneeze. Bob heard
it, and so did Clip, whose uneasiness made him sleep more lightly than
usual, and both were startled.
"I hope Massa Bob won't hear dat," thought Clip.
But Bob did hear it.
"What's that?" he asked, half rising in bed.
"It's me!" answered Clip, preferring to admit the sneeze rather than
have Bob suspect that there was any one else on the boat.
"Do you mean to say you sneezed, Clip?" asked Bob, in amazement.
"Yes, Massa Bob."
"You must be dreaming. The sneeze came from another part of the boat."
"Are you sure?" asked Clip.
"Yes. What made you tell me that it was you who sneezed?"
"I t'ought I did, Massa Bob."
"When did you wake up?"
"Just now."
"The sneeze must have waked you up."
"I dunno," answered Clip, dubiously.
"There must be some one on board, unless we both dreamed about the
sneeze."
"Mebbe it's a cat!" remarked Clip, ingenuously.
Bob laughed. "It must be a very remarkable cat that would sneeze like
that," he said.
"Jus' so, Massa Bob," assented Clip, meekly, hoping that Bob would drop
the subject.
"I think, Clip, I shall get up and search for that cat."
"Don't you do it, Massa Bob. He--he might bite you."
"I hope I am not such a coward as to be afraid of a cat."
Bob rose and lighted a candle which he had with him. Then, followed by
Clip, he advanced to the other end of the deck. But the passenger had
warning, having heard the conversation which had taken place between Bob
and Clip, and had hurriedly retreated to his former hiding-place. It did
not occur to Bob to look there, and he returned from his fruitless
search more mystified than ever.
But, Clip being close beside him, he caught the aroma of the single
swallow of whisky which Clip had taken, and he immediately began to
suspect poor Clip of having indulged in much deeper potations than he
was guilty of.
"Clip," he said, suddenly, "I smell whisky."
"Does you, Massa Bob?" asked Clip, feeling that he was getting into a
scrape.
"Yes, I do, Clip; and where do you think it comes from?"
"Don't know, Massa Bob; 'deed I don't."
"It comes from your mouth, Clip. You've been drinking!"
Drops of perspiration stood on Clip's forehead. He could not excuse
himself, or explain matters, without betraying his secret. Not thinking
of anything to say, he said nothing.
"Tell me the truth, Clip; have you been drinking?"
"I jes' took a little swaller."
"Where did you take it?"
"On sho'."
"What made you do such a thing? I didn't dream that you were getting
intemperate, Clip."
"You see, Massa Bob, a gen'leman asked me to bring him a drink of
whisky, and I t'ought I'd jest see how it tasted."
"Who asked you to bring him some whisky?" asked Bob, who believed this
to be a pure fiction on the part of his young companion.
"A gen'leman."
"What gentleman?"
"He didn't tell me his name."
"I think you are telling me a lie, Clip."
"No I ain't, Massa Bob; it's as true as de Bible."
"I don't think you know much about the Bible, Clip."
"It's all true what I told you, Massa Bob. If I find de gen'leman, I'll
bring him here to tell you."
The witness referred to smiled to himself grimly when he heard this
statement.
"That little nigger's a brick!" he said to himself. "As to that other
boy, I'd like to throw him overboard. He's too fond of meddling with
other people's business."
It may occur to the reader that this was hardly a fair way of stating
the case. As the boat belonged to Bob, and he was the commander, it
might safely be assumed that he had a right to inquire into anything
that excited his suspicion.
"Are you goin' back to bed, Massa Bob?" asked Clip, uneasily.
"Wait a minute, Clip; I want to get a drink of water."
Again poor Clip was in bad luck. The tin dipper had been used to procure
the whisky, and of course it still smelled strongly of that liquor.
"Clip," said Bob, as soon as he had raised it to his lips, "you got some
whisky in this cup."
"Ye'es," admitted Clip.
"And you drank it yourself instead of giving it to any gentleman."
"No, I didn't, Massa Bob," stoutly, and as we know truly, asserted Clip.
"I'm ashamed of you, Clip. If you are going to act in this way, I shall
have to send you home. You have been acting very queerly this evening.
Sam and I both noticed it, but I didn't think you had formed a taste for
whisky."
"I don't love it, Massa Bob. I hate it. It's awful nasty stuff."
"And you didn't drink this dipper full, then?"
"No, I didn't."
"What did you do with it?"
"Throwed it away, Massa Bob. I only took one swaller. I couldn't drink
it if you gave me half a dollar; 'deed I couldn't."
"I hope this is true, Clip. I shouldn't like to tell my mother that you
had become intemperate."
"What's the matter?" was heard from Sam's bed at this juncture. "Where
are you, Bob?"
"Here I am, Sam."
"What made you get up?"
"I thought I heard a noise on deck; so Clip and I got up."
"What was it like?"
"A sneeze. Clip thought it might be a cat."
Bob and Sam laughed at the ludicrous idea, and Clip joined in, glad that
Bob's embarrassing cross-examination was over.
"You'd better come to bed, both of you. Very likely you dreamed it."
At that moment, and before Bob had put out the candle, there was a most
unlooked-for corroboration of Clip's singular theory.
An immense tom-cat ran swiftly between Bob's legs, from some place of
concealment. Both he and Clip saw it, and the latter was quick to take
advantage of the opportune appearance of the animal.
"Dare's de cat, Massa Bob," he shouted, triumphantly. "Didn't I tell you
it was a cat?"
Bob was temporarily nonplussed. Clip seemed to have the best of the
argument.
"All I can say is, it is a remarkable cat," he said. "I wish it would
sneeze again."
The rest of the night passed without anything remarkable happening. All
three boys slept soundly. Indeed, it was later than usual, probably on
account of their sleep being interrupted during the night, that they
awoke.
According to custom, the boys took turns in going out to breakfast.
"Clip, you and Sam can go out together," said Bob. "I will take my turn
afterwards."
"I ain't in no hurry, Massa Bob," said Clip. "You an' Sam go first, and
I'll go afterwards."
Bob thought this a little strange, but did not object.
When Clip was left alone he went at once to see his charge.
"Hope you pass de night good," said Clip, politely.
"I'm awfully cramped up," groaned the other. "But you're a trump, Clip.
You stood by me like a Trojan."
"Thank you, massa. I'm afraid Massa Bob'll find you out. How long you
goin' to stay?"
"Till I get a few miles from this town. Then he may find me and
welcome."
Clip felt that it would be a great relief to him when there was no
further need of concealment.