"Good evening," he said. "Have you little people lost a cat lately?"
We stared. Peter said "I knew it!" in a triumphant pig's whisper.
The Story Girl started eagerly forward.
"Oh, Mr. Dale, can you tell us anything of Paddy?" she cried.
"A silver gray cat with black points and very fine marking?"
"Yes, yes!"
"Alive?"
"Yes."
"Well, doesn't that beat the Dutch!" muttered Dan.
But we were all crowding about the Awkward Man, demanding where
and when he had found Paddy.
"You'd better come over to my place and make sure that it really
is your cat," suggested the Awkward Man, "and I'll tell you all
about finding him on the way. I must warn you that he is pretty
thin--but I think he'll pull through."
We obtained permission to go without much difficulty, although the
spring evening was wearing late, for Aunt Janet said she supposed
none of us would sleep a wink that night if we didn't. A joyful
procession followed the Awkward Man and the Story Girl across the
gray, star-litten meadows to his home and through his pine-guarded
gate.
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