'Now then, look here,' said the Policeman, very loudly, and he
pointed his lantern at each child in turn, 'what's the meaning of
this here yelling and caterwauling. I tell you you've got a cat
here, and some one's a ill-treating of it. What do you mean by it,
eh?'
It was five to one, counting the Phoenix; but the policeman, who
was one, was of unusually fine size, and the five, including the
Phoenix, were small. The mews and the squeaks grew softer, and in
the comparative silence, Cyril said--
'It's true. There are a few cats here. But we've not hurt them.
It's quite the opposite. We've just fed them.'
'It don't sound like it,' said the policeman grimly.
'I daresay they're not REAL cats,' said Jane madly, perhaps they're
only dream-cats.'
'I'll dream-cat you, my lady,' was the brief response of the force.
'If you understood anything except people who do murders and
stealings and naughty things like that, I'd tell you all about it,'
said Robert; 'but I'm certain you don't. You're not meant to shove
your oar into people's private cat-keepings. You're only supposed
to interfere when people shout "murder" and "stop thief" in the
street. So there!'
The policeman assured them that he should see about that; and at
this point the Phoenix, who had been making itself small on the
pot-shelf under the dresser, among the saucepan lids and the fish-
kettle, walked on tip-toed claws in a noiseless and modest manner,
and left the room unnoticed by any one.
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