The Cat and the Captain/Chapter 9

by Elizabeth Jane Coatsworth

Chapter IX

This cat saved us . . . .

BEFORE going to bed at night the Captain always wrote in his log book. A log book is the diary of a ship at sea and the Captain pretended to himself that his house was a ship. He was more used to ships than to houses.

"This day comes in fair with light westerly breeze," he wrote carefully.

"At four bells, morning watch (which is the sea way of saying ten o'clock in the morning) boarded the Lively Ann. Found all shipshape. Painted rail.

"During the afternoon watch, some trouble in the galley (that referred to Susannah's chasing the Cat with a broom).

"At eight bells received on board the mate and cabin boy of the brig Garfield (that was his daughter's married name). Tea for all hands.

"At eight bells evening watch wind freshened, backed to N. E. Saw all serene for the night.

"So ends this day."

The Captain wished he could say how far the house had sailed, but he knew it had stayed in its own yard behind its white paling fence. The log book of a house is not half so exciting as a ship's. He sighed as he closed the book. Then he locked the door, looked at all the windows, wound the grandfather's clock, and put the screen around the fire. The Cat still lay in his chair and made no move to go upstairs. He often waited until the embers were cool before he curled up on his rug in the Captain's room.

It didn't take the Captain long to get into bed. For that matter he didn't have a bed, because a bed never stirs during the night. He slept in a hammock that swung a little when he turned over and reminded him of the sea. He was so sleepy that he paid no attention when he saw the Cat come to his door, hesitate, and then turn toward the spare chamber instead of coming in as usual. He blew out the candle, tumbled into his hammock, and was almost asleep when he heard a mewing. Still he paid no attention.

"Mew, mew!" went the Cat.

"Do let me go to sleep," muttered the Captain, from his pillow.

"Mew, mew!" went the Cat.

The Captain pulled the blankets over his ears. He couldn't bear to be disturbed just now.

"Mew, mew, mew!" went the Cat and jumped on the hammock.

"Mew, mew!" went the Cat, scratching at the blankets.

"Well, well!" said the Captain, wide awake at last. "Whatever is the matter with you this evening?"

At that, down jumped the Cat, ran to the door, ran back to the Captain again, and then to the door. His

The Captain picked up his cane

hair was ruffled. His whiskers were bristling. His eyes were green. The Captain, who had lighted his candle, saw that something was wrong. He put on his dressing gown and picked up his cane. Across the little hall went the Cat and into the spare chamber and up to the door of the clothes closet.

"Mrow," went the Cat, looking very frightened, but brave.

The Captain opened the door carefully.

And there hidden in the closet was the Mate.

The Captain had quite a hard time before he finally got the Mate tied up with the clothesline Susannah brought. The Cat jumped up on the bureau to keep out of harm's way. Susannah, in a yellow woolen nightdress, stood in the doorway humming and singing and rolling her eyes until the Captain sent her for the police.

"He evidently had a grudge against you, Captain," said the policeman later, "and was waiting for you to go to sleep. He must have gotten in through an upper window during the day. When the house was quiet and you were asleep he'd have come out and robbed you and maybe worse, too."

"I was almost asleep," said the Captain. "It was this cat here who saved us. He came into my room and made me wake up, and led me to this door. He must have heard or seen something after I went to bed."

Then every one turned and looked at the Cat who was still sitting on the bureau and couldn't help feeling proud. Even Susannah knew at last that the Captain was right. This was a good cat, a very good cat. After what had happened, she could never be angry with him again. When Susannah begged any one's pardon she did it thoroughly.

"I wants to 'pologize to yo' right here and now 'fo' all de people fo' de mean things I evah done said about yo', honey," she said, shaking the Cat by the paw, and then she began rocking herself backward and forward in the way she had when she was excited. And pretty soon she was singing:

"Ev'ry li'l' ol' cat's got his own li'l' ways——
 Praise be!
But who wouldn't put up with a li'l' cat's plays?
 Praise be!
He's de finest best cat yo' ever did see,
He done save de Captain an' he done save me!
 Praise be!
  Hallelujah!"

"I always knew he was a good cat," said the Captain happily. The Cat jumped down and rubbed against Susannah's ankles to show that he, too, could forget any little misunderstandings. Then he looked at his friend, the Captain, as though asking for something, and ran to the top of the stairs.

The policeman was just going to leave with his prisoner, but he couldn't take his eyes off the Cat. "He wants something to eat," said the policeman.

"He can have anything he wants in this house," said the Captain, starting for the stairs.

Susannah didn't say anything, but before the Captain was halfway down she had hurried to the ice box. And the beautiful long slice of white chicken meat she had put away as a special treat for herself went into the Cat's saucer.