slandherous people, and sure it would rise ugly remarks if I was seen with
a cat afther me:--a dog is a man's companion by nature, but cats does not
stand to rayson.'

"Well, the cat, seeing there was no use in argument, got into the bag, and
off Tom set to the cross roads with the bag over his shoulder, and he came
up, _quite innocent-like_, to the corner, where the Squire, and his
huntsman, and the hounds, and a pack o' people were waitin'. Out came the
Squire on a sudden, just as if it was all by accident.

"'God save you, Tom,' says he.

"'God save you kindly, sir,' says Tom.

"'What's that bag you have at your back?' says the Squire.

"'Oh, nothin' at all, sir,' says Tom--makin' a face all the time, as much
as to say, I have her safe.

"'Oh, there's something in that bag, I think,' says the Squire; 'and you
must let me see it.'

"'If you bethray me, Tom Connor,' says the cat in a low voice, 'by this
and that I'll never spake to you again!'

"'Pon my honour, sir,' said Tom, with a wink and a twitch of his thumb
towards the bag, 'I haven't anything in it.'

"'I have been missing my praties of late,' says the Squire; 'and I'd just
like to examine that bag,' says he.