caught by the leg in a trap intended for a less respectable robber of
hen-roosts, was finished by a bull-terrier, who took advantage of her
embarrassed circumstances to pay off upon her a grudge of long standing.
This tragedy occurred in January of the year 1807, and produced a
noticeable effect upon Master Archibald Malmaison. He neither wept nor
tore his hair, but took the far more serious course of losing his
appetite.

The most remarkable part of the story is yet to come. No one had told him
that the cat was dead, and the cat, having adventurous propensities, had
often been away from home for days at a time without leave or warning.
Nevertheless, Archibald was immediately aware of her fate, and even seemed
(judging from some expressions that escaped him) to have divined the
manner of it. He then gave intimation of an earnest desire to view the
remains; but in this he could not be gratified, for they had already been
secretly interred in an obscure corner of the back garden. Will it be
believed that the "peculiar" child hereupon got upon his fat legs, and,
without either haste or hesitation, deliberately ambled out of the
nursery, along the corridor, down the stairs, across the hall, through the
door, and so round to the back garden and to the very identical spot where
poor Tabby had been deposited!

The fact is sufficiently well attested; I am not aware that it has ever
been accounted for. The boy had never in his life walked so far before,
although his limbs were perfectly developed and able for much longer
pilgrimages. He did not resist being led away; but, as has been said, he
neglected his bread and milk, and every few days returned to the back
garden, and stood beside the grave in the cold, looking fixedly at it, but
making no active demonstration whatever. This went on for about six weeks,
and attracted a good deal of curiosity in the neighborhood. At length, in