Then she went upstairs and I read a little till I had enough of
reading, and I thought I'd go to the towpath, but first, as I was
thirsty, I thought I'd get a glass and take a drink at the pump. But
when I tried to pump, the pump-handle just went up in the air, and
wouldn't pump up any water!

And just as I tried it again, I heard somebody say, "That pump handle
oughter been left up in the air. Say, young feller, you gotter pour some
water down first. That pump ain't been used stiddy for some little while
back. Ease it up and she'll go all right."

[Illustration: Turned and went into the house, and all the cats ran
after him]

I turned around, and there, leaning against the fence, was an old man
with big blue eyes and a white mustache, and a pipe, and a plaid vest
and a soft hat, and the biggest lot of cats I ever saw. Seven of them,
white and gray and black and mixed colors, all looking up at me.

I was so surprised that I didn't know what to say. But the old gentleman
said, "Wait here, and I'll fetch you a kittle of water," and he turned
and went into the white stone house, and all the cats ran after him. But
he shut the door tight, and the cats sat waiting and mewing on the back
porch, and I held on to the pump-handle and waited too.

[Illustration]