"He thought I was partly _black_!
I must be _very_ dirty indeed. My toy friends would never know me! Oh,
shall I ever be clean again?"
"Yes, it is only a toy China Cat," said the policeman who had rescued
the pussy, as well as the negro family. "I guess she was pure white
once. But she got blackened in the fire, and it didn't wash off in the
flood, though goodness knows it rained enough!"
"I should say so," agreed the sergeant. "Well, leave the China Cat here,
and I will send her back to Mr. Mugg. You didn't see any of his other
stolen toys, did you?"
"No," the policeman answered, "I did not. There was a little Cloth Dog
on the same shelf, but he had no tail and one eye was almost gone, so I
knew he didn't belong in the toy store, and I let him stay there."
"Poor little Cloth Dog!" thought the China Cat. "I wonder what will
become of him?"
However, she never heard, nor did she ever again see her little friend
without any tail. But I might tell you that the little Cloth Dog was
still on the mantel when the flood went down and Jeff and the family
moved back into their basement. The Cloth Dog was not drowned, and he
lived for many years after that, even without his tail, though I cannot
say he was very happy.
"Well, you take care of the China Cat. I am going to get my breakfast,"
said the policeman who had brought the white pussy into the station
house.
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