The Royal Analostan had been a windfall for Jap--had been the
means of adding many comforts to the cellar and several prisoners
to the cages. It was now of the utmost importance to recapture
her majesty. Stale meat-offal and other infallible lures were put
out till Pussy, urged by the reestablished hunger-pinch, crept up
to a large fish-head in a box-trap; the negro, in watching,
pulled the string that dropped the lid, and, a minute later, the
Analostan was once more among the prisoners in the cellar.
Meanwhile Jap had been watching the 'Lost and Found' column.
There it was, "$25 reward," etc. That night Mr. Malee's butler
called at the Fifth Avenue mansion with the missing cat. "Mr.
Malee's compliments, sah. De Royal Analostan had recurred in her
recent proprietor's vicinity and residence, sah. Mr. Malee had
pleasure in recuperating the Royal Analostan, sah." Of course Mr.
Malee could not be rewarded, but the butler was open to any
offer, and plainly showed that he expected the promised reward
and something more.

Kitty was guarded very carefully after that; but so far from
being disgusted with the old life of starving, and glad of her
ease, she became wilder and more dissatisfied.


VIII

The spring was doing its New York best. The dirty little English
Sparrows were tumbling over each other in their gutter brawls,
Cats yowled all night in the areas, and the Fifth Avenue family
were thinking of their country residence. They packed up, closed
house and moved off to their summer home, some fifty miles away,