"In color, do you mean?"

"Naw--in disposition. Outside, she's kind of striped, but inside, de
lady's white; an' don't yer fergit it, bo, she's de owner of four good
sets of claws.

"Thank you," said Omar Ben airily. "I shall endeavor to remember. Come
along, R.T.!"

Pete objected somewhat to this pointed abbreviation of his name, but
forgave his friend on the grounds that he was drunk; so the two went on
and sought their rendezvous. The ladies were waiting, seated expectantly
on the gate-posts, but descended at Ringtail's call, and the "swell gent"
was formally introduced. Miss Lizzie seemed to like him immensely, and
the two progressed so well that Ringtail stretched his single eye to its
utmost capacity, cursing softly at his friend's unprecedented cheek. For
Omar Ben--thanks to his nip of catnip--so far forgot his strained reserve
that Miss Lizzie herself said afterward to a friend, in confidence:

"I never _see_ sech a _forward_ gent sence me 'n' you was a couple er
half-way-drownded kits!"

The flirtation, however, was short-lived, for suddenly, without an
instant's warning, Miss Lizzie, Miss Mame, and Pete himself went clawing
up a water-pipe to a convenient roof above, while down the street came
floating a shrill, defiant yowl.

"Chase yerse'f, bo!" called Pete in a voice of fear. "It's Ash-Can Sam!"

Now, Ash-Can Sam had a reputation of his own, as every cat in the