The Cat and the Captain/Chapter 6

by Elizabeth Jane Coatsworth

Chapter VI

"Dere's trouble comin'" . . . .

"BOSS, dere's trouble comin'," said Susannah, as she was clearing away the dinner dishes.

"What makes you think so, Susannah?" asked the Captain politely.

"I done dream a black dream las' night," said Susannah, putting down her tray, "and dis very mornin' I done los' my lucky rabbit foot. My hair stands all on end an' my knuckles crack. Yo' take my word for it, boss, dere's a heap ob trouble comin' dis way."

"Maybe it's a storm," said the Captain and went to the window to look at the sky. The sky was very blue.

The Cat, too, was looking for trouble and he was a cat who usually found it. What did he see, walking right across his own lawn but a big long-haired yellow cat with a bell on his neck that went ting-ting-ting with every step he took. He was a very large cat, a very soft-looking cat, and a very foolish-looking cat, thought the Captain's Cat, getting between him and the gate.

"Grr," said the Captain's Cat, taking one step toward him on his tiptoes.

"Grr," said the other cat.

"Grrrr," said the Captain's Cat, taking another step.

"Grrrr," said the other cat.

"Grrrrrr," said the Captain's Cat, taking still another step and looking him in the eye.

"Grrrrrr," said the yellow cat.

"Mrow," said the Captain's Cat, standing still and swelling larger and larger and waving his right front paw.

"Mrow," said the strange cat, swelling to twice his size and waving his left front paw.

"Mrow—meerow—meerowrow," said the Captain's Cat with his ears flat to his neck and a nasty look in his eye.

"Mrow—meerow—meerowrow," said the other cat just as loudly.

Then they both made a sound together, louder than any of all the loud sounds they had made before. There were spits in it, and growls, and snarls, and howls, and fireworks, and pinwheels, and screams, and screeches. Yet it was all one sound. There was even a ringing of the bell on the yellow cat's collar. The noise was very loud. At the same instant the two cats jumped at each other and rolled over and over. They looked like one animal, all legs, and tails, and teeth. They bit and they scratched and they kicked. The Captain's Cat got his mouth full of yellow fur. He had to spit it out before he could get another bite. He tore the pretty little bell off the yellow cat's ribbon. He got his teeth in his ear. And all the time he was making terrible scary noises, even with his mouth full of fur. The yellow cat wasn't doing as well. He was so beautiful that he spent most of the day on a silk cushion and had cream for breakfast from a yellow bowl. He wasn't used to fighting.

"Meow," he cried, and suddenly leaped free from the Captain's Cat, and ran away with his ear bleeding and his little bell gone from the ribbon around his neck.

The Captain's Cat watched him go and licked a scratch on his nose. Then he looked at the house to see if any one had seen the fight. He was not a good cat. He was proud of his rough ways. Sure enough, there was Susannah's red bandanna bobbing in one window like a big red poppy, and the Captain's gray head in another. The Cat was glad they had seen him.

"Yo' ought to be ashamed of yo's elf," said Susannah, opening the door.

In walked the Cat pleasantly. He had been looking for trouble and he had found it. He was satisfied. He was satisfied even with Susannah. Perhaps this was the trouble she thought was coming. Perhaps not. He didn't care. He could take care of any trouble that dared come along! He went to his saucer. There was no milk in it. Then he was not so well satisfied. But Susannah was busy and paid no attention to him. She was baking little cakes for tea and making up a song.

"This yere black cat is a hard cat to beat,
(hummed Susannah)
 Yas-sir, yas-sir, jiggamoree——"

The cakes smelled delicious. She put them on the table and began to stir the frosting in a yellow bowl.

"He's the fightingest cat what lives on our street,
 Yas-sir, yas-sir, jiggamoree——"

The Cat mewed for milk, but Susannah went on stirring and singing:

"But a one-eyed cat down Alabamy way, :Yas-sir, yas-sir, jiggamoree,
Could make him look like a li'l' wisp oh hay——
 Yas-sir, yas-sir, jiggamoree!"

The Cat didn't like the song at all. But then he never did like Susannah's songs. He was glad when the doorbell rang. Out of the kitchen went Susannah, tying on a clean apron as she went. Up on a chair leaped the Cat, and up on his hind legs he stood, and scooped one paw into the bowl of frosting. He licked it. In went the paw again. But at that moment the front door slammed and made him jump. Down came the bowl, frosting and all, on top of him, and before he got over the scare of that, in came Susannah running. She gave one look and reached for the broom. Away went the Cat with Susannah and the broom after him. Across

The Cat scooped one paw into the bowl

the living room, and up the stair, into the Captain's room (upsetting a chair), across the little hall. To his surprise, the door was open into the spare chamber, so in the Cat tore with Susannah close behind. There was frosting in his eyes, but he could see an open window (usually the spare chamber was kept tight as a drum unless Susannah was cleaning it) and through that open window he sailed, just in the nick of time. Down came the broom with a thud, but it only hit the very least and littlest tip of his tail.