Now, say goodnight to the gentlemen, and come away to mother's room!" As she was speaking she held out the cat's paw to me to shake.

As I did so I could not but admire its size and beauty.
"Why," said I, "his paw seems like a little boxing-glove full of claws." She smiled: "So it ought to.

Don't you notice that my Silvio has seven toes, see!" she opened the paw; and surely enough there were seven separate claws, each of them sheathed in a delicate, fine, shell-like case.

As I gently stroked the foot the claws emerged and one of them accidentally--there was no anger now and the cat was purring--stuck into my hand.

Instinctively I said as I drew back: "Why, his claws are like razors!" Doctor Winchester had come close to us and was bending over looking at the cat's claws; as I spoke he said in a quick, sharp way: "Eh!" I could hear the quick intake of his breath.