He gazed ingratiatingly at Anderson, and now and then cast an apprehensive glance towards the door of the office.

Anderson continued mounting his butterflies, and paid no attention to him, and the boy seemed to respect his silence.
Presently the great cat emerged quite boldly from his refuge under the table, crouched, calculated the distance, and leaped softly back to his red cushion.

The boy hitched his chair nearer, and began stroking the cat gently and lovingly with his little boy-hand, hardened with climbing and playing.

The cat stretched himself luxuriously, pricked his claws in and out, shut his eyes, and purred again quite loudly.

Again the little room sang with the song of the river, the wind in the trees, and the cat's somnolent note.