"Papa says you're like a cat; so, you must be like Snuffles!" Bob, however, did not appear to see the joke of this; though it afforded his sister much amusement, which was increased anon by the Captain asking her a question.
"I say, Miss Nell," he cried out in his jocular way, chuckling the while, "what colour is this celebrated cat of yours, Snuffles ?" "He's black all over, Captain," replied Nellie as distinctly as her giggles would permit.

"Only, he has four white paws, just as if he had lamb's-wool socks on, like those mamma makes Bob wear in winter." "Humph!" snorted out the old sailor, his beady eyes twinkling with fire and his bushy eyebrows moving rapidly up and down.

"If you had seen Master Bob when he first emerged from the fore-peak of the _Archimedes_ after his tumble through the fo'c's'le and roll amongst the coal-sacks, you would have thought him, missy, more like Snuffles than ever.

The only drawback to the likeness was that Bob had but two paws instead of four, and that they were as black as his face!" "Oh, my!" exclaimed Nellie, shrieking with laughter.

"Do you hear that, mamma ?" "Aye, my dear, I'm not joking," went on the Captain, his face now as grave as a judge.