“’Kitty was quite frightened of the pets first time he seen ’em; but someway to-day it seemed like he had lost much of his fear—­seemed more like he had wanted to play with ’em, or something.’

“Nobody listened to the doddering old wretch, but I caught brother winking at him behind mother’s back.  Then we all rode off in lofty silence, headed by mother, who never once looked back to her late host, even if he was mad about ranching.  We got up over the pass and the pack of ruined beagles begun to straggle out of the underbrush.  A good big buck rabbit with any nerve could have put ’em all on the run again.  You could tell that.  They slunk along at the tail of the parade.  I dropped out informally when it passed the place here.  It seemed like something might happen where they’d want only near members of the family present.

“I don’t hear anything from Broadmoor next day; so the morning after that I ride over to Cousin Egbert’s to see if I couldn’t get a better line on the recent tragedy.  He was still on his Sunday paper, having finished an article telling that man had once been scaly, like a fish; and was just beginning the fashion notes, with pictures showing that the smart frock was now patterned like an awning.  Old Kate was lying on a bench in the sun, trying to lick a new puncture he’d got in his chest.

“I started right in on the old reprobate.  I said it was a pretty how-de-do if a distinguished lady amateur, trying to raise ranching to the dignity of a sport, couldn’t turn loose a few prize beagles without having ’em taken for a hunt breakfast by a nefarious beast that ought to be in a stout cage in a circus this minute!  I thought, of course, this would insult him; but he sunned right up and admitted that Kate was about half to three-quarters bobcat; and wasn’t he a fine specimen?  And if he could only get about eight more as good he’d have a pack of beagle-cats that would be the envy of the whole sporting world.

“‘It ain’t done!’ I remarked, aiming to crush him.

“‘It is, too!’ Egbert says.  ’I did it myself.  Look what I already done, just with Kitty alone!’

“‘How’d it start?’ I asked him.

“’Easy! says he.  ’They took Kate for a rabbit and Kate took them for rabbits.  It was a mutual error.  They found out theirs right soon; but I bet Kate ain’t found out his, even to this day.  I bet he thinks they’re just a new kind of rabbit that’s been started.  The first day they broke in here he was loafin’ round out in front, and naturally he started for ’em, though probably surprised to see rabbits travelling in a bunch.  Also, they see Kate and start for him, which must of startled him good and plenty.  He’d never had rabbits make for him before.  He pulled up so quick he skidded.  I could see his mind working.  Don’t tell me that cat ain’t got brains like a human!  He was saying to himself:  “Is this here a new kind of rabbits, or is it a joke—­or what?  Mebbe I better not try anything rash till I find out.”