"There's your cat," he said.

"From Mr. Romford?"

"Yes," said William, gloomily.

She opened the lid a fraction, then shut it in silence. She looked mystified.

"It isn't a cat!"

William's face was expressionless.

"All I can say is wot he told me," he said in a monotonous voice. "He said it was a valu'ble white cat, in a highly nervous state."

"This?"

"It may have got a bit mixed up on the way, but that's what he said. He said that it was a valu'ble white cat, in a highly nervous state."

"You needn't keep on saying that," said Ethel, irritably.