The electric sheen in his black fur becomes more brilliant, and his eyes strain forward on the alert, as he steals cautiously along absorbed in his thoughts of his victory and the feast to come.
Again comes that hoarse “kra-ing” from the air!
The previous day he had been shown the necessity of concealment when tracking his game; now he was to learn that it was even more necessary after the game was caught.
That fool of a crow has once more sneaked up behind him! It hangs over his head jealous of his prize, while it advertises to the whole world what he has in his mouth.
His triumph is to be marred, then, after all!
From all directions stream his brothers and sisters, headed by old Mother Grey Puss; she approaches with electrified back-fur anxious as to what may be the matter.
They come nearer, but they cannot understand what he is doing! He sits doubled over something he is trying to hide. His ears are flattened and his eyes glitter with anxiety, and they can hear from afar off how he snarls and threatens.
Now Grey Puss herself dares not approach nearer; his multifarious noises of warning become more and more continuous....
The frightened kittens press closer to her; the entire family is overawed and silent; for the first time they hear an angry he-cat’s sombre, booming music. “Su-wau-wau-wau ... mau, mau, mau....”
And he gnashes his teeth until it harmonizes with the plashing of his slaver.