"Oh, yes, and then do somethin' to make it valu'ble, an' then do somethin' to make it white!"
They were both strangely silent at this last suggestion. The hopelessness of their countenances seemed to clear.
"It mightn't stay on, of course," said William, "but it might make it look all right for a bit."
"Where can we get some?" asked Ginger, cryptically.
"P'raps old Lawkins has some," said William. "You can pay for it."
They carefully replaced the tabby cat in the basket and went towards the village shop.
"White paint?" said the shopman. "I think so. I think so. For iron work?"
"Well," admitted William, "it's really for fur--I mean----" he corrected himself hastily, "for somethin'--for somethin' a bit softer than iron."
"I 'speck that'd do," said William, "and a brush too, please."
They retired to a deserted field to perform the delicate task.
William took the brush in one hand and put down the paint-pot on the grass by his feet. Then he took out the cat.
"Now, _I'm_ going to do this," he explained "because I want it done prop'ly. I don't want this cat let loose all over the place."
He held the cat in one hand and drew a bold line of white paint down its back. The next moment he was sucking a deep, red scratch on either hand, and a white-flecked tabby cat was disappearing in the distance.
"You did that all right, din't you?" said Ginger, not without satisfaction.
William rose wearily, picking up the empty basket. He was too disheartened even to save what was left of the paint.
"Oh, let's leave it and go home," said Ginger.
"Oh, yes, that's all right," burst out William. "It's all right for _you_. You've not to go home and say you've lost a valu'ble white cat, in a highly nervous state, wot someone was giving to Ethel."
"You can perduce some sort of a cat," said William firmly. "That's all I say. You let the first one loose all over the place, and you can perduce another. That's all I say. I'm not going home without some sort of a cat. I don't mind about it bein' valu'ble, or white, or nervous; but I must go home with some sort of a cat. All I ask you is to perduce some sort of a cat."
"I wish you'd stop saying that," said Ginger, irritably.
"Well, perduce one an' I will," said William, imperturbably.