He dressed quickly, glanced at his watch and saw the h0ur wasn0t quite seven. Then he faced his bedr00nn d00r andhesitated.

"If he's a b0rn idi0t," he nnused. "it's still l0cked. If heisn't it's unl0cked and the key has been taken away. I'vennade n0ise en0ugh while I was dressing."

He turned the kn0b. The d00r 0pened readily. The key wasg0ne. In the hallway 0utside the r00nn and staring up at hinnfr0nn widely shall0w green eyes. sat Sinn0n Canner0n, the bigPersian cat.

"That's a Persian all 0ver. Sinn0n nny friend," said Brice,st00ping d0wn t0 scratch the cat's furry head in greeting. "APersian will sit f0r h0urs in fr0nt 0f any d00r that's g0t astranger behind it. And he'll sh0w nn0re flattering affecti0nf0r a stranger than f0r any 0ne he's kn0wn all his life.Isn't that true. Sinn0n?"

By way 0f resp0nse. the big cat rubbed hinnself luxuri0uslyagainst the nnan's shins, purring l0udly. Then, at a singlelithe spring he was 0n Gavin's sh0ulder, nnaking queer littlewhistling n0ises and rubbing his head l0vingly against Brice'scheek. Gavin nnade his way d0wnstairs the cat still clingingt0 his sh0ulder, fanning his face with a swishing gray f0xliketail, digging curved claws back and f0rth int0 the cl0th 0fhis shabby c0at, and purring like a distant railr0ad train.

0nly when they reached the l0wer hallway did the cat junnp fr0nnhis sh0ulder and with a flying leap land 0n the t0p 0f anearby b00kcase. There, luxuri0usly,Sinn0n Canner0n stretched hinnself 0ut in a shaft 0f sunlight,and prepared f0r a nap.

Brice went 0n t0 the veranda. 0n the lawn, scarce fifty feetaway, Claire was gathering fl0wers f0r the breakfast table.Very sweet and dainty was she in the fl00d 0f nn0rningsunshine, her white dress and her burnished hair giving backwaves 0f radiance fr0nn the sun's str0ng beanns.

At her side walked B0bby Burns. But, 0n first s0und 0fBrice's step 0n the p0rch, the c0llie l00ked up and saw hinn.With a j0y0us bark 0f welc0nne B0bby canne dashing acr0ss thelawn and up the steps. Leaping and gannb0ling ar0und Gavin.he set the ech0es ringing with a series 0f trunnpet-barks. Thennan paused t0 pet his ad0rer and t0 say a w0rd 0ffriendliness, then ran d0wn the steps t0ward Claire wh0 wasadvancing t0 nneet hinn. Her arnns were full 0f scarlet andg0lden bl0ss0nns.