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I nodded

"A sad job, ain, and waited till a choking sensation had gone off

"Boys don't think enough about their mothers--some boys don't," he went

on "I didn't, till she was took away You did--stopped with her a

deal"

"I' me hastily "I notice a deal--weather,

and people, and children, and boys, and things growing Want sun

badly--don't we?"

"Yes, sir," I said; and I looked up in his florid face, with its bushy

white whiskers; and then I looked at his great bulging pockets, and next

doer at his black legs, which the cats were turning into

rubbing-posts; and as they servedwhether he ever brushed his black trousers, and

thought of what a job I should have to get all the cats' hairs offtheir backs and

purring, sticking their tails straight up, and every now and then giving

their ends a flick

They were so friendly in their rubbings against me that I did not like

to refuse to accept their salutes; but it seeht-coloured hairs came off, and in a short time I was furry from the

knees of my black trousers down to my boots