The traveling cat thoroughly enjoyed his meal. He was shy with strangers and had no idea of coming into the house, but he had taken a liking to Sally’s modest appearance. She looked as if she might be an old-fashioned cat, with whom one could have a pleasant talk if Oxford was not around. So he hung about the place, occasionally coming for a meal on the back porch. And one day he met Sally in the Wild Wood and they had a friendly chat, for Oxford was not there. ‘I don’t mean any harm,’ said the traveling cat, ‘and I don’t think your brother need be so rude.’ ‘He’s the kindest brother,’ Sally said, ‘but he had such a hard time winning his way in the world when he was young that, when he did at last find a home for himself and me, he wants to hold on to it.’ ‘I don’t care about a home for long at a time,’ said the traveling cat. ‘I like to take a voyage every now and then in a ship. It doesn’t cost anything, for I just walk on board, and I don’t have to bother about a passport, and I can always make myself useful by hunting rats and mice.’ ‘It must be exciting to travel,’ Sally said. ‘But I am so home-loving I like to stay just where I’ve lived for so long.’ She told Oxford some of the tales of his travels that Ebony Black had told her. Oxford said the fellow was too fond of bragging, but the dazzling visions of distant spots began to have their effect. ‘Why don’t you drive him off the place, Sally?’ he asked. ‘I will if I ever find him here.’ ‘I suppose he has as much a right to be here as Peter,’ said Sally. ‘There’s room for everybody, Elvira said so.’ ‘Oh, Elvira! She would have all the stray cats and dogs in town here if she had her way. That fellow thinks Ebony Black is a name to be proud of,’ Oxford went on. ‘I never heard of the family in my life.’ Sally was sorry she had spoken of Ebony Black, but she had been so impressed by his tales that she wanted to share them with Oxford. ‘The way Elvira treats that fellow to canned salmon is too much!’ said Oxford. ‘But she isn’t taking anything from us, for we don’t like canned salmon,’ said Sally. ‘She’ll spend all her money if she doesn’t look out,’ said Oxford, ‘and then she can’t get haddock for us.’ ‘I am sure Elvira has lots of money,’ said Sally. ‘Well, anyway, I don’t propose to have her feeding every cat in town,’ said Oxford. ‘Captain Ebony Black belongs in Malden,’ said Sally. ‘That is, when he isn’t traveling. He’ll be leaving soon.’ ‘He’ll be leaving this very day if I run across him,’ said Oxford. [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER XVII OXFORD GOES ON A JOURNEY Now that the autumn had come, Oxford was seized with a desire to travel. He had been considerably impressed by the tales the traveling cat had told Sally, although he had not let her see this. And then there was Peter. He was but a poor creature, to be sure, but the tales he told of the free life in the open appealed to Oxford. ‘I am going on a journey,’ he said to Sally one morning.