But when he had heard the whole story he withdrew the remark, and commented on the wholly undeserved good luck some people seemed to enjoy. [11] 'THE TABBY TERROR' The struggle between Prater's cat and Prater's cat's conscience was short, and ended in the hollowest of victories for the former. The conscience really had no sort of chance from the beginning. It was weak by nature and flabby from long want of exercise, while the cat was in excellent training, and was, moreover, backed up by a strong temptation. It pocketed the stakes, which consisted of most of the contents of a tin of sardines, and left unostentatiously by the window. When Smith came in after football, and found the remains, he was surprised, and even pained. When Montgomery entered soon afterwards, he questioned him on the subject. 'I say, have you been having a sort of preliminary canter with the banquet?' 'No,' said Montgomery. 'Why?' 'Somebody has,' said Smith, exhibiting the empty tin. 'Doesn't seem to have had such a bad appetite, either.' 'This reminds me of the story of the great bear, the medium bear, and the little ditto,' observed Montgomery, who was apt at an analogy. 'You may remember that when the great bear found his porridge tampered with, he--' At this point Shawyer entered. He had been bidden to the feast, and was feeling ready for it. 'Hullo, tea ready?' he asked. Smith displayed the sardine tin in much the same manner as the conjurer shows a pack of cards when he entreats you to choose one, and remember the number. 'You haven't finished already, surely? Why, it's only just five.' 'We haven't even begun,' said Smith. 'That's just the difficulty. The question is, who has been on the raid in here?' 'No human being has done this horrid thing,' said Montgomery. He always liked to introduce a Holmes-Watsonian touch into the conversation. 'In the first place, the door was locked, wasn't it, Smith?' 'By Jove, so it was. Then how on earth--?' 'Through the window, of course. The cat, equally of course. I should like a private word with that cat.' 'I suppose it must have been.' 'Of course it was. Apart from the merely circumstantial evidence, which is strong enough to hang it off its own bat, we have absolute proof of its guilt. Just cast your eye over that butter. You follow me, Watson?' The butter was submitted to inspection. In the very centre of it there was a footprint. '_I_ traced his little footprints in the butter,' said Montgomery. 'Now, is that the mark of a human foot?'