And whether he really had been dreaming or not， what was now lying at his feet， and staring him out of countenance with its big， green， unwinking eyes， was the cat； though certainly one of the largest cats he had ever seen.
“Oh， Puss，” gasped Shasta. “I am so glad to see you again. I’ve been having such horrible dreams.” And he at once lay down again， back to back with the cat as they had been at the beginning of the night. The warmth from it spread all over him.
“I‘ll never do anything nasty to a cat again as long as I live，” said Shasta， half to the cat and half to himself. “I didonce， you know. I threw stones at a half.starved mangy old stray. Hey！ Stop that.” For the cat had turned round and given him a scratch. “None of that，” said Shasta. “It isn’t as if you could understand what I‘m saying.” Then he dozed off.