it, and then studied Ralph. âItâs the right size,â he admitted. âIf itâs yours, where did you get it?â
âBack at the Mountain View Inn.â
âThe Mountain View Inn!â Garf was surprised. âWhat were you doing there?â
âIt is my home,â said Ralph with dignity. âA boy who was a guest there gave me the motorcycle.â
âNo kidding!â Garf almost believed Ralph.
âLet me out of here,â pleaded Ralph. âIâll show you I can ride it.â
Garf looked as if he were tempted, but he said almost regretfully, âNo, you might run away, and I want to keep you.â
âAw, come on, Garf,â coaxed Ralph.
âNope,â said Garf, âand Iâve got to get out of here. Aunt Jill just left to give me a chance to return that watch, and I donât have it. I donât have it, and I donât know where it is.â
Ralph saw an opportunity for bargaining. âI do,â he said. âI know where the watch is.â
âWhere?â asked Garf.
âLet me out, and Iâll tell you,â said Ralph.
âNo,â said Garf. âIâm going to take you home with me.â
âYour mother wonât like it,â said Ralph. âSheâll make you get rid of me.â He knew by the look on Garfâs face that he had struck a sensitive spot so he continued. âShe will say I am messy, and she will say Iâsmell.â
Garf looked uncomfortable.
âLet me out of here, and Iâll show you where the watch is,â persisted Ralph.
Garf looked as if he might be tempted. He thought awhile, and said, âMy mothermight let me keep a mouse. It wouldnât hurt to ask. And I donât want to know where the watch is. If anyone saw me trying to return it, they would say I stole it and I didnât.â
Ralphâs hopes dwindled. âI know you didnât steal it,â he said, âbecause I know who did.â
âWho?â Naturally Garf was curious to know the name of the real thief.
Ralph considered. Should he tell or should he not tell? He decided that telling might convince Garf that he was trying to help him. âCatso,â he said. âCatso the cat took it.â
Garf gave Ralph a look of disgust. âNow I know youâre lying,â he said. âWhat would a cat do with a watch?â
Ralph was beginning to feel frantic. âPretend itâs a mouse. Play with it. Toss it around. You know how cats do.â
Garf grinned. âFor such a little fellow yousure have a big imagination.â
âIâm not imagining it,â said Ralph. âCatso took it. I saw him. Honest.â
âAw, you just donât like cats,â said Garf, and started to leave.
Ralph sat miserably back on his haunches. âWell, even if you donât believe me, donât forget to feed me.â
âGlad you reminded me,â said Garf, and gave Ralph a generous supply of food before he left the craft shop. He paused by the bamboo where he had found the motorcycle, stirred the leaves with his foot, and uncovered the thistledown-lined half of a Ping-Pong ball, which he picked up and examined. He glanced back in Ralphâs direction before he put the helmet in his pocket and went to his lodge.
In a few moments Aunt Jill returned, glanced at the shelf beside Ralphâs cage, and frowned slightly as if she were puzzled aboutsomething. Ralph settled greedily at his food dish. Iâll show that Garf, he thought, as he crammed seeds into his mouth with his paws. As soon as I get out of this cage Iâll show him.
When Ralphâs stomach was comfortably full, he took a long nap. By the time he awoke the craft shop was empty, the camp strangely quiet. A few chickens scratched under the walnut trees, and the kittens tumbled about trying to catch one anotherâs tails. A horse whinnied in the pasture, but there was no one in sight.
Landon Dixon, Giselle Renarde, Beverly Langland