ING was resting comfortably on the foot of his mis- tress’s bunk, when the man picked him up by the back of the neck, stuck him out on the deck and closed the cabin door. Ming’s blue eyes widened in shock and brief anger, then nearly closed again because of the brilliant sunlight. It was not the first time Ming had been thrust out of the cabin rudely, and Ming realized that the man did it when his mistress, Elaine, was not looking The sailboat now offered no shelter from the sun, but Ming ‘was not yet too warm. He leapt easily to the cabin roof and stepped on to the coil of rope just behind the mast. Ming liked the rope coil as a couch, because he could see everything from the height, the cup shape of the rope protected him from strong breezes, and also minimized the swaying and sudden changes of angle of the White Lark, since it was more or less the centre point. But just now the sail had been taken down, ‘because Elaine and the man had eaten lunch, and often they had a siesta afterward, during which time, Ming knew, that man didn't like him in the cabin. Lunchtime was all right. In fact, Ming had just lunched on delicious grilled fish and a bit of Jobster. Now, lying in a relaxed curve on the coil of rope, Ming ‘opened his mouth in a great yawn, then with his slant eyes almost closed against the strong sunlight, gazed at the beige hills and the white and pink houses and hotels that circled the bay of Acapulco. Between the White Lark and the shore where people plashed inaudibly, the sun twinkled on the water's surface like thousands of tiny electric lights going on and off. A water-skier went by, skimming up white spray behind him. 76. to eat if he pots and in ind the floor was of cool blue and white tiles. freedom to wander out into the patio behind in a comer. There was more ous boys often tried sunlight in front of the shop, but mi to grab him if he s: What Ming did invited to their house, le Score who stayed up le gramophone or the not like were the people s people who spent the night, peo very late eating and drinking, pl steppedon his toes, people who sometimes picked him up from behind. before he could do anything about it, so that he hhad to squirm and fight to get iree, people whastroked hire roughly, people who closed a door somewhere, logkifg-¥ ing detested now. Teddie Ming did not like the way Teddie looked at him,, when Elaine was not watching, And sometimes Teddie, when Elaine was not near, muttered some- thing which Ming knew was a threat. Or a command to leave 7 ‘was to be preserved, ide? The man was the the man sometimes of the cabin door man laughing and talking. horizon Aren't you getting cooked, when he awakened. She him in her arms, and took him f the cabin. She was She set Ming down 1e man were quarrelling, Ming c was staying wit edge of the bunk. Ming at Teddie had dived into the water. Ming hoped he stayed there, hoped he drowned, hoped he never came back. Elaine wet 4 bathtow. i bunk, and /, and drank. She left him to sleep again while ind put away the dishes. These were comfortable ish and plop, Teddie’s wet feet on the deck, and Ming was awake again, the tone of quarrelling recommenced. Elaine went up the nto the deck. Ming, tense but with his chin still resting on the moist bathtowel, kept his eyes on the cabin door It was Teddie’s feet that he heard descending. Ming lifted his head slightly, aw: there was no exit behind him, that he ‘was trapped in the cabin. The man paused with a towel in his hands, staring at Ming 78Teddie, whereas among ‘was often an accident when Ming’s tongue ide coffee. Ming began 1 because the sun had slowly towards ‘odd screams, like shrill phrases, of certain birds that cried only at sunset. Ming looked forward to the adobe house on the cliff that was his and his mistress’s home, He knew that the reason she did not leave him at home (where he would have been ible) when she went on the boat, was because that people might trap him, even kill him. Ming derstood. People had tried to grab him from almost under laine’s eyes, Once he had been suddenly hauled away in a cloth bag and, though fighting as hard as he could, he was not sure he would have been able to get out if Elaine had not hit the boy herself and grabbed the bag from him. Ming had intended to jump up on the cabin roof again but, after glancing at it, he decided to save his strength, so he ‘couched on the warm, gently sloping deck with his feet tucked and gazed at the approaching shore. Now he could hear itar musie from the beach. The voices of his mistress and the in had come to a halt. For a few moments, the loudest sound the chug-chug-chug of the boat's motor. Then Ming heard the man’s bare feet climbing the cabin steps. Ming did not turn hhis head to look at him, but his ears twitched back a little, intarily. Ming looked at the water just the _ short leap in front of him and below him. Strangel a 79 Ming relaxed, hunc id on the deck. 80 ng OMe proggy. Just “ said the man, pt took his hand away. Elaine's voice had stopped in the ding to be amused, and iddle of something sheGREAT CAT TALES was tired, and wanted erstood, at any rate, He ad, and awakened at the sound of voices on the yuple of yards away, past the open glass doors. Now Gould see one end of the table, and could tell ig heard her voice, then the voices of g smelled cigar smoke. Ming jumped ‘moment looking out of the door muscles by digging his claws into the Then he slipped out to the right of the terrace ntly down the long stairway of broad stones to The garden was like a jungle or a forest. mango trees grew as high as the terrace gainvillaea against the wall, orchids in the and several camellias which Elaine had hear birds twittering and stirring in their climbed trees to get at their nests, nthe mood, ‘though he was no longer ee & © * a & MINc's micgesT PREY 8» ® gw the maid it, sill looking down at his plate, until she le finish his meal. Then Elaine left the kitchen. The maid gave him some of the tinned milk, which he loved, in his now empty saucer, and Ming lapped this up. Then he rubbed himself against her bare leg by way Kitchen, made his way cautiously into the living-room en route to the bedroom, But now Elaine and the man were out on the terrace. Ming had just entered the bedroom, when he heard Elaine call “Ming? Where are you” Ming went to the terrace door and stopped, and sat on the threshold. Elaine was sitting sideways at the end of the table, and the candlelight was bright on her long fair hair, on the white ce es trousers. She slapped her thigh, and Ming jumped on to P. 83 7618 Wee a Mey “ae creat car taLes *on® ig ® M0 through one of the grilles, or grab the terrace parapet. There was nothing to elude him. Then the man picked up a catching Ming on the hip. That t. Ming took the nearest exit, which, burned his eyes as he crouched and listened to man uncertainly climbing the steps below him. The man. landed on his side. 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