`` She has got out and she 'll catch her death of cold and Aunt Cynthia will never forgive us . '' `` I 'm going for Max , '' I declared . So I did , through the spruce woods and over the field as fast as my feet could carry me , thanking my stars that there was a Max to go to in such a predicament . Max came over and we had another search , but without result . Days passed , but we did not find Fatima . I would certainly have gone crazy had it not been for Max . He was worth his weight in gold during the awful week that followed . We did not dare advertise , lest Aunt Cynthia should see it ; but we inquired far and wide for a white Persian cat with a blue spot on its tail , and offered a reward for it ; but nobody had seen it , although people kept coming to the house , night and day , with every kind of a cat in baskets , wanting to know if it was the one we had lost . `` We shall never see Fatima again , '' I said hopelessly to Max and Ismay one afternoon . I had just turned away an old woman with a big , yellow tommy which she insisted must be ours -- `` cause it kem to our place , mem , a-yowling fearful , mem , and it do n't belong to nobody not down Grafton way , mem . '' `` I 'm afraid you wo n't , '' said Max . `` She must have perished from exposure long ere this . '' `` Aunt Cynthia will never forgive us , '' said Ismay , dismally . `` I had a presentiment of trouble the moment that cat came to this house . '' We had never heard of this presentiment before , but Ismay is good at having presentiments -- after things happen . `` What shall we do ? '' I demanded , helplessly . `` Max , ca n't you find some way out of this scrape for us ? '' `` Advertise in the Charlottetown papers for a white Persian cat , '' suggested Max . `` Some one may have one for sale .
If so , you must buy it , and palm it off XXXXX your good Aunt as Fatima .
So after at in lest on through to with without