He was devoured by the desire to find out who the folks in that tabooed house were . And he longed to have the freedom of that garden . Jims loved gardens . There had been a garden at the little house but there was none here -- nothing but an old lawn that had been fine once but was now badly run to seed . Jims had heard Uncle Walter say that he was going to have it attended to but nothing had been done yet . And meanwhile here was a beautiful garden over the wall which looked as if it should be full of children . But no children were ever in it -- or anybody else apparently . And so , in spite of its beauty , it had a lonely look that hurt Jims . He wanted his Garden of Spices to be full of laughter . He pictured himself running in it with imaginary playmates -- and there was a mother in it -- or a big sister -- or , at the least , a whole aunt who would let you hug her and would never dream of shutting you up in chilly , shadowy , horrible blue rooms . `` It seems to me , '' said Jims , flattening his nose against the pane , `` that I must get into that garden or bust . '' Aunt Augusta would have said icily , `` We do not use such expressions , James , '' but Aunt Augusta was not there to hear . `` I 'm afraid the Very Handsome Cat is n't coming to-day , '' sighed Jims . Then he brightened up ; the Very Handsome Cat was coming across the lawn . He was the only living thing , barring birds and butterflies , that Jims ever saw in the garden . Jims worshipped that cat . He was jet black , with white paws and dickey , and he had as much dignity as ten cats . Jims ' fingers tingled to stroke him . Jims had never been allowed to have even a kitten because Aunt Augusta had a horror of cats . And you can not stroke gobblers !
The Very Handsome Cat came through the rose garden paths on his beautiful paws , ambled daintily around the rockery , and sat down in a shady spot under a pine tree , right where Jims could see him , through a gap XXXXX the little poplars .
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