I believe I enjoy it now as much as I did then: yet it is a good deal over fifty years ago.

The frosty breeze flapped his short shirt about his lean legs; the crystal roof shone like polished marble in the intense glory of the moon; the unconscious cats sat erect upon the chimney, alertly watching each other, lashing their tails and pouring out their hollow grievances; and slowly and cautiously Jim crept on, flapping as he went, the gay and frolicsome young creatures under the vine-canopy unaware, and outraging these solemnities with their misplaced laughter.

Every time Jim slipped I had a hope; but always on he crept and disappointed it.

At last he was within reaching distance.

He paused, raised himself carefully up, measured his distance deliberately, then made a frantic grab at the nearest cat--and missed.