A low board table was strewn with dishes and the cold remnants of a hasty repast ; benches were placed along the walls . A fat , bewhiskered kitten , looking as if it were cut out of black velvet , was dozing on the window sill . `` This is Young Si 's cat , '' explained Agnes , patting the creature , which purred joyously and opened its sleepy green eyes . `` It 's the only thing he cares for , I believe . Witch ! Witch ! How are you , Witch ? Well , here 's the spyglass . Let 's go out and have a look . Si 's catching mackerel , '' announced Agnes a few minutes later , after she had scrutinized each boat in turn , `` and he wo n't be in for an hour yet . If you like , we have time for a walk up the shore . '' The sun slipped lower and lower in the creamy sky , leaving a trail of sparkles that ran across the water and lost itself in the west . Sea gulls soared and dipped , and tiny `` sand peeps '' flitted along the beach . Just as the red rim of the sun dipped in the purpling sea , the boats began to come in . `` Most of them will go around to the Point , '' explained Agnes , with a contemptuous sweep of her hand towards a long headland running out before them . `` They belong there and they 're a rough crowd . You do n't catch Young Si associating with the Pointers . There , he 's getting up sail . We 'll just have time to get back before he comes in . '' They hurried back across the dampening sand as the sun disappeared , leaving a fiery spot behind him .
The XXXXX was no longer quiet and deserted .
cat creature kitten look rim shore spot sweep velvet walk