I suppose he went under the barrel , perhaps in pursuit of a mouse , and somehow knocked it off the block and so imprisoned himself . '' Paddy was sitting before the fire in the Awkward Man 's clean , bare kitchen . Thin ! Why , he was literally skin and bone , and his fur was dull and lustreless . It almost broke our hearts to see our beautiful Paddy brought so low . `` Oh , how he must have suffered ! '' moaned Cecily . `` He 'll be as prosperous as ever in a week or two , '' said the Awkward Man kindly . The Story Girl gathered Paddy up in her arms . Most mellifluously did he purr as we crowded around to stroke him ; with friendly joy he licked our hands with his little red tongue ; poor Paddy was a thankful cat ; he was no longer lost , starving , imprisoned , helpless ; he was with his comrades once more and he was going home -- home to his old familiar haunts of orchard and dairy and granary , to his daily rations of new milk and cream , to the cosy corner of his own fireside . We trooped home joyfully , the Story Girl in our midst carrying Paddy hugged against her shoulder . Never did April stars look down on a happier band of travellers on the golden road . There was a little gray wind out in the meadows that night , and it danced along beside us on viewless , fairy feet , and sang a delicate song of the lovely , waiting years , while the night laid her beautiful hands of blessing over the world . `` You see what Peg 's wishbone did , '' said Peter triumphantly . `` Now , look here , Peter , do n't talk nonsense , '' expostulated Dan . `` The Awkward Man found Paddy this morning and had started to bring us word before Cecily ever thought of the wishbone . Do you mean to say you believe he would n't have come walking up our lane just when he did if she had never thought of it ? '' `` I mean to say that I would n't mind if I had several wishbones of the same kind , '' retorted Peter stubbornly . `` Of course I do n't think the wishbone had really anything to do with our getting Paddy back , but I 'm glad I tried it , for all that , '' remarked Cecily in a tone of satisfaction . `` Well , anyhow , we 've got Pat and that 's the main thing , '' said Felix .
`` And I hope it will be a lesson to him to stay XXXXX after this , '' commented Felicity .
barrel cat fur hands home joy kitchen lane meadows wind