“Smoke” described its temperament as well as its appearance. Its movements, its individuality, its posing as a little furry mass of concealed mysteries, its elfin-like elusiveness, all combined to justify its name; and a subtle painter might have pictured it as a wisp of floating smoke, the fire below betraying itself at two points only⁠—the glowing eyes.

All its forces ran to intelligence⁠—secret intelligence, the wordless incalculable intuition of the Cat. It was, indeed, the cat for the business in hand.