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Perhaps he had been on a mousehunt? Pushing his way on andup through 25 cwt. of coal, hecaused some of it to fall and blockhis only possible path of escape.The heavy folding doors at thetop through which the coaimanfilled the bunker were too muchfor any cat to move. Thebunker itself was solidly constructedof brick and any criesfor help from inside would mostcertainly have been muffled.Tinker, completely trapped, hadthe additional disadvantage ofbeing a cat with a soft voice.IIis owners thought they heardhim on one occasion but theymistook the direction of thesound.Crisis and the ManFive weeks went by and thenthe heavy doors of the bunkerwere opened, quite by chance.On the top of the coal lay Tinker,now a sickening apparition of acat and nothing more than askeleton held together by loosefolds of skin. But Tinker lived,though he had not the strengtheither to lift his head or tai].Tenderly he was laid on thefloor. He seemed so completelybeyond help that the two ladieswere too distressed and nonplussedto know what to do. Aveterinary surgeon gave directionsfor first aid treatment andpromised to call in the morning.Tinker could not possibly havelasted many hours. He neededimmediate help. Gathering hislast remaining strength he clawedhis way under a settee, and withhis metabolism so seriously disturbedwas overcome by convulsivemuscular spasms whichfrightened his owners still more.Then, once again, the crisisproduced the man. He arrivedin the person of Mr. FredCarman, of Purley, breeder ofthe Romany Blue Persians. Mr"and Mrs. Carman are genuine catlovers who keep their pets underideal conditions, and anyone wholoves cats may expect to receive awelcome at their home.A Miracle PerformedMr. Carman violently opposedthe idea of putting poor Tinkerto sleep. So he gently gatheredthe iittle skeleton, packed himup warm in a basket and borehim home.Being a stout-hearted manwith a commendable singleness ofmind when faced with a problemIike this, he decided that Tinkershould live if it was humanlypossible to save him. The difflcultiesmust have seemed insuperable.The little b"g ofbones gave no sign of life, theheart was undetectable, and thetbreathing apparently hadstopped. Only the dreadful convulsivespasms showed that lifewas not extinct.As important as the problem offood were warmth and the preventionof sores. Tinker wascarefully packed and covered to