Ginger as Long John Silver

I hadn't seen Ginger for a day or so and was wondering where he'd gone as he was now a permanent resident even Tabsy seemed to have noticed his disappearance by sitting on the back step sniffing in the air and looking from side to side. I was looking out of the kitchen window when I saw him coming to the door staggering like a drunken sailor with a shortened wooden leg. Rushing to open the door he just sat without backing off or even flinching as he'd done before at sudden movements. He sunk to the ground on a pile of leaves and began to lick his back leg. Here was the problem but I couldn't see what it was without touching the leg - dangerous and upsetting for all!