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diff --git a/old/68585-0.txt b/old/68585-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 821c5b5..0000000 --- a/old/68585-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2512 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Puppies and kittens, by Carine Cadby - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Puppies and kittens - and other stories - -Author: Carine Cadby - -Photographer: Will Cadby - -Release Date: July 21, 2022 [eBook #68585] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Charlene Taylor and the Online Distributed Proofreading - Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from - images generously made available by The Internet - Archive/American Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PUPPIES AND KITTENS *** - - - - - - -PUPPIES AND KITTENS - - - - -THE DOLLS’ DAY - -BY CARINE CADBY - -With 29 Illustrations by WILL CADBY - - -_Daily Graphic._—“Wonderland through the camera. Mrs. Carine Cadby -has had the charming idea of telling in ‘The Dolls’ Day’ exactly what -a little girl who was very fond of dolls dreamed that her dolls did -when they had a day off. Belinda the golden-haired, and Charles the -chubby, and their baby doll disappeared from their cradles while their -protectress Stella was dozing. They roamed through woods and pastures -new; they nearly came to disaster with a strange cat; they found a -friendly Brother Rabbit and a squirrel which showed them the way home. -In short, they wandered through a child’s homely fairyland and came back -safely to be put to bed at night. It is a pretty phantasy, but it is -given an unexpected air of reality by the very clever photographs with -which Mr. Will Cadby points the moral and adorns the tale.” - -E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY - - - - -[Illustration: Salome.] - - - - - PUPPIES AND - KITTENS - - And Other Stories - - BY - CARINE CADBY - - Illustrated with 39 Photographs by - WILL CADBY - - [Illustration] - - NEW YORK - E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY - 681 FIFTH AVENUE - - COPYRIGHT, 1920, - BY E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY - - _All Rights Reserved_ - - Printed in the United States of America - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - TWO PUPPIES - - I. TIM 1 - - II. THE PUPPIES 6 - - III. TIMETTE AND ANN 13 - - IV. DOGS AND THEIR SENSE OF SMELL 20 - - V. THE ADVENTURE 29 - - VI. THE LOST PUPPIES 36 - - VII. THE SEARCH PARTY 40 - - VIII. TIMETTE AND ANN FALL OUT 46 - - IX. TRAINING DOGS 52 - - X. THE POET DOG 54 - - SPIDERS AND THEIR WEBS - - I. EMMA 63 - - II. EMMA’S WEB 66 - - III. A NARROW ESCAPE 74 - - IV. ABOUT WEBS 77 - - V. THE LITTLE HOUSE-SPIDER 83 - - VI. BABY SPIDERS 89 - - WHAT THE CHICKENS DID - - I. JOAN AND THE CANARIES 99 - - II. THE WORM 106 - - III. JOAN SAVES A CHICKEN’S LIFE 116 - - IV. THIRSTY CHICKENS 123 - - V. THE FIGHT 126 - - VI. FLUFFY’S RECOVERY 133 - - VII. HATCHING OUT 136 - - THE PERSIAN KITTENS AND THEIR FRIENDS - - I. TOMPKINS AND MINETTE 145 - - II. TWO THIEVES 152 - - III. MINETTE FINDS THE KITCHEN 156 - - IV. THE KITCHEN KITTENS 161 - - V. A SURPRISING CONVERSATION 167 - - VI. THE RETURN VISIT 175 - - VII. THE VISITORS’ TEA 181 - - VIII. SALOME TO THE RESCUE 186 - - IX. MISJUDGED KITTENS 189 - - X. SALOME GIVES A LECTURE 196 - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - Salome _Frontispiece_ - - PAGE - - He would lean over the back of a chair 3 - - The Puppies 7 - - They slept and slept 11 - - Timette and Ann 15 - - “Here you see us with Papa” 21 - - “All the happy livelong day - We eat and sleep and laze and play” 27 - - “Except when only one bone’s there - And Sis takes care that I shan’t share” 31 - - “What a pity you should be - Such a greedy little she” 37 - - “This they say is not quite right, - But who can keep still in the midst of a fight?” 43 - - “We’re good dogs now and once more friends,” - And so my doggy story ends 49 - - She looked so wise and grave 55 - - The spider in the web 62 - - A beautiful regular pattern 67 - - A fly struggling in the web 71 - - A beautiful web 79 - - A snare 85 - - Spiders love fine weather 91 - - When anything alarming comes along they will all rush - back to Mother Hen 101 - - A little tapping sound 103 - - Dolly found a worm 107 - - Cheeky dashing off with the prize 109 - - Made them take some grain out of her hand 113 - - It is very funny to see chickens drink 121 - - They began to fight 127 - - He fell over and lay quite still as if he were dead 131 - - One had still a bit of shell sticking to his back 139 - - Salome 144 - - The two kittens arched their backs 147 - - Two little heads very busy with the saucer 153 - - Tibby was much too busy to take any notice of a - little kitten 157 - - They had got hold of the waste-paper basket 163 - - Tried to take a photograph 171 - - A perfect bunch of bad temper 173 - - “Hunt the thimble” 177 - - She pushed the jug over with her paw 183 - - Pussy pretended to be her daughter 191 - - “You may look little angels, but you are nothing but - little imps of mischief” 193 - - Sauntered grandly out of the room 197 - - - - -PUPPIES AND KITTENS - - - - -TWO PUPPIES - - -CHAPTER I - -TIM - -Some dogs love being photographed and others simply hate it. We once had -a dog called Tim who was determined to be in every photograph. It didn’t -matter what we were trying to take, Tim would do his best to push in. And -the worst of it was that when you were busy with the camera you couldn’t -be looking after Tim at the same time, and he would somehow manage to get -into the picture. Perhaps he hadn’t got in quite far enough, in which -case you would see only a bit of him, which was worst of all. - -So you may be sure we had no trouble with him if ever we wanted to pose -him for a photograph. Tim was a proud dog then, and he would sit or -stand any way we liked; the only bother was to keep his tail still, for -being so pleased, he couldn’t resist wagging it. - -I believe you would have liked Tim because, of course, you are fond of -dogs, and he was an adorable dog. He was very sociable and hated being -left out of anything, so that if two or three of us were chatting, Tim -would jump on a chair and join the party. He would lean over the back, -gazing so intelligently into our faces, that it really seemed as if he -were talking, too. - -A dog’s love for his people is a curious and beautiful thing. Tim did not -mind how uncomfortable he was as long as he could be near them. He had -once been known to give up his dinner to follow them when they went for a -walk. Perhaps he was not as hungry as usual that day. - -[Illustration: He would lean over the back of a chair.] - -We had another dog with Tim called Tess who hated the sight of a camera. -We wanted to get a photograph of her and Tim sitting up together, but -she was determined we shouldn’t. As soon as we had placed them in a good -position and were ready to begin, that silly Tess would tumble on her -back with her legs sticking up in the air, and how could you photograph a -dog like that! We tried scolding her, but that only made matters worse, -for she simply wouldn’t sit up at all, and as soon as we had dragged her -on to her feet—flop, over she would go again! At last we had to give it -up as a bad job. - -Tess had five jolly little puppies, three boys and two girls, and as soon -as ever the pups could get on without their mother, she was sent away. -She went to some kind people who never wanted to photograph their dogs -and where she would get heaps and heaps to eat, for I must tell you, Tess -was rather a greedy dog and not as faithful and affectionate as Tim. - - -CHAPTER II - -THE PUPPIES - -Tim was very good to the puppies. Naturally, he didn’t trouble himself -about them quite like a mother, but he was never snappy or disagreeable. -Even when they played all over him and nibbled his ears he never growled -like some father dogs might have done. - -One day we wanted to take a picture of the puppies sitting in a row, -little thinking the difficult job it was going to be. Of course, Tim kept -sitting just in front of the camera, so before we began he had to be -taken indoors. - -[Illustration: The Puppies.] - -At first the puppies were all good except the two girls, Timette and Ann. -They wouldn’t stay where they were put, but kept waddling away as if they -had some very important business of their own. As soon as Ann was caught -and put back, Timette would wander off, and when she was caught, Ann was -off again and so it went on. It was lucky there were two of us, but we -were both kept busy. Then the other puppies didn’t see why they shouldn’t -have some fun and they began wandering away, too. There was only one -thing to be done with the two naughty pups who had set such a bad example -and that was to give them a whipping. Of course, not a real one, for they -were such babies they couldn’t understand, but just a few mild pats to -keep them still. You would have laughed to see their puzzled faces, for -they were not sure what the pats meant and rather thought it was some new -game. After this Ann was placed in the middle of the group, where she -promptly went to sleep, and Timette was put at the end of the row, where -she sat blinking as sleepily as you do when it is long past your bedtime. - -Timette and Ann had never been so tired in their short lives. First of -all, the running away and always being brought back, then being made to -sit in one place, and after that the new game of pats had been too much -for the babies, and when it was over they slept and slept as if they -never meant to wake up again. - -I wonder what they said to each other about it afterwards. I daresay the -three other puppies laughed at them and probably made believe they had -understood all along that they were expected to sit still. When old Tim -came out again they told him all about it. “We tried hard to get away,” -said Timette, and Ann joined in, “We tried and tried over and over again, -but each time we were brought back.” Then the other puppies explained -about the pats. “I see,” said Tim, “now I understand you have had your -first whipping for disobedience; take care it is the last.” - -[Illustration: They slept and slept.] - - -CHAPTER III - -TIMETTE AND ANN - -When the puppies grew a little older, people used to come and look at -them, and soon the three boy puppies were sold and taken to new homes. - -Timette and Ann missed their brothers; it seemed funny to be such a small -family and they did their best to entice old Tim to play with them. But -he was too grown-up and dignified and rather slow in moving about, so it -was not altogether a success. In the middle of a game he would prick up -his ears and listen as if he heard some one calling him. And often he -would trot off, pretending he was wanted elsewhere, just as an excuse to -get away from the rough, romping pups. - -Timette was given her name because she was so like Tim, and Ann hers -because, as she was rather old-fashioned looking, it seemed to suit her. -The puppies were very much alike, so only those who knew them well could -tell them apart, but in character they were very different. Ann was -gentle and timid, while Timette was a thorough tomboy, full of spirits -and mischief and as bold as a lion. - -And now I am going to tell you about the first adventure they had. They -lived in a garden that ran into a wood. It was rather difficult to see -just where the garden ended and the wood began, for they were only -separated by a wire. - -Now, Timette and Ann knew that they were not supposed to go out of the -garden where they had plenty to amuse them: an india-rubber ball, a piece -of wood that looked like a bone, and a bit of rag that did for playing -“Tug-of-war.” Ann never had the least wish to wander, for she was much -too timid. But, as I said, Timette was different; she was simply longing -to go into the wood and have some adventures. She kept talking to Ann -about it, making most tempting suggestions and persuading her to go. - -[Illustration: TIMETTE AND ANN. - - “Two little Airedale pups are we, - Shaggy of coat and of gender ‘she.’”] - -“Look at old Tim,” she said; “he often takes a walk by himself, and he -never comes to any harm.” - -“That’s all very well,” Ann answered; “he’s old, and he can take care of -himself.” - -“Well, and why can’t we take care of ourselves?” - -“Because I believe there are wild animals that would eat us up.” - -“Whatever makes you think that?” asked Timette, for she knew Ann had very -sharp ears and keen scent; “do you smell or hear them?” - -“Both,” replied Ann, “only this morning I smelt that some animal had been -in the garden. I got on its track and followed it down to the cabbages -and back to the wood again.” - -“I don’t think much of an animal who only goes after cabbages,” Timette -interrupted. - -“There are others, too,” continued Ann, “I often hear very strange -scratching noises like animals running up trees with terribly sharp -claws,” and Ann gave a little shudder. - -“Well, what of it?” said Timette boldly. “I shouldn’t mind their claws as -long as the animals weren’t bigger than I am.” - -“But they might run after us,” suggested Ann. - -“They wouldn’t run after me,” boasted Timette, “for I should be running -after them!” - -“Would you really?” asked Ann, and she sighed, wishing she were as brave -as her sister. - -“I should say so,” said Timette, “if only you would come, too, we might -even catch one. Think what fun that would be.” - -“It certainly would,” replied Ann. “Oh, how I should love it!” - -“Well, come along,” urged Timette, and Ann came along, and that is how -the adventure began. - - -CHAPTER IV - -DOGS AND THEIR SENSE OF SMELL - -This conversation took place after the puppies had eaten their dinner and -were supposed to be taking their afternoon nap. Tim was stretched out on -the lawn in the sun, having a doze, and no one was about. The two puppies -slunk off quietly into the wood and no one saw them go. - -The wood was very exciting; there were such strange smells about, and -when the puppies put their noses to the ground they began to find out all -sorts of animal secrets. And now, before we go any further with Timette -and Ann into the wood, I must just tell you a little about dogs and their -clever noses or you will be wondering why these puppies talked so much -about smells. - -[Illustration: - - “Here you see us with Papa; - They sent away our dear Mamma.”] - -Hundreds of years ago, when there were no maps or books or papers, -people could find out all kinds of wonderful things by their noses. Your -nose now will tell you the difference between the smell of a violet -and strawberry jam and other things, but when you know what a dog can -discover by its sense of smell, you will see how feeble yours is. - -A dog will know who has been along the road by smelling the footsteps. -Although it cannot read the way on a sign-post it can smell out the way -to places and follow any one who has been along, even if it was some time -ago. - -You wouldn’t know if a friend had been to see you while you were out -unless you were told, but a dog would know as soon as he came back; he -wouldn’t be obliged to ask, for he would know just who it was. If the -friend had brought another little dog, too, your own dog would be so -excited he would probably try to tell you all about it, and yet he was -away when it happened. - -The road is as interesting to a dog as the most thrilling story book is -to you. It may look just an empty road, but to a dog it has all sorts of -messages that conjure up pictures. He knows, for instance, that another -dog has traveled there and can tell what kind of dog it was. By and by -his nose tells him this dog found a rabbit and caught it. Then he finds -out a bigger dog came along and chased the first dog and got the rabbit. -At least, did he get the rabbit? He is puzzled and sniffs hard round one -spot. It is exciting news he is finding out and you can see his tail -wagging with eagerness. No, it seems, neither dog got the rabbit, for -bunny was too sharp and between the two managed to get away. If a dog can -find out all this by his sense of smell you may guess he can easily track -the rabbit to its hole, and there he sits probably waiting for it to -come out and give him the chance of a little sport, too. - -Haven’t you often seen your dog stop suddenly when he is coming towards -you and hold his head in the air? You must have wondered why he didn’t -come straight on. He has probably had a message, a scent blown on the -wind, which like a wireless, tells him a rat has just crossed the road -and is somewhere in the hedge if he will only go and look. And so it goes -on; there is not a dull moment in his walk. - -To a dog every one has his own particular smell which never deceives him. -If you dress yourself up you may puzzle your dog’s eyes for a little -while. He may even bark at you as if you were a stranger, but once let -him get near enough to smell you and it is all over. He will wag his tail -and look up at you, as much as to say, “Did you really think you could -take me in?” So you can understand why dogs when out hate to be made to -come to heel, as they miss all the fun of the walk, and have no chances -to stop and read the interesting smells that tell them so much. - -[Illustration: - - “All the happy, livelong day, - We eat and sleep and laze and play.”] - - -CHAPTER V - -THE ADVENTURE - -And now we must go back to Timette and Ann and their adventure. - -“The tree-climbing animal has been up here,” cried Ann, sniffing at the -bark of a tree. And when they looked up they saw a brown squirrel peeping -at them from a branch. - -“Come down! come down! come down at once!” barked the puppies, but Mr. -Squirrel was too wise for that. He knew that even with such baby dogs it -wouldn’t be quite safe to trust himself on the ground. - -“I don’t call that playing fair,” Ann called out, jumping up at the tree -and wishing she could climb it. But the squirrel just sat tight. - -Presently Timette smelt an enticing smell and dived into some bushes, -while Ann anxiously watched and waited. She could hear Timette working -about and breathing hard. - -“Hi, hi, hi!” shrieked a big bird as it flew out. Timette dashed after -it, but it rose in the air and left her looking very surprised. “Well, -that was a sell!” she said. - -Ann meanwhile was busy with her nose on the ground. There were a number -of insects crawling about; they had no smell to speak of, but they moved -quickly, which was rather fun. Once she chased a big hairy buzzing thing. -It settled on a bit of heather and she nearly caught it, but luckily not -quite, for it was a bumble bee. - -[Illustration: - - “Except when only one bone’s there, - And Sis takes care that I shan’t share.”] - -Timette didn’t care for the beetles; they were feeble sport for a dog, -she thought, and putting her nose in the air she caught a most wonderful -smell. She gave a short bark of delight and started running about to -find it on the ground. Ann looked up and she too caught the message -and was as busy as Timette. It was a most enticing scent: furry and -alive and gamey so that it promised real sport. As soon as the puppies -really got on to it, they put their noses to the ground and followed it -up, their little stumpy tails wagging hard. Their instinct told them it -was not an animal that could hurt them, but one their mother and father -and grandfathers and great-grandfathers had chased, so you can’t blame -Timette and Ann for following up the scent of a rabbit. - -But although rabbits are often killed by dogs, they are not silly enough -to allow themselves to be caught by two young, inexperienced puppies. The -rabbit they chased was an old one who had his wits too much about him to -be even very afraid. You will laugh when I tell you that he didn’t even -trouble himself to hurry and just ambled along to a hole and popped down -it. - -This hole had been the chief entrance to his burrow, and he and his -big family had used it so often that it was worn quite wide and smooth. -The artful old rabbit, however, only went a little way down it, then he -turned to one side and went up another little passage and out into the -wood and off again. - -The puppies came dashing along, giving little short barks of delight at -the sport. They followed the scent to the hole, and without stopping they -plunged right into what looked to them like a dark tunnel. Of course, -they were in much too great a hurry to notice the little passage where -the old rabbit had turned aside, and just pushed on as hard as they -could. The tunnel wound downhill and grew narrower and narrower as they -went on. Timette was leading and she called back to Ann, “Can _you_ smell -anything? _I_ have lost the scent.” - -“So have I,” Ann answered, and then as she was feeling nervous in the -dark, she added, “Let’s go back.” - -“No, it’s all right!” cried Timette, “we had better go on, I can see -daylight and smell the open air.” - -This was a good thing, for the fat puppies would have found it very -difficult to turn round in such a small space. At the end the hole grew -so narrow that Timette had to squeeze to get through, and when Ann -crawled out, some of the roof fell in and there was no more hole to be -seen. - - -CHAPTER VI - -THE LOST PUPPIES - -The puppies found themselves in a hole in two senses of the word. It -wasn’t a nice hole either, but a deep one, cold and damp, too, and with -no enticing smells. It had once been the home of a lot of rabbits, but it -had all been dug up, and the only smell about it now was that of a cold -dull spade. - -“I want to go home,” whimpered Ann. - -“So do I, Cry-baby,” said Timette, “but we shall have to climb out of -here first.” - -[Illustration: - - “What a pity you should be - Such a greedy little she!”] - -Then they both stood on their hind legs and stretched up the sides of -the hole, and when this was no good they gave little feeble jumps. A -child would have managed to scramble out somehow, and kittens could have -reached the top in a twinkling; but puppies are so clumsy and helpless, -and poor Timette and Ann’s struggles were all in vain. They only fell on -their backs, and at last got so hurt and tired they gave it up. It was -their teatime, too, and they were feeling hungry as well as unhappy, and -you know how bad that is. - -Ann cried, “Oh, I do want my bread and milk! I’m so hungry. Oh! oh! oh!” -And Timette began crying, too, “We’re lost, we’re lost! Oh, do come and -find us!” and then they both howled as loudly as ever they could, “Help, -help, help!” But no one came and all was quiet. - -Poor puppies! how miserable and lonely they felt! It did seem hard that -no one should trouble about them, and when they couldn’t cry any longer -they curled themselves up as close as they could to each other and went -to sleep. They were like the lost “Babes in the Wood.” - - -CHAPTER VII - -THE SEARCH PARTY - -And now I want to tell you what was happening at home. A little girl -called Ruth, who was very fond of the puppies, came to see them on her -way home from a party. She loved playing with them, and the first thing -she said when she ran in was, “I am just going to say good-night to -Timette and Ann,” and was off into the garden to find them. - -But, alas! there were no puppies to be found. There was the india-rubber -ball and the stick and the bit of rag, all looking very lonely, but no -sign of the puppies. Ruth was very puzzled. “What have you done with -them?” she asked Tim, who was sitting up looking rather worried. He gave -his tail a flop and his brown human eyes seemed to say, “It really -wasn’t my fault; they ran away without asking me.” - -Ruth felt sure they couldn’t be so very far off, as they were too babyish -to be able to stray a great distance, and that with Tim’s help she would -be able to find them. She ran back to tell us the news and that she and -Tim were going out as a search party to look for the lost ones. - -“Don’t be long,” we called after her, “remember your bedtime.” - -“As if I could go to bed while the darlings are lost!” we heard her say. - -We watched them go into the wood, Tim barking round Ruth most excitedly. -He seemed to know there was serious business on hand, for instead of -dashing off to chase rabbits, he kept near her and often put his nose -to the ground. “We’ve got to find those puppies,” Ruth told him. Soon -he gave a sharp bark and ran ahead of her, looking round and saying as -plainly as he could, “You just follow me.” Ruth understood dogs as well -as she loved them, and she trusted Tim and followed where he led. - -In a few minutes they had reached the hole. The puppies woke up to see -Ruth and Tim standing looking down on them. Oh, what a noise they made! -I can’t tell you how delighted they were. It seemed like waking up from -a bad dream. You couldn’t have heard yourself speak, for there was Tim -barking, Ruth calling them all the pet names she could think of, and the -puppies themselves simply shrieking with joy. Ruth soon jumped down into -the hole, and when we came up there she was hugging the puppies who were -covering her face with their wet sticky kisses, giving little sobbing -cries as if they wanted to tell her over and over again how glad they -were to be found, and to thank her for getting them out of the nasty -hole. Ruth carried them home in her arms, talking to them all the way, -while Tim stalked along by her side with a proud and injured air that -plainly said, “Well, after all, it was really I who found them and I -think you might make a little more fuss with me.” - -[Illustration: - - “This they say is not quite right; - But who can keep still in the midst of a fight?”] - - -CHAPTER VIII - -TIMETTE AND ANN FALL OUT - -Puppies don’t have meat to eat; they don’t really need it till they are -grown up. However, sometimes as a great treat, Timette and Ann would be -given a bone. They always had one each, because being rather jealous -dogs they might have quarreled over one. Tim, too, always had a bone to -himself. One day the cook threw Tim a bone, but he had gone off for a -saunter in the wood, and the puppies rushed to get the prize. Timette -was first and, with a bound, was on top of it. But she had jumped just -too far and Ann quickly dived in and snatched it from under her. Poor -Timette! her baby face looked so disappointed. “Well, you are a greedy -pig,” she said; “you might let me have a bit.” - -“Go away,” said Ann, and she went on calmly nibbling. - -Then Timette made a dash for it, but Ann was prepared and wheeled round, -the bone safely in her mouth. Timette tried again, but Ann was too -artful; she just held on to the bone with her paws as well as her teeth -and gave a little growl when Timette came too near. - -At last Timette’s patience gave way, and with an angry cry she hurled -herself at Ann. Ann at once turned on her and bit her ear, and then they -got muddled up, both trying to bite as hard as they could. The bone was -forgotten, for both puppies were in a rage. They fought almost savagely -like big dogs and neither would give in. They made such a noise about it, -too, that we came out to see what was the matter, and as they wouldn’t -stop, we had to separate them. In the end Ann got rather the worst of it, -which served her right for being so greedy over the bone. She was not -much hurt, though, for Timette had only her puppy teeth, and they can’t -bite really hard, although they are very sharp. - -When it was over, they were both rather sulky and gave each other long -scowling looks. Timette took the bone and kept it all the afternoon. Ann -looked the other way, pretending she no longer wanted it. In the end we -took it away altogether, and after that they were quite good friends -again, ate their evening bread and milk in peace and went to sleep curled -up together. - -[Illustration: - - “We’re good dogs now, and once more friends,” - And so my doggy story ends.] - - -CHAPTER IX - -TRAINING DOGS - -Dogs are very like children who never grow up. But a child would have to -have a very loving heart to be as fond of any one as a dog. A dog is so -faithful, too; he never tires of people or thinks them wrong or unfair, -and he is just as devoted and obedient to them however old he gets. He -is always trying to please them and is miserable and unhappy when he -fails. That is why it is so easy to train a dog; you only have to make -him understand what you want and he will try and do it. If dogs could -understand all our language, you would only have to say to your dog, -“Don’t walk on the flower-beds,” or “don’t take anything off the table,” -or “don’t bark when we want to go to sleep,” and he would obey you. This -doesn’t mean that dogs are never naughty; I know they are sometimes, but -before you punish a dog you should be quite sure he understands what it -is for. If he is an intelligent dog, a scolding will often do as well -as a whipping. Tim only had a whipping once in his life, and yet he was -a very well trained dog. He was taught not to go across the beds in the -garden by being called off and made to go round, and he never stole after -he had taken one piece of cake. - -I must tell you about that. It was really not quite his fault, for it -was on a very low table, and being rather new I expect it smelt extra -tempting. He was made to feel horribly ashamed. Ever afterwards the cake -plate was shown him with reproachful remarks, such as “Oh, Tim, how -could you! Oh, fie, what a wicked thief!” till he would turn his head -away as if he hated the sight of the stupid old cake and wished we would -stop teasing him. After this he could be trusted never to take anything -however near the ground it was, and no matter how long he was left alone -with it. - -One day the tea had been taken into the garden. Tim, of course, could be -trusted, but the puppies had been forgotten. When he came out there was -Tim sitting up with a very dejected look, and the two naughty puppies -busy with the bread-and-butter, some crumbs on their shaggy mouths being -all that was left of the cake! - -“Did they get a whipping?” you ask. - -Well, when we found all our nice cake gone we did feel inclined to give -them some pats, but then they were too much of babies to understand, so -they had a shaking and a scolding and were shut up for the rest of the -afternoon. Tim soon got more cheery when we petted him up and told him it -wasn’t his fault. - - -CHAPTER X - -THE POET DOG - -When Ann grew up she was given to Ruth as a birthday present; or to be -quite truthful, she gave herself, for she was so fond of Ruth that she -followed her about everywhere, and would stay with no one else. - -She was a very sedate and serious animal; she might almost have been an -old lady dog. You would have thought by the look of her she was wrapped -in deep thought and that if only she could have spoken it would have been -about very clever things. - -[Illustration: She looked so wise and grave.] - -Ruth would have it she was making up poetry. The fact was Ruth was making -up poetry herself, and when we are thinking hard of any subject we are -inclined to imagine other people are, too. Just now Ruth was busy making -verses and rhymes and thought Ann must be doing the same. - -Ruth was rather shy over her poetry; she hadn’t told any one about it, -she was too afraid they might laugh at her. And yet she badly wanted to -know what they would think of it. - -One day she sat Ann up in a chair at a table with pen and ink and paper -in front of her. She looked so wise and grave that you could quite well -imagine her a poet. And when Ruth called us in to look at her, there sure -enough were some verses written. - -“Look what Ann has made up,” cried Ruth. “I told you she was thinking of -poetry.” - -“How wonderful!” we said, for we saw whose writing it was. “Clever Ann! -who will read it out?” - -“I think Ann would like me to,” replied Ruth, who was glad to get this -chance to read her own verses, “the poem is supposed to be about Ann’s -young days when she and Timette were puppies.” - -“How very interesting,” we remarked. - -“Now I’ll begin,” said Ruth, with rather a red face, “it is supposed to -be Timette speaking.” - -“But why Timette?” we asked. “Why isn’t it Ann herself speaking?” - -“Because she is a poet,” Ruth explained, “and poets always have to -pretend to be some one else.” - -Then she read these verses:— - - “Two little Airedale pups are we, - Shaggy of coat and of gender ‘she.’ - - “Here you see us with papa, - They sent away our dear mamma. - - “All the happy livelong day - We eat and sleep and laze and play. - - “Except when only one bone’s there - And Sis takes care that I shan’t share. - - “What a pity you should be - Such a greedy little she! - - “This they say is not quite right, - But who can keep still in the midst of a fight? - - “We’re good dogs now and once more friends, - And so my doggy story ends.” - -[Illustration: The Spider in the Web.] - - - - -SPIDERS AND THEIR WEBS - - -CHAPTER I - -EMMA - -“Spiders!” you say. “Ugh! what dreadful things. I don’t want to read -about them.” But surely any one as big as you are need not be afraid of -a poor little spider. Don’t you remember when “there came a big spider -and sat down beside her” it was _little_ Miss Moffat that was frightened -away, and I don’t suppose she was much more than a baby. - -You are quite a big boy or girl or you wouldn’t be able to read this, -and spiders are really so clever and interesting that I believe you will -enjoy hearing a little about them. Let us look at the picture of the -spider in the web and pretend it is a real one; and shall we give it a -name? I don’t believe Miss Moffat would have been frightened if she had -known a little more about it, or if it had a name, so we will call this -little spider “Emma.” - -Emma is a girl spider and she will grow up ever so much bigger than -any boy spider. It is rather topsy-turvy in the spider world, for the -she-spiders are not only bigger but much stronger and fiercer than the -little he-spiders, and they are quarrelsome, too, and love a fight. This -need not make you think Emma is going to be savage with you; she would be -much too afraid, for you are a big giant to her. It is only with other -spiders and insects her own size she will fight. - -When Emma was younger she was a light green color, but as she gets older -she grows darker and darker and different markings come out on her back. -As you grow, your clothes get too small for you and you have to have new -ones or a tuck is let down. This is the same with Emma, only, as her -coat happens to be her skin as well, it is no good thinking about a tuck. -I don’t know how many new frocks you have, but Emma has changed hers -seven times before she was grown up. - -If you look closely at a real spider you will see it has hairs on its -body and on its legs. Emma, too, has these same fine hairs which are very -important. She can neither see nor hear very well, so these hairs, which -are sensitive, can warn her of danger. They feel the least trembling of -the web and are even conscious of sound, so you see how useful they are. - -The spider is rather a lonely person and not at all sociable. Perhaps -this is because she has to work so hard for a living. In fact, all her -time, day and night, seems taken up either with making or repairing the -web, and lying in wait, when she dozes far back in her little shelter out -of sight, with one hand always on the tell-tale cord that connects with -the web and lets her know of its slightest movement. - - -CHAPTER II - -EMMA’S WEB - -And now I am afraid you are finding this rather dry, and if I don’t tell -you a story you will be frightened away like Miss Moffat. - -[Illustration: A beautiful, regular pattern.] - -One day Emma felt very hungry; her larder was quite empty and she had -been without food for nearly a week. It was a fine evening, with just -a gentle little wind blowing, so she thought she would try a new place -for her web, where it would have a better chance of catching something. -She climbed up fairly high and then let herself drop with all her legs -stretched out, spinning all the time the thread by which she was hanging. -Then she climbed up it, spinning another thread, and when she had like -this spun some nice strong sticky threads she waited for the wind to -carry them on to some branches of furze. When these held, Emma ran along -them, fastened them firmly and spun a fresh thread each time till she -made a line that was strong and elastic, and so not likely to break -easily. When she was satisfied it would bear the weight of the web, -she spun struts from it to hold it firm and then began the web itself. -She first made a kind of outline and then spun and worked towards the -middle. It was wonderful to see what a beautiful regular pattern she was -spinning, with nothing but her instinct to guide her. - -You know when a house is being built it has tall poles all round it -called scaffolding, which helps the building; well, the first outline of -the web was Emma’s scaffolding, and when it was no longer wanted she got -rid of it by eating it up! - -“But how did Emma spin a thread?” I can hear you asking. - -It is like this—suppose you had a ball of silk in your pocket and ran -about twisting it round trees to make a big net. This is really what -the spider does, but the silk comes from inside her and will never come -to an end like the ball in your pocket. It issues from what are called -spinnerets. When she lets herself drop, the spinnerets regulate the -thread, but when she is running along spinning she uses two of her back -legs to pay it out, just as you would have to use your hands to pull the -silk out of your pocket. It is a pity spiders usually spin their webs at -night, so that we seldom get a chance of watching them. - -I said just now that Emma’s silk never comes to an end, but sometimes if -a very big fly or wasp gets caught in her net she has to use a great deal -of her silk, which she winds round and round the fly, binding him hand -and foot, and then her stock of thread which is carried inside her may -run low; but it soon comes again, especially if she gets a good meal and -a nice long rest. - -[Illustration: A fly struggling in her web.] - -When Emma had finished she was pleased with the look of her web and hid -herself at the side of it under a furze branch. She watched and waited. -She waited all night long and nothing happened. - - -CHAPTER III - -A NARROW ESCAPE - -In the morning she was still watching and waiting, but at last there was -a sound. A deep humming was heard in the air as if a fairy aeroplane -were passing. It was so loud that even deaf Emma might have heard it if -she had not been too busy. Just then, however, her hairs had received -a wireless message to say there was a catch at the far end of her web. -Although a spider is much more patient than you, and can sit still a -long time, it is a quick mover when there is need for speed. Emma darted -out like a flash of lightning and found a fly struggling in her web. It -was a very small thin one, and poor hungry Emma was disappointed not to -see a larger joint for her larder. She quickly settled it, however, and -spun some web round it to wrap it up, for, after all, it was something to -eat and so worth taking care of. She was still busy with her parcel when -“Buzz, buzz, buzz,” the whole web gave a big jump and there quite close -to Emma was a huge, terrible beast. A great angry yellow wasp, making -frightful growling noises and struggling desperately to get out of the -web. Poor Emma wasn’t very old or daring and she knew the danger she was -in, for this savage monster could kill her easily with his sting. He was -fighting hard against the sticky meshes of the web and jerking himself -nearer to her. She was too frightened to move, and for a minute she hung -on to her web limp and motionless looking like a poor little dead spider. -Then something happened. The wind blew a little puff, the wasp put out -all his strength and gave a twist, the web already torn broke into a big -hole and the great yellow beast was free. He glared at Emma and hovered -over her, buzzing furiously. He would have liked to kill her, but luckily -he was too afraid of getting tangled up again in that sticky, clinging -web, so, grumbling loudly, he flew away. - -“What did Emma do?” - -Well, she quickly got over her fright and I think she had a little lunch -off her lean fly; then she looked at her web and was sorry to see it so -torn and spoilt. The best thing to do was to mend it then and there, and -as a spider always has more silk in her pocket, so to speak, she was able -to do it at once. She repaired it so well that it didn’t look a bit as if -it had been patched but just as if the new piece had always been there, -the pattern was just as perfect. - - -CHAPTER IV - -ABOUT WEBS - -I don’t believe you are feeling a bit afraid of spiders now, are you? -There is no reason why we should fear them, for they don’t bite or sting -us; and if they did the poison that paralyses and kills their prey -would not hurt us. Besides, they kill the insects that harm us. I saw a -spider’s web once full of mosquitoes, and you know what worrying little -pests they are. I was glad to see so many caught, but sorry for the -spider, as they didn’t look a very substantial meal. Then you know how -dangerous flies have been found to be, making people ill by poisoning -their food, so it is a good thing that spiders help us to get rid of -them. - -Another reason to like spiders is for their webs. There is no animal or -insect that makes anything quite so wonderful and beautiful as what these -little creatures spin. - -The spider’s web is really a snare for catching her food. The strands -of it are so fine as often to be invisible in some lights even in the -daytime, and of course quite invisible at night. Sometimes the beetle or -flying insect is so strong that he can tear the web and get free, but not -often, for the spider can do wonders with her thread. She spins ropes and -throws them at her big prey and doesn’t go near it till it is bound and -helpless. - -Of course, there are many different kinds of spiders who spin different -kinds of webs. In a hotter country than this there is one that is as big -or rather bigger than your hand, and another called the Tarantula whose -bite is supposed to be so poisonous that it can kill people, but this is -very exaggerated. - -[Illustration: A Beautiful Web.] - -As the spider’s web is only her snare, she naturally has to have some -kind of home, which must be quite near to her place of business. If -you look very close and follow one of the strands of the web you will -find some little dark cranny where the huntress can hide. If the web is -amongst trees it will probably be a leaf she has pulled together with her -thread and made into a dark little tunnel out of which she darts when -something is caught. - -Now before we leave the spiders’ webs you may wonder why you never see -them so clearly as they show in the photographs, and I will tell you the -reason. You see if the spiders’ nets which are set to catch sharp-eyed -insects were always to show as clearly as they do in the pictures, I am -afraid they would really starve, for no fly would be silly enough to go -into such a bright trap. But sometimes in the autumn, very early in the -morning, the dew hangs in tiny beads on the webs, and makes them show -up clearly, and then it is that the photographs are taken. If you get up -early some still September morning, just about the same time as the sun, -and go for a walk in a wood, or even along a country road, you may see -the webs with what look like strings of the tiniest pearls on them, and -you will find that until the sun has dried up all the little wet pearls, -which are of course dewdrops, the poor spider has not a ghost of a chance -of catching anything. - -But to return to the spider herself. The one you know best is probably -the house-spider. It has eight legs and a body rather the shape of a fat -egg, with a little round bead of a head. It runs up the walls, sometimes -hanging by a thread from the ceiling, and seems very fond of the corners -of the room. How glad these house-spiders must be when they get to a -dirty untidy house, where they will be safe from the broom. Most of us -hate to see cobwebs in our houses, and get rid of them as quickly as we -can. - - -CHAPTER V - -THE LITTLE HOUSE-SPIDER - -I will tell you about a little house-spider who had a very exciting -adventure. She had made a beautiful web in the corner of a bedroom, high -up near the ceiling. One day her sensitive hairs told her there was some -sort of disturbance in the room, and looking down from her web she saw -all the furniture being moved out. The curtains and rugs had gone and -the bed was pushed up into a corner. Then, to her dismay, a huge hairy -monster came rushing up the wall. Of course, it was only a broom, but the -poor little spider was so terrified she thought it was alive. It came -nearer and nearer, and all at once there was a terrific rush and swish -right up the wall where she lived, and web and spider disappeared. It -was very alarming, but you will be glad to hear that the little spider -was not killed but only stunned; and as soon as she came to her senses, -she found herself right in the middle of the broom. She hung on and kept -quite still, and soon the servants went into the kitchen to have some -lunch and the broom was stood up against the wall. - -Now was the little spider’s chance to escape, and out she popped. The -coast seemed clear, so she scuttled up the wall and rested on the top of -the door. Spiders haven’t good sight, so she couldn’t see much of the -kitchen, but what she did see looked nice, and she thought it a much more -interesting place than a bedroom, besides there were some flies about, so -she determined to spin another web. No sooner had she begun when there -was a crash like an earthquake. “Will horrors never cease?” thought the -spider. It was really only the slamming of the door, but it so startled -her that she fell and dropped on to the shoulder of some one who had just -come in. - -[Illustration: A Snare.] - -“Oh, Miss Molly!” cried cook, “you’ve got a spider on you, let me kill -it.” - -“No, no,” said Molly, “that would be unlucky, besides it’s only a tiny -one,” and she took hold of the thread from which the spider hung and put -it out of doors. Wasn’t that a lucky escape? She ran up the wall and -got on to a window sill. Here she crouched down into a corner making -herself as small as she could for fear of being seen, and then she fell -asleep. You see she had gone through a great deal that morning, and the -excitement had thoroughly tired her out. - -When evening came she woke up and felt very hungry, so she quickly spun -a web, and would you believe it, before it was even finished she felt a -quiver, and there was a silly little gnat caught right in the middle. He -was very tiny, but the spider wasn’t big, and he made a very good meal -for her. She didn’t stop even to wrap him up, for she couldn’t wait, but -gobbled him up on the spot. - - -CHAPTER VI - -BABY SPIDERS - -Before a spider lays her eggs, she spins some web on the ground. She -goes over it again and again, spinning all the time, till it looks like -a piece of gauze. Into this she lays her eggs—often over a hundred—and -covers them with more web and then wraps them up into a round ball. I -don’t suppose you would think it, but a spider is a very devoted mother, -and this white ball is so precious to her that she carries it everywhere -she goes and never lets it out of her sight. She will hold it for hours -in the sun to help to hatch the eggs, and she would fight anything that -tried to hurt it or take it away from her. - -It is the same when the eggs are hatched out, for her babies are always -with her. Their home is on her back, and as there is such a swarm of -them, they cover her right up and you often can’t see the spider for the -young. Often some of them drop off, but they are active little things and -they soon climb on again. As long as they live with their mother they -have nothing to eat. This fasting, however, doesn’t seem to hurt them for -they are very lively; the only thing is they don’t grow. - -It doesn’t seem to matter very much even to grown-up spiders to go -without their dinners for several days. And when they do at last get -some food they gorge. They eat and eat and eat, and instead of making -themselves ill like you would do, they seem to feel very comfortable and -are able to go hungry again for some time. Perhaps it is because, as -babies, they got used to doing without food. - -[Illustration: Spiders love fine weather.] - -Spiders love fine weather, and they seem to know when to expect the sun -to shine. When it is a bright day Mother Spider brings out her big little -family. It is no good offering them any food, for they can’t eat it yet, -so she finds a sheltered hot place and gives them a thorough sun bath, -which they like better than anything else. - -And now one more little story before we say “Good-by” to spiders. When -Emma was a tiny baby she had thirty-nine brothers and sisters. And as she -was just a tiny bit smaller than the others, she was very badly treated. -The stronger ones would be very rough and cruel to her. They used to -walk over her and push her near the edge where she would be likely to -fall off. Two or three times they had crowded her so that she really had -slipped off and lay sprawling on the ground. However, she was very nimble -and agile, and she had always been able to pick herself up quickly and -clamber up one of her mother’s legs on to her back again. - -One day the little spiders were more spiteful than usual. “You are a -disgrace to us,” they told Emma, “you might be a silly ant.” - -“I’m no more an ant than you,” said Emma, “I can’t help being small.” - -“Ant, ant, ant!” they cried, “ants belong on the ground and that’s your -proper place,” and pushed her off on to the ground. - -The unlucky part was that Emma’s mother didn’t know what had happened, -and before Emma could struggle to her feet, she had hurried away having -noticed a bird hovering near. There was Emma all alone, a poor lost -little spider without a mother or a home. - -She was feeling very sad and wondering what would become of her, when -along came another Mother Spider with a lot of babies on her back. Two of -these fell off quite near to Emma, and when they ran back to their mother -she ran with them. Up an unknown leg she climbed and on to a strange -back, and yet she felt quite as happy and at home as if it had been her -own mother and the companions she joined had been her real brothers and -sisters. How different spiders are from us! Emma’s mother never knew she -had lost a baby, and the new mother didn’t bother herself at all that -she had adopted one, and as for the strange brothers and sisters, they -treated her rather better than her own, for they happened to be just a -little smaller than Emma so were not strong enough to push her off. As -far as Emma was concerned it was decidedly a change for the better, and -she was really a very lucky little spider. - - - - -WHAT THE CHICKENS DID - - -CHAPTER I - -JOAN AND THE CANARIES - -I wonder if you have ever watched young chickens. You can’t help liking -such babyish, fluffy little things; they are so sweet and so different -from the grown-up hens. I know a little girl who cried out, “Look at all -those canaries!” Of course, they are not really a bit like canaries, and -it was only because of their yellow coats that she made the mistake. - -Chickens are so lively and cheery, too; even when they are only a day old -they are able to feed themselves, and will run about picking up grain. -For such babies they are quite bold and will wander off a long way from -the coop, but when anything alarming comes along they will all rush back -to Mother Hen, making funny little peeping noises showing they are rather -frightened; and she answers, “Tuk, tuk,” as much as to say, “You are -little sillies, but I’m very fond of you,” and takes them under her wing. - -Joan was the little girl who had called them canaries, and you may guess -how she got teased about it. She had come to stay with an aunt who had a -farm, and as Joan had always lived in a town, she couldn’t be expected -to know very much about animals or birds. She liked the cows and the -goats and the horses but she loved the chickens best of all. When she was -missing, her aunt always knew where to find her, and the chickens seemed -to know her too and were tamer with her than with any one else. - -[Illustration: When anything alarming comes along they will all rush back -to Mother Hen.] - -[Illustration: A little tapping sound.] - -Several of the hens were sitting on their eggs, and Joan was told she -mustn’t go near them or disturb them at all. While a hen is sitting she -doesn’t want to be bothered to think of anything else except how she can -best keep her eggs warm and safe. She has to be careful and patient till -the chicks are ready to come out. This is an exciting time, and Joan used -often to think about it. She did wish so she might see a chicken burst -through its shell. She imagined there would be a little tapping sound, -and that the other chickens would be very interested and listen, and -then the shell would suddenly open and out would spring a fluffy yellow -chicken. She had been to a pantomime once called “Aladdin,” and there had -been a huge egg, supposed to be a Roc’s egg. In the last scene this egg -was in the middle of the stage. A dancer struck it with a wand, when it -opened, and out sprang a full grown fairy, dressed in orange and gold, -with a skirt of fluffy yellow feathers. Somehow Joan had always imagined -a chicken would begin its life in this dramatic way. - - -CHAPTER II - -THE WORM - -As yet only one small family of chickens had come out of their eggs but -they were quite enough for Joan to play with. She soon made friends -with them and gave them all names. There were: Honeypot, Darkie, Piggy, -Fluffy, Cheeky, Dolly and Long-legs. Darkie was rather different from the -others; he was a lively little chick with a dark coat and white shirt -front. Cheeky was the boldest and most impudent. He would cock his little -head on one side and stare at Joan, and he was always the last to run to -Mother Hen if anything was the matter. - -[Illustration: Dolly found a worm.] - -[Illustration: Cheeky dashing off with the prize.] - -Joan never forgot the morning Dolly found a worm. Instead of keeping -quiet, the silly chick made such a fuss over it that the others soon -found it out. Cheeky was on the spot at once, and before slow Dolly could -say a “peep” he had snatched the worm out of her beak and was off. I -wonder if you have ever seen a chicken running with a worm; it really -is great fun. Joan shouted with delight to see that rascal of a Cheeky -dashing off with the prize while poor foolish Dolly only looked on. -However, one chick is never allowed to have a worm to himself for long, -and soon Fluffy and Darkie were after Cheeky trying hard to get the worm -for themselves. Round and round they ran, into the long grass round the -food pails, into the corners of the yard and out again, till at last -poor Cheeky despaired of ever being able to eat the worm, there never -was a second’s time. At last, he tried to take a bite, and at once it -was snatched away from him by Darkie, and then the race began again and -they all rushed about after each other till Fluffy got it. He was just -going off with it when Mr. Cock came along, a very proud and dignified -gentleman. “Ah, Ha!” he cried, “What have we here?” - -“Please, it’s mine,” said Cheeky, “he snatched it away from me.” - -The cock looked very surprised, for I don’t think any other chick would -have been bold enough to speak to him at all. Every one was rather afraid -of him, for he had a very sharp beak and would take no back answers. - -“It isn’t yours at all!” cried Darkie and Fluffy. “You stole it, you -didn’t even find it yourself.” - -“Please, don’t make such a noise,” said the cock, “I never knew such -rowdy, ill-behaved chickens, you have no dignity at all. Now, so that -there shall be no quarrel, I am going to remove the cause,” and he -stooped down and gobbled up the worm. - -[Illustration: Made them take some grain out of her hand.] - -This is really what happened; it is quite true for Joan saw it all. I -am not quite so sure that the cock actually used these words because, -you see, Joan couldn’t understand his language, but she thought he said -something very like it. - - -CHAPTER III - -JOAN SAVES A CHICKEN’S LIFE - -I wonder if you have ever seen a hen feed her chickens. It is a pretty -sight. She scratches on the ground, and when she finds something to eat, -she calls her children. “Tuk, tuk, tuk,” she cries, and all the little -chicks come scurrying up, for they understand quite well what she means, -and are always ready for something more to eat. They peep out all sorts -of pleased things in chicken language, and each tries to push the others -away to get most for himself. - -Joan loved to see them, and she used to imitate the old hen and call the -chickens and give them some chopped egg. They liked this and got so tame -that they would eat out of her hand. Joan’s aunt was quite surprised, -and one day she made them take some grain out of _her_ hand. Cheeky -jumped on to her thumb, and Piggy and Fluffy lost no time in getting to -their dinner. The other three were not quite so trustful. Honeypot looked -up in her face as much as to say, “I know Joan, she’s a friend, but I’m -not quite so sure about you.” The others, too, were a little undecided -and hesitated for a time, so Joan felt the chickens were really sensible -enough to know her, after all. - -The chickens were so pretty and attractive that Joan wanted them to -be like real people, and she thought of all sorts of ideas which she -pretended they were thinking. But even she had to own they were not -very original. If one did a thing, they would all do it. Their favorite -game was certainly “Follow-my-leader.” One would run into a corner and -scratch, and at once the others would run and scratch, too. Then they -would all run to the gate, and if anything came along there would be a -quick scamper back to mother and not one would be left behind. - -Joan watched them once playing “Follow-my-leader” round a barn door. -It was standing wide open and Fluffy ran behind it and poked his head -through the crack, just below the hinge. It was not a big space, but -Fluffy could just squeeze his neck through. Of course, the others must -follow his lead and try and do the same; and all would have been well if -only Piggy’s head had been the same size as the others. I expect it was -because he had eaten rather more than the rest that his head was just a -tiny bit bigger. When it came to his turn, he pushed hard to get his head -through, as all the others had done, but when he tried to pull it back, -it stuck. It was terrible; there he was held as if he were in a trap. -Oh, what a noise he made! Joan heard his shrill frightened peeping and -thought at least he must be nearly killed. She came running up and was -very alarmed when she saw what was the matter. But she was a sensible -child, and instead of running away to call some one, she squeezed in -behind the door, being very careful not to push it to, as that would -have choked the poor little chick. Then she firmly took hold of Piggy, -and putting two fingers through the crack she gently pushed the fluffy -little head back through it and pulled the chicken out of danger. Just as -she had put him on the ground and he had given another loud peep to show -there was no harm done, the old hen came running up clucking in such an -excited manner as much as to say, “it doesn’t do to leave these babies -one minute, they are bound to get into mischief.” She had heard her chick -crying and had hurried up to see what she could do. I wonder what she -would have done to help. Something I feel sure, for it is wonderful how -clever mother animals and birds can be when it is a case of taking care -of their young. - -Joan told her she had better lead her little family further away from -such a danger trap, and to help her Joan called the chickens to the other -end of the yard, and when they came running up, there on the ground lay a -nice long worm she had found for them, and she took care that each had a -bit. - -[Illustration: It is very funny to see chickens drink.] - - -CHAPTER IV - -THIRSTY CHICKENS - -It is very funny to see chickens drink. If you have ever watched them -you must have noticed how they dive their beaks into the water and then -quickly hold up their heads. They do this to let the water run down their -throats for, you see, their mouths cannot shut up tightly and keep the -water in like yours. - -One morning all the chicks felt very thirsty. I expect eating worms makes -you thirsty, and I am sure running about with a worm and never getting -the chance to eat it must make you thirstier still. So first one and -then all the rest ran to their saucer of water. Honeypot ran her beak -along the water before holding up her head to swallow it. Of course, -the others must imitate her and do the same. When Cheeky came up, of -course, he tried to do it too, but there was very little room, the other -chicks had got the best places and they crowded him. Honeypot pushed hard -against him on one side and Fluffy bumped into him on the other, so that -he kept losing the water he had collected in his beak to drink. - -“This is a silly game,” he said. “Can’t you let me get a drink?” - -The others pretended they hadn’t heard, and kept on bobbing their little -heads up and down and took no notice at all. Dolly, whose worm he had -taken, was rather pleased to annoy him and gave Fluffy a sly push so that -he bumped into Cheeky and nearly upset him. - -“Well, you are rude!” cried Cheeky. “I never saw such ill-mannered -chicks.” - -“Who are you to talk about manners?” said Fluffy, while the others -stopped drinking to listen. “Who took Dolly’s worm?” - -“And what business is that of yours?” cried Cheeky, getting in a temper -and flapping his stumpy little wings. - -“Take care or you’ll get a peck!” Fluffy shouted with a threatening -poke of his head. It was quite a desperate quarrel, but if you had been -listening all you would have heard was “Peep, peep, peep,” a great many -times over. - - -CHAPTER V - -THE FIGHT - -You know, I expect, that cocks are given to fighting; that is why you -seldom see two cocks in the same run. The hens are different and live -together very happily; they are too busy with their eggs and looking -after their baby chickens to be quarrelsome. But Fluffy and Cheeky were -going to grow up cocks which probably made them more inclined to quarrel. -Joan thought, perhaps, they still bore each other a grudge over the -worm which neither of them had been able to enjoy. So what began as a -quarrel ended in a regular fight. Weren’t they naughty chickens? Cheeky -and Fluffy grew so fierce and angry with each other that they began to -fight like grown-up cocks. They tried to fly up and pounce down on each -other, but their little wings were too short and weak and they could only -give little hops. They pecked and jumped and peeped loudly while the -other chickens stood round looking on, for they had never seen such a -fight before. Cheeky gave one fly up and came down on Fluffy, giving him -a really hard peck full on his little breast, when he fell over and lay -quite still just as if he were dead. - -[Illustration: They began to fight.] - -I should like to be able to tell you that, when Cheeky saw what he had -done he was desperately sorry because he had not meant to hurt Fluffy -like that. If he had been a child he would have been terribly sad and -ashamed of himself, I am sure, but chickens are different. In spite of -Joan’s ideas of them they haven’t really much feeling and very little -intelligence, and so Cheeky just strutted off and didn’t seem to care a -bit. He even began scratching the ground as if the fight had given him -an appetite and he was looking for another worm. The others, too, were -quite happy and busy, and took no more notice of poor Fluffy lying in a -little heap on the ground. - -[Illustration: He fell over and lay quite still as if he were dead.] - - -CHAPTER VI - -FLUFFY’S RECOVERY - -I don’t think this fight would have happened if the mother hen had been -about, but through some mistake she had been shut up for an hour with -some other hens who were not mothers. It was Joan again who came to see -what was the matter. She was just too late to save poor Fluffy, and was -heart-broken when she saw him lying on the ground so limp and still just -as if he were dead. “Oh, you wicked chickens!” she cried, “what have you -done to poor Fluffy?” Cheeky cocked his little head on one side as if -he knew nothing at all about it, and the other chickens wandered off as -if their brother who had got the worst of the fight was no business of -theirs. - -“What horrid, cold-blooded little things,” thought Joan, “how could they -be so unkind?” But it is no good giving chickens credit for tender hearts -and clever brains, for if you do you will be disappointed. And it will -not be the chickens’ fault, for they can’t help it. Joan found this out -after a time and she loved them for what they were and didn’t expect too -much. - -Very gently Joan picked Fluffy up and was glad to feel he was still warm. -She carried him carefully to the kitchen where cook gave her a cosy -little basket with a piece of flannel. She laid him on this and put him -near the kitchen fire. Her aunt looked grave when she saw his limp little -body, for she thought he was dead, but she let Joan do as she liked. - -Poor Fluffy lay still so long that Joan grew tired of watching him and -went off to see the cows milked. When she came in to tea she rushed first -of all into the kitchen to see if he had moved. He certainly looked -better, less limp and even a little fatter, and actually his eyes were -open. Joan was delighted, and while she was looking at him he opened his -beak and gave a kind of gape. “Oh, auntie!” Joan called out, “Fluffy’s -alive, and I believe he wants something to eat.” Wasn’t it splendid? The -warmth of the kitchen fire had revived him. After Joan had fed him with a -little warm food he was able to get up and walk about. She liked having -him to herself like that, but when bedtime came and the other chicks went -under their mother’s wing she took him back and he ran in and settled -down. I expect he made up his mind it would be a long time before he -would have another fight. - - -CHAPTER VII - -HATCHING OUT - -Hatching out is an exciting time. The hen has to sit on the eggs and keep -them warm and quiet for three whole weeks. It needs a lot of patience, -doesn’t it? Joan knew there were some eggs due to hatch out very soon and -she did wish she might see them. She knew it was really impossible though -because the hen must be left alone then and not disturbed at all. - -Joan was very fond of animals and always wanted to do the kindest thing -for them; she was a nice child altogether, and tried to help her aunt -with the farm. She was having such a good time and thoroughly enjoying -her holidays. Her cousin Lulu had spent her holidays there too and been -rather naughty, so Joan’s aunt told her. It seems Lulu had been asked not -to go near, or in any way disturb, the hens that were sitting on their -eggs, and had promised faithfully not to do so. You may guess the kind of -child Lulu was when I tell you she broke her promise. - -There was a speckled hen who was a very good mother and had brought up -ever so many families, and when Lulu was there her eggs were due to hatch -out very soon. They were not the eggs she had laid herself but some very -special ones. When they were hatching out that naughty Lulu went to look. -She simply didn’t bother about her promise and even pulled one of the -eggs out from under the hen to see if it was already broken. The speckled -hen was furious and terribly flurried; she had never been interfered -with before and took it very much amiss. She didn’t mean to hurt her -babies, of course, but she got so worried and nervous that she was not -careful enough where she put her feet down and killed five of them. In -her excitement she had trampled on them and the poor little things had -scarcely lived at all. Of course, Lulu was very sorry, but that didn’t -mend her promise nor bring the chickens back to life. - -Joan was delighted when her aunt told her she might have a chance of -seeing some hatching out. There were some eggs in the incubator which -were due out very soon. An incubator is a sort of comfortable box which -keeps the eggs as safe and warm as a mother hen, so that they come out in -three weeks just as if a hen were looking after them. Only an incubator, -not being alive, wouldn’t get flurried or excited at any one looking on. -Joan was told there were eggs in it which were due to turn into chickens -on Thursday or Friday. - -[Illustration: One had still a bit of shell sticking to his back.] - -On Wednesday Joan kept running to look, on Thursday she still haunted -the place, but on Friday she began to get a little tired of nothing -happening. In the afternoon she was having a game with Cheeky, Fluffy and -Co. when she was called in to see a pretty sight. Some chickens had just -come out, and one had still a bit of shell sticking to his back. He was -looking at the rest of it in such a comical way as if he were asking how -he had ever been cramped up in such a little space. They were darling -little chicks, and Joan was soon busy giving them names. She always loved -them and often played with them, but somehow they never seemed quite as -clever nor as human as her first friends. - -[Illustration: Salome.] - - - - -THE PERSIAN KITTENS AND THEIR FRIENDS - - -CHAPTER I - -TOMPKINS AND MINETTE - -I want to tell you about two little Persian kittens called Tompkins and -Minette. They were the prettiest you have ever seen with their long -fluffy fur, their small ears and little impudent stumpy noses. They -looked such innocent darlings, you felt you must kiss them, but like most -kittens, they dearly loved a little fun, and as for mischief—well, you -shall hear all about them. - -Their mother was a very handsome Persian cat Salome, with a proud walk -and very dignified ways. She had four kittens, but two had been given -away and, to tell the truth, Tompkins and Minette were not altogether -sorry. Four kittens and a big fluffy mother take up a lot of room in a -basket, and theirs seemed getting to be a tighter fit every day. - -“We shan’t be quite so crowded now,” remarked Minette with a yawn after -the others had gone away. - -“And we shall have all the more to eat,” said Tompkins. - -“Our mother will love us more, too,” purred Minette. - -“The only bother is: she’ll have more time to wash our faces,” said -Tompkins. So when Mary, their tender-hearted little mistress pitied them -saying, “Poor darlings! how they will miss the others!” Tompkins and -Minette were saying in cat language, “Not a bit of it.” - -Besides, two kittens are quite enough for a game, especially such rascals -as Tompkins and Minette. - -[Illustration: The two kittens arched their backs.] - -Tompkins loved anything in the shape of a ball, and as there was a good -deal of knitting going on in the house there were several balls in sight. -The grown-ups, however, were careful with theirs; they knew kittens, but -Mary, who was only eight and had just begun to knit, seemed the most -hopeful, and it was her ball the kittens watched. Her wool was thick, and -the scarf she was making never seemed to get beyond the third row, so -there was always a nice fat ball of it. - -“It does look nice and soft,” said Minette looking at it. - -“And wouldn’t it roll finely,” said Tompkins. - -One day Mary tried to knit, but her hands got so sticky that the stitches -kept dropping off the needles. She got very hot and cross. “Bother, -bother, bother!” she cried at last and flung the knitting down and rushed -off into the garden. - -The ball of wool was still on the table, but as the knitting was on the -floor you may guess it didn’t take those kittens long to pull it down. It -bounced off the table and came rolling towards them. It really looked -almost like some live animal coming at them, and the two kittens arched -their backs and looked quite fierce. When it stopped Tompkins said to -Minette, “What a silly to be frightened of a ball of wool,” and Minette -answered, “_You_ were frightened, _I_ was only pretending.” But this -argument didn’t last long for there was the lovely fluffy ball on the -ground waiting to be played with. Tompkins snatched it first and patted -it round a chair. Then Minette tried to bite it, and when it rolled away -they were like boys after a football, and it was sent all over the room -and twisted round each leg of the table. - -You see, all cats love pretending even when they are quite babies, so -Tompkins and Minette pretended to be grown-up cats chasing a mouse until -that bold Tompkins suggested, “It’s really too big for a mouse, let’s -call it a rat.” And they grew quite fierce as they hunted it, giving -savage miaous and growls just like big cats. But after a little the rat -seemed to shrink into a mouse and the mouse into nothing at all for the -wool had all come unwound. - -It never does to give way to temper, does it? and when Mary returned she -was to find it out. She came back and brought her mother to help her with -the knitting, and pick up all her stitches for her. They found two tired -little kittens with sweet faces and big innocent eyes, and the wool in a -perfectly hopeless tangle all over the room. - -“What did Mary’s mother say?” you ask. I am afraid she laughed. I know -she didn’t blame the kittens, and Mary had to get her wool out of a -tangle and wind it up herself. Not for very long though, because when her -mother thought she had suffered enough for her temper and carelessness -she helped her and they soon got it finished. Mary gave the kittens a -good scolding, calling them “nasty, mean mischievous little things.” - - -CHAPTER II - -TWO THIEVES - -I am afraid Tompkins was rather inclined to be greedy. He used to watch -his mother Salome having her afternoon saucer of milk and he just longed -to have some too. It looked so nice and creamy and he was so tired of his -own food. He used to watch her lapping it and wish somehow he could get -it instead. - -[Illustration: Two little heads very busy with the saucer.] - -One day the milk was put down as usual, but Salome didn’t hurry to go to -it. The fact was she had come in from the garden, and as she sat on the -window-seat, she discovered her paws were rather damp and dirty. She was -a fussy and particular cat who thought a great deal of appearance, and -she was very busy licking her paws soft and velvety again before having -her tea. Now was Tompkins’ chance. He watched his mother very carefully -and then stole quietly up to the saucer. But Minette had seen him and she -didn’t mean to be left behind, so soon there were two little heads very -busy with the saucer. They lapped so quietly that no one noticed them, -and it was not till their mother had finished her wash and jumped down to -have her milk that she saw what had happened. And by then the milk was -nearly all gone. - -What did their mother do? - -I know what she ought to have done. Scolded them well and given them a -little scratch, but cats are very funny and not a bit like people or -dogs. Salome just pretended she didn’t care a bit. She made out she -wasn’t thirsty and never mewed for any more milk. She jumped on to the -window seat again and stared out of the window, and the naughty little -kittens thought themselves very clever indeed. - - -CHAPTER III - -MINETTE FINDS THE KITCHEN - -One day Minette smelt a nice fishy smell. It tempted her out of the room, -down a passage and round a corner till she arrived at the kitchen. Here -she came face to face with a strange cat. The cook was just making fish -cakes, and Tibby the kitchen cat was asking for some with loud miaous. -Minette was very alarmed at first, she thought this strange cat might -scratch her, but Tibby was much too busy to take any notice of a little -kitten and kept miaouing and staring up at the fish. Minette thought she -would rather like to try a little, it certainly smelt very tempting. At -last a scrap fell on the floor. Of course Minette rushed at it. But, oh, -dear! how she wished she hadn’t! There was such a noise; Tibby flew at -her with a nasty spiteful swear, growled at her, snatched the fish away -and ate it up herself. Poor Minette felt so hurt and surprised, it wasn’t -a bit how her dignified mother would have behaved. - -[Illustration: Tibby was much too busy to take any notice of a little -kitten.] - -The cook was not at all nice either, for instead of pitying Minette and -giving her a tit-bit of fish as Mary would have done, she said, “Get out -of my way,” and shooed her out of the kitchen. - -It was a very subdued and sad little kitten that trotted back round the -corner and along the passage, and to tell the truth, Minette was not at -all sorry to get back to her own cosy little basket and home where no one -was unkind to her. - -Still though not very successful, this had been an adventure and Minette -pretended to Tompkins she had had a perfectly lovely time. - -“This is a dull old room,” she told him, “the kitchen is much finer. It -is beautifully warm for there is a great big fire, and there are heaps -of saucers and plates, and such delicious smells.” - -“Did you get anything to eat?” asked Tompkins. - -“Well, just a taste of fish,” Minette replied, enjoying the envious look -on Tompkins’ face. - -“Did you see any one there?” he asked next. - -“Yes, a very grand cat, so beautiful and sleek, she was very kind to me -and asked me to come again.” (Oh, Minette! what terrible stories!) - -Poor Tompkins was so jealous he could have cried, and when Minette sat -purring in the basket with such a superior look on her face, he felt he -could have scratched her. - -“Never mind,” he told himself, “it will be my turn next.” - - -CHAPTER IV - -THE KITCHEN KITTENS - -His chance came that same afternoon. Minette, tired out with her exciting -adventure and with all the stories she had told about it, was having -a sound sleep, no one was about and the door was open. Tompkins crept -through it and down the passage. He was making for the kitchen but on -the way he heard a strange noise. It came from a little room next to the -kitchen and it made his little heart beat and his tail swell out to twice -its size. This curious sound was just the kind of noise that kittens -make when they are in the middle of a furious game. Tompkins listened -outside the door. “Oh,” he thought, “if I could only get in and join -them! what fun it would be, and what an adventure to tell Minette!” and -he gave a little plaintive miaou just near the crack of the door. There -was a silence for a second, then he heard scratchings inside and a voice -called out in cat language, “You push hard and we’ll pull, the door isn’t -fastened.” So Tompkins squeezed hard against the door, and at last there -was a crack just big enough for him to creep through. - -Inside Tompkins saw, to his delight, three small kittens. They were about -his own age too, and had got hold of the waste-paper basket with which -they were having a splendid game. Next to a ball, I believe, kittens love -nice rustling paper, and they were tearing and rumpling these to their -hearts’ content. - -[Illustration: They had got hold of the waste-paper basket.] - -Tompkins was a little shy at first, but he soon felt at home with the -strange kittens and tore the paper as fiercely as the others. The basket, -too, seemed made to be played with. They pretended it was a cage, and -one of the kittens got inside and growled so fiercely like a wild beast -that Tompkins was almost afraid. At last, when it was upside down and the -papers scattered all over the room the kittens began to think they would -like a little rest. - -They all stared at each other for a bit till Tompkins thought it was time -some one made a little conversation. - -“What are your names?” he asked. - -The kittens looked rather confused and didn’t know what to answer, for -somehow no one had thought of christening them. However, they were not -going to let a stranger know this, so the prettiest said, “I am generally -called ‘Pussy,’ and this”—here she pointed to the kitten next to her—“is -‘Pet.’ Her real name is Perfect-Pet, but we call her Pet for short.” - -“And what is your name?” Tompkins asked the third kitten. He, however, -pretended not to hear and busied himself running after his own tail, -which he caught so unexpectedly that it made him sit down with a bump. - -“I can tell you his name,” cried Pussy; “he has been called ‘Ugly,’ and I -think it rather suits him, don’t you?” - -Tompkins was too polite to say how heartily he agreed for it would have -been hard to find a plainer kitten. - -“It was cook who called me that,” said Ugly quite cheerfully; “she said -I looked scraggy as if I wanted feeding up, so I hope she’ll see it’s -done.” - - -CHAPTER V - -A SURPRISING CONVERSATION - -“Who’s your mother?” Pet asked Tompkins. - -“She is Salome, a beautiful gray Persian,” and as Tompkins answered he -noticed the three kittens looked rather merry. - -“Do you mean that stuck-up silly old fluff-pot?” said Ugly. “We often -watch her stalking about the garden, giving herself airs.” - -“And looking just as if she wore petticoats,” Pussy joined in. - -“What a dull mother to have!” remarked Pet. “Not much fun to be got out -of her, I should think.” - -Tompkins was thunderstruck. He had never been used to hearing his -dignified mother spoken of like this, and thought the kittens were -very rude. “My mother is very beautiful and very valuable,” he said -indignantly; “besides, she is a nice warm fluffy mother to go to sleep -with.” - -“Maybe,” said Ugly, “but we shouldn’t care to change with you. Our mother -Tibby is the right sort. She never forgets us and isn’t above stealing a -little now and then, and if it’s too big for her she lets us help eat it.” - -“And look what a sportsman she is!” said Pussy. “You should see her after -a mouse. And once, she told us she almost caught a rat.” - -“I should like to see your old fluff-pot of a mother running after a -mouse,” laughed Ugly. “I am sure she would be much too ladylike to catch -it.” - -“Why, she would have to pick up her petticoats,” said Pet, and then they -all three roared with laughter. - -What bad manners they had, thought Tompkins and he felt furious with -them. He wouldn’t play with them any more, and with his head up and his -tail fluffed out he walked away, looking very like his mother when she -was offended. - -But Pussy, who was a kind hearted kitten and didn’t like to see him hurt, -ran after him and said, “Please, don’t go, we were only in fun. Come back -and tell us more about your mother, I’m sure she has her points, and -anyhow I don’t expect she boxes your ears like Jane does ours.” - -Tompkins was surprised. “Does she really?” he asked, for he had never -heard of such a thing. - -“Indeed, she does, with her claws out, too, sometimes,” said Pet. - -“Yes, she nearly spoilt my beauty,” said Ugly with a grin; “she gave me a -horrid scratch over the eye.” - -As the kittens had given up teasing and seemed rather nice again, -Tompkins settled down and told them how nice and sweet-tempered his -mother was and that she was so admired that people always wanted to -photograph her. “In fact,” he said, being just a little inclined to -show off, “she got so used to the camera that she once tried to take a -photograph herself and got my sister Minette to sit for her.” - -“Whatever is a camera?” the kittens asked astounded. - -“I am afraid I can’t very well explain just now,” replied Tompkins who -didn’t know himself, “as it’s time I said ‘Good-by,’” and he trotted off -home. - -[Illustration: Tried to take a photograph.] - -[Illustration: A perfect bunch of bad temper.] - - -CHAPTER VI - -THE RETURN VISIT - -When Tompkins got back, however, Salome was looking anything but -beautiful. In fact she was looking as ugly and disagreeable a cat as you -can imagine. You see, she wanted brushing very badly and she simply hated -it. As soon as she saw her own special brush and comb being brought out, -she would hump herself up with her ears back, and look a perfect bunch of -bad temper. This time she was worse than usual, for her long fur had got -tangled, and as the comb pulled, she turned round and spat at it. - -Tompkins and Minette looked on tremblingly; they had never seen their -mother in such a rage. Tompkins was glad the kitchen kittens couldn’t see -the mother he had boasted about; how they would have jeered. - -When all was over, Salome flounced back into the basket and curled -herself up to forget her annoyances in sleep, and her children took care -not to disturb her. They whispered together and Tompkins told Minette -all about the kitchen kittens. Minette was so excited she forgot to be -jealous and kept interrupting with: “Oh, can’t I see them too?” and “What -fun we might all have together! Couldn’t we ask them to come here?” - -“Wait till we are quite alone,” whispered Tompkins, “and then we will -invite them properly to tea.” - -“How lovely!” said Minette, but she couldn’t help wondering where the tea -was to come from. - -The very next day the chance came, for the door was left open, no one was -about, and actually there was a tea tray on the table. - -[Illustration: “Hunt the Thimble.”] - -Tompkins went to the door and mewed; at least you would have thought he -was only mewing but really he was calling, “Come, come, come,” and the -little kitchen kittens, right the other end of the passage, heard him. -They mewed back, telling him they wanted to come badly but their door -was shut and they couldn’t get out. “Well, come as soon as you can,” he -called back. - -They didn’t have to wait long, for very soon the cook came in and out -again in such a hurry that she forgot to shut the door. You may guess the -kittens didn’t wait long, and they were out like lightning and racing -down the passage. You would have laughed to see them come tumbling into -the room where the Persians lived, a perfect bundle of mischief. - -They weren’t a bit shy and Minette loved them; she thought they were such -fun and so clever and bright. Ugly and Pussy soon started a game of “Hunt -the Thimble,” and Minette thoroughly enjoyed it. First of all they found -a work-basket, then they knocked it on the floor and made hay of its -contents till they found that little shiny silver thing that is so good -at rolling. They chased the thimble all over the room till it disappeared -behind a solid bookcase, and I shouldn’t be surprised if it isn’t there -still. - -Minette had never had quite such an exciting time, and she wondered why -Tompkins wasn’t enjoying it too. She looked round for him, but he seemed -to have disappeared. At last she heard a little “miaou,” and there he was -right up one of the curtains. Pet was up the other curtain and they kept -calling to each other, “Look at me! I’m highest!” There was no doubt that -Pet was beating him, for she was near the ceiling, but they were both -digging in their little claws and pulling themselves up. After watching -such daring sport as this, “Hunt the Thimble” seemed very tame, so the -other three joined the mountaineers, and soon there were five kittens -tearing and scratching at the curtains trying to climb. - - -CHAPTER VII - -THE VISITORS’ TEA - -When Ugly had got a good way up, he looked down and saw the tea tray. “I -know a better game than this!” he cried and got down as quickly as he -could. “All this exercise makes me thirsty, and I spy some milk.” - -“Hurrah, for a feed!” cried Pussy and Pet, and they too struggled down. -Pussy fell the last bit of the way, but it didn’t seem to hurt her and -she was soon on the table with the others. - -They were all a little disappointed, however, for the tray was not as -good as it promised. All they could get at was the sugar, and kittens -don’t care a bit for that. The milk seemed out of their reach for the jug -it was in was so small that not even Ugly could get his lean head into -it. Pet was feeling very sad, for she did so love milk, and there seemed -no way of getting any. However, Pussy had a splendid idea: she pushed -the jug over with her paw and out ran the milk on the tray and all the -kittens had to do was to lap it up. - -“And why didn’t Tompkins and Minette come and have some milk, too?” -you ask, and I should like to be able to tell you it was because they -were such superior, well-brought-up and honest little kittens that they -scorned the idea of stealing, but I am afraid this wouldn’t be true. No, -the reason the two little Persians didn’t come to share the milk with the -kitchen kittens was because they were still up the curtains. - -[Illustration: She pushed the jug over with her paw.] - -It was not very difficult for them to climb up, but coming down was quite -another thing. When they looked down it frightened them and they were so -afraid of falling that they didn’t like letting go to dig their claws in -a fresh place lower down. So there they hung, crying pitifully, “Help, -help, help,” which sounded like “Miaou, miaou, miaou.” - - -CHAPTER VIII - -SALOME TO THE RESCUE - -I don’t know what would have happened if no one had heard them, for the -little kitchen kittens were very busy with the milk, and even if they -had wanted to, they wouldn’t have known how to help. But a mother’s ears -are sharp, and before they had mewed ten times Salome appeared at a -trot, asking anxiously, “What have those tiresome children of mine done -now?” She soon saw the danger they had got into. If they had been more -of babies, she would have climbed up after them and brought them down in -her mouth, but they were too big and heavy for that. All she could do was -to sit at the bottom of the curtain and give them courage by mewing and -telling them what to do. It was funny how quickly their confidence came -back. Directly the kittens knew their own mother was there watching them -and ready to help, they forgot to be afraid and in a few seconds they had -scratched their way down the curtain and were safely on the ground. - -Salome didn’t make a fuss or punish them for being so naughty and wild; -all she did was to give their faces a lick and tell them not to do it -again or they might hurt their claws or have a tumble. - -The little kitchen cats looked on and they thought what a good mother -Salome was, for not even their Jane could have been kinder. They had to -own, too, that she was rather beautiful and so quiet and self-possessed. -Besides, she behaved so well to them and instead of chasing them away -because they were strangers, like Jane would have done, she took no -notice of them at all. She did not even seem to mind when Pussy pretended -to be her daughter and sat close up to her. - -“We were wrong,” said Pet to Tompkins later. “I think your mother is an -old dear.” And although Tompkins thought it might have been expressed -differently, he was glad to hear it. - - -CHAPTER IX - -MISJUDGED KITTENS - -“Miaou, miaou, miaou,” was heard in the distance. - -“What an ugly, hoarse voice!” remarked Minette. - -“Just like a croak,” said Tompkins. “I wonder who it can be.” - -But the little kitchen kittens didn’t wonder, they knew it was their old -mother, Tibby, who had missed her babies and was calling for them. They -liked her ugly voice and they answered with little mews, and one by one -they scuttled out of the room. Ugly was the last to go and he just lapped -up a drop of milk on his way, for he never neglected an opportunity. - -A few minutes after, the cook came in to find Mary’s mother, and of -course, caught sight at once of the disgraceful looking tray. She was -shocked to see it in such a state, with the sugar scattered about and a -nasty sticky mess where the milk had been lapped up. - -“Oh dear! Oh dear!” she cried, trying to tidy up, “whoever has done this?” - -“Miaou, miaou,” said Tompkins, which meant “not us.” - -Cook turned round and saw the kittens. “Well, of all the impudent little -thieves!” she cried, “so you must go and steal the milk, must you? You -little good-for-nothings!” - -“No, really it wasn’t us,” mewed Minette. - -But, of course, cook couldn’t understand cat language and she went on -scolding. “You deserve a good whipping, that you do, and I’ve a great -mind to give it you, greedy little things, when you get as much to eat as -ever you can swallow.” - -[Illustration: Pussy pretended to be her daughter.] - -[Illustration: “You may look like little angels, but you are nothing but -little imps of mischief.”] - -Both kittens looked up at her with their sweetest expressions, trying to -convince her how innocent they were. - -“Oh, I know all about that,” cook went on, but already her scolding was -getting more into a smiling one, “you may look little angels but you’re -nothing but little imps of mischief.” - -“Miaou, miaou,” said Minette in her sweetest voice, and Tompkins gave -a plaintive little purr, for they were getting very sleepy after their -exciting adventure. This was too much for cook; they both looked such -darlings that before they could drop off to sleep she was down on her -knees petting them and calling them her “saucy little poppets.” - - -CHAPTER X - -SALOME GIVES A LECTURE - -The kittens were the first to wake up the next morning. They couldn’t -resist talking about the kitchen kittens, there was so much to say. -Salome went on pretending to be asleep. - -“They were such jolly playfellows,” Tompkins remarked. - -“I wish we knew such exciting games,” sighed Minette, “ours will seem so -tame now.” - -“We’ll manage to see them again, somehow,” suggested Tompkins. - -“They very nearly got us into trouble over the milk, though,” said -Minette. Salome gave a big gape. “Be quiet and go to sleep,” she said and -shut her eyes. - -[Illustration: Sauntered grandly out of the room.] - -The kittens were silent for a short time, then they began again. “I -shall try and climb the curtain again,” said Minette. “I shan’t,” said -Tompkins, “I shall think of some quite new game.” - -Salome woke up again. “What are you two chatterboxes talking about?” she -asked. - -“About the kitchen kittens, mother,” Minette replied. - -“I don’t wish to be proud,” said Salome, “but really you mustn’t -associate with people like that.” - -“But, mother,” protested Tompkins, “the kitchen kittens are so clever.” - -“In what way?” asked Salome. “I don’t see anything clever in stealing -milk; it is just a common cat’s trick.” - -Tompkins began to feel rather annoyed; the kitchen kittens were his -friends and he admired them. He thought them so bright and clever, and -Salome rather unfair. Then a naughty, mischievous idea came into his -head, and looking very impudent, he asked his mother, “Do you know what -they called you?” - -“Oh, Tompkins!” begged Minette, “please don’t be such a tell-tale.” - -“I shall,” said that naughty Tompkins; “I think mother ought to know.” - -“You needn’t trouble,” remarked Salome haughtily, “it doesn’t interest me -in the very least what those vulgar little kittens call me.” - -“Still, you had better hear,” persisted Tompkins, and before Minette -could stop him he said, “they called you a ridiculous old fluff-pot, -there!” - -Whatever did Salome say? - -Nothing at all, and if you know anything of Persian cats you will guess -what she did. She got up and had a good stretch, then she shook out each -leg and sauntered grandly out of the room. It was as if she meant that -what the kitchen kittens had called her was so unimportant that it was -not worth thinking or saying anything about. - -And what did the kittens do? Well, I believe Tompkins felt rather small -and wished he hadn’t spoken. However, they were alone in the room now, so -it was a good opportunity for planning fresh mischief, and I only wish I -had more pages in this book that I might tell you all about it. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PUPPIES AND KITTENS *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. 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