Mrs. Green looked over her shoulder.
"I declare!" she cried. "So that"s what you"ve been fussing about, is it?"
Miss Kitty Cat gently laid something on the floor at her mistress" feet.
And she acted much pleased when Mrs. Green bent over and picked up a tiny, soft, pudgy--kitten.
"What do you think of that?" Miss Kitty Cat asked Mrs. Green. At least, that was what Mrs. Green understood her to say.
Anyhow, Miss Kitty appeared delighted with what Mrs. Green told her. And feeling that her youngster was in safe hands, Miss Kitty Cat ran out of the kitchen and disappeared.
In a little while she returned, carrying another kitten in her mouth.
Mrs. Green admired this one as much as the first. And again Miss Kitty vanished.
She returned with a third kitten; she returned with a fourth one.
"Well, well!" Farmer Green"s wife said to her. "We have enough now--don"t you think so?"
Mrs. Green soon learned that Miss Kitty Cat was not quite of the same mind. She made one more trip across the yard to the barn. And at last, with an air of great pride she set down a fifth kitten upon the kitchen floor.
"That"s all, Mrs. Green," Miss Kitty said. "They"re so beautiful it"s a shame there aren"t twice as many."
But Mrs. Green was out in the woodshed and didn"t hear her. She came in soon with a basket.
"This is what old Spot used to sleep in when he was a puppy," Mrs. Green told Miss Kitty Cat. "I suppose you"re willing to use it for your family."
Miss Kitty made no objection when Mrs. Green carefully laid the five kittens side by side on an old shawl which she spread in the bottom of the basket. Then Mrs. Green picked up the precious burden and with Miss Kitty following closely, set it down in a corner of the woodshed.
"There!" said Mrs. Green. "Now they"re snug and warm. And I"ll set your milk right beside the basket, so you won"t have to leave your family when you drink it."
[Ill.u.s.tration: Miss Kitty Cat Guards Her Kittens.]
It was not long before old dog Spot poked his long nose though the woodshed doorway and spied Miss Kitty Cat close beside the basket, lapping her milk. He gave a short bark when he saw her. And to his astonishment both Miss Kitty Cat and Farmer Green"s wife came running at him.
Mrs. Green had a broom in her hand and Miss Kitty Cat had her claws in her paws. They both ordered him to keep away from the woodshed. And Spot sneaked off to the barn and hid in the stall beside the old horse Ebenezer.
"What"s troubling you?" Ebenezer inquired in his slow way.
"It"s that ill-natured Miss Kitty Cat," Spot exclaimed. "She has a big family of kittens. And she"s terribly touchy about anybody"s coming near them. Although she"s keeping them in my basket, she hasn"t even invited me to have a look at them.... I only hope," he added, "they won"t grow up to be like their mother."
Old Ebenezer looked down at him with mild surprise.
"What"s the matter with Miss Kitty?" he asked.
"She can"t take a joke," said Spot. "If you chase her, she always claws you if she can."
Now, that was one of the first things Miss Kitty taught her children.
She claimed that claws were made to be used--especially on old dog Spot.
But when a kitten tried its claws on one of its mates Miss Kitty always cuffed it smartly. She claimed, then, that claws were _not_ made to be used--especially on one"s own family.
And in time the kittens learned their lessons perfectly.
THE END
SLUMBER-TOWN TALES (Trademark Registered.) By ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY AUTHOR OF THE SLEEPY-TIME TALES and TUCK-ME-IN TALES
Colored Wrapper and Text Ill.u.s.trations Drawn by HARRY L. SMITH
These are fascinating stories of farmyard folk for boys and girls from about four to eight years of age.
THE TALE OF MISS KITTY CAT
When Mrs. Rat saw Miss Kitty Cat washing her face, she knew it meant rain. And she wouldn"t let her husband leave home without his umbrella.
THE TALE OF HENRIETTA HEN
Henrietta Hen was an empty-headed creature with strange notions. She never laid an egg without making a great fuss about it.
THE TALE OF THE MULEY COW
The Muley Cow belonged to Johnnie Green. He often milked her; and she seldom put her foot in the milk pail.
THE TALE OF TURKEY PROUDFOOT
A vain fellow was Turkey Proudfoot. He loved to strut about the farmyard and spread his tail, which he claimed was the most elegant one in the neighborhood.
THE TALE OF PONY TWINKLEHEELS
Pony Twinkleheels trotted so fast you could scarcely tell one foot from another. Everybody had to step lively to get out of his way.
THE TALE OF OLD DOG SPOT
Old dog Spot had a keen nose. He was always ready to chase the wild folk. And he always looked foolish when they got away from him.
THE TALE OF GRUNTY PIG
Grunty pig was a great trial to his mother. He found it hard not to put his feet right in the feeding trough at meal time.
GROSSET & DUNLAP, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK
SLEEPY-TIME TALES (Trademark Registered.) By ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY AUTHOR OF THE TUCK-ME-IN TALES and SLUMBER-TOWN TALES
Colored Wrapper and Text Ill.u.s.trations Drawn by HARRY L. SMITH