small to climb these trees."

"It's something smaller than Joey, miss. Whisht now, and see if she's not up
to mischief this minute."

Tattine's little black-and-white kitten, whose home was in the barn, had been
frisking about her feet during all the raking, but as the raking came under
the apple-trees, other thoughts came into her little black-and-white head, and
there she was stealthily clawing her way up the nearest tree. Tattine stood
aghast, but Patrick's "whisht" kept her still for a moment, while the cat made
its way along one of the branches. Tattine knowing well the particular nest
she was seeking, made one bound for her with her rake, and with such a scream
as certainly to scare little Black-and-white out of at least one of the nine
lives to which she is supposed to be entitled. But pussy was too swift and
swiftly scrambled to the very topmost twig that would hold her weight, while
Tattine danced about in helpless rage on the grass beneath the tree. "Tattine
is having a fit," thought little Black-and-white, scared half to death and
quite ready to have a little fit of her own, to judge from her wild eyes and
bristling tail.

Tattine's futile rage was followed in a few minutes by, "Oh, Patrick, I never
dreamt it was Kittie. Has SHE been TRAINED to do it, do you think?"

"Oh. no, miss; it just comes natural to cats and kittens to prey upon birds
and birds' nests."

"Patrick," said Tattine solemnly, "there is not going to be any four-legged
thing left for me to love. I am done with Betsy and Doctor, and now I'm done
with Black-and-white. I wonder if Mamma can make it seem any better," and then
she turned her steps to the house in search of comfort, but she had gone only