Chapter Five.
The Round Robin.
And now that the white kitten was settled in its new home, the time was come for the departure of the grey one, and the day fixed when it should be taken to old Sally’s cottage. Maisie felt the parting a good deal, for it seemed to her that it was a very small weak thing to be sent out into the world to earn its living. It would have a very different life to Darkie and Blanche. They could dwell at ease, and need never catch mice except for their own pleasure; but the grey kitten had really hard work before it, and most likely would never be petted again after it left Fieldside. Maisie wondered whether the old cat, Madam, to whom she carefully explained everything, was at all worried and anxious about her children; but if so, she hid her feelings very well. Certainly she looked about a little after the white kitten had gone, and mewed once or twice in an inquiring sort of way, but she did not refuse comfort. On the contrary, when Maisie offered her some fish to distract her mind from her loss, she gobbled it up rather greedily, and even Darkie could not push his round head far into the dish.
“I expect,” said Maisie, “if Madam could choose, she’d much rather send Darkie away and keep the grey one; Darkie bothers her so.”
It was just after lesson time, and the children were making preparations to start with the kitten for old Sally’s cottage. Dennis was tying down the lid of a small hamper, and Maisie stood near, peeping through the crevices to see whether the kitten was comfortable.
“There,” said Dennis, as he tied the last knot; “I’m glad it’s we that have got to choose, and not Madam, I wouldn’t keep this mean-looking kitten for anything. Now Darkie will be a splendid cat.”
“Let me carry it,” said Maisie eagerly, and hugging the little basket with both arms, she followed Dennis rather sorrowfully out of the door which the kitten was not to enter again.
“I do hope,” she said on the way, “that they’ll be kind to it.”
“Oh, of course they will,” said Dennis; “don’t you remember old Sally said Eliza was quite silly over animals. That meant kind—extra kind.”
Old Sally and her daughter Anne were busy when the children arrived, for they had a job of work given to them by Mrs Solace, who wanted some old cushions re-stuffed. On opening these, they had found that feathers instead of down had been used, and they both had a great deal to say on the subject. It was, however, almost impossible to talk without coughing and choking, for their cottage was quite full of fluff and feathers floating about in the air. The children stood in the doorway, and explained their errand as well as they could.