“Well, I never!” said Martha, almost out of breath with surprise.
“You horrid cat!” said Nellie, just ready to cry for the fate of the poor little mice.
Bessie quite cried, it seemed so dreadful; and as to Charlie, his roars were heard at the house.
Aunt Lou and Bessie’s mamma and Aunt Lillie all came running out to see what was the matter. Had Charlie’s eyes been scratched out now?
“Oh, mamma!” sobbed Bessie as she buried her head in her mother’s dress, “that wicked cat has eaten up the little mouses!”
“Do have her killed, mamma,” said Nellie; “she is too bad to live.”
Every little face looked angry and excited, and Charlie kept on screaming.
Then Martha told about the little nest with the three pink mice in it, and how Puss had eaten them for her breakfast.
“I wish the cow or something big would eat her kittens,” said Jimmie; “see how she would like that!”
“Children,” said Aunt Lou, “you are all wrong, and Puss is not wicked at all. She was born to eat mice—that is her business; and I am sure that papa will be very much obliged to her for clearing a nest of these destructive little creatures out of his corn-crib.”