"Petal!" shrieked Ruth, and darted for the pantry to seize her pet.
All three scolding her, and making for her, made Popocatepetl quite hysterical. She arched her back, spit angrily, and then dove from the table. In her flight she overturned the china cup of molasses which fell to the floor and broke. The sticky liquid was scattered far and wide.
"That kitten!" Mrs. MacCall shrieked.
"Wait! wait!" begged Ruth, trying to grab up Petal.
But the cat dodged her and went right through the molasses on the floor. All her four paws were covered. Wherever she stepped she left an imprint. And when the excited Ruth grabbed for her again, she capped her ridiculous performance by leaping right into the box of feathers!
Finding herself hopelessly "stuck-up" now, Popocatepetl went completely crazy!
She leaped from the box, scattering a trail of sticky feathers behind her. She made a single lap around the kitchen trying for an outlet, faster than any kitten had ever traveled before in that room.
"Stop her!" shrieked Ruth.
"My clean kitchen!" wailed Mrs. MacCall.
"Looker dem fedders! looker dem fedders!" gasped Uncle Rufus. "She done got dem all stuck on her fo' sho'!"