Two minutes later Sylvia heard a sweet, birdlike voice trilling overhead. Ten minutes later, when Dixie reappeared, the small guest was sitting at the table eating the delicious porridge and cream with hungry enjoyment.
“It’s ’most as good as cake, isn’t it?” Dixie said brightly as she sat by the window to mend. There was always something waiting for the little mother to patch or darn.
Sylvia rather grudgingly had to confess that the porridge was good, adding that the cream in Genoa wasn’t so thick and yellow.
“Town cream never is, I guess,” Dixie said. Then, that the conversation need not lag, she told about the recent arrival of the kittens.
The little hostess glanced sideways, and was glad to see an almost eager expression on the thin sallow face that was turned toward her. “I’ve never seen baby kittens!” Sylvia was saying. “I’d like to.”
Dixie laid down her sewing. “If you’ve finished your breakfast, I’ll show you all over our tiny ranch. We have three hens, too, and a piggie and a burro.”
Together they left the house, and before many minutes had passed Sylvia was actually laughing, for the goat was kicking frolicsome heels up at them as the two little girls stood leaning over the rail fence that surrounded the small enclosure. After a time they visited the shed down near the apple-orchard, and Topsy was induced to come forth into the sunlight and show her babies, who blinked and winked, for their eyes had not been open very long, and they wabbled and tumbled down to the great delight of the town girl, who had never owned a pet.
“Oh! oh!” she exclaimed joyfully as she picked up the snow-white pussy that was growing whiter and fluffier and more lovable every day, “how I’d like to own this kitty-cat. Can I have it to take home with me to keep?”
Dixie hesitated, then she added: “I’m sorry, Sylvia, but I couldn’t give Downy-Fluff away. Topsy belongs to me, but that little white kitty is Carol’s. You may have the spotted pussy, if you want him.”
Sylvia put the white kitten down and walked away as she said: “No, I don’t want that one. I will tell my father to pay you for that white kitten if you don’t want to give it to me.”