Peg whirled around on her.
“Say, you kid––”
“Wait, dearie!” implored Jinnie. “Don’t you know mother cats always love their kitties just like live mothers do their babies?”
Peggy rattled the stove lids outrageously. Hearing these words, she stopped abruptly. Who knows where her thoughts flew? Jinnie didn’t, for sure, but she thought, by the sudden change of Mrs. Grandoken’s expression, she could guess.
The woman looked from Milly Ann to the wriggling kittens in Jinnie’s lap, then she stooped down and again brought to view Jinnie’s little ear tucked away under the black curls.
“Get up out o’ here an’ dress; will you? I’ve said them cats’ve got to go, and go they will!” 119
Jinnie returned the kittens to their mother, and when she got back to her room, Bobbie was sitting up in bed rubbing his eyes.
“I couldn’t find you, girl,” he whimpered. “I felt the bed over and you was gone.”
Jinnie bent over him.
“Peg took me out in the kitchen, dear... What do you think, Bobbie?”