“She’s asleep in the bed, Granny,” said the Brown Doll.
“Pinch her good, Granny!” cried the Wax Doll. “Put out her eyes!”
“Scratch her, Granny! Pull out her hair!” pleaded the Brown Doll.
“Bump her head against the wall, Granny! Mash her nose!” exclaimed the Jip-jap Doll.
The Rag-Tag Doll said not a word.
All this time the little old woman was searching in her satchel for something, and Sweetest Susan began to get frightened.
“I’ve come off without my specs,” said the little old woman, “and I can’t see a stiver with such a light as this.”
Just then the big Black Cat that had been sleeping quietly in a chair rose and stretched himself and gaped, showing his long white teeth. He jumped to the floor and walked back and forth purring and rubbing against the little old woman in a friendly way.
“Get out! You’ll push me over,” she cried. “Oh, will you go away? I’ll stick you with my needle! I certainly will! Keep your long tail out of my face! Oh, how can I see to do anything? Will you go away? I’ll hit you as sure as I am standing here!”
“Don’t,” said the big Black Cat, stopping and looking straight at the little old woman. “Don’t you know it brings bad luck to hit a black cat?”