“Mamma says that animals know more than we think they do,” said Tom.
It really did seem as if the tiger-kittens knew what was expected of them; for they stayed quite still in the cave, crouching down in the dark, and the little house-kittens sat down and looked up at Tom while he explained the game, just as if they understood every word he said.
“Now,” said Tom, “we’ll be the hunters and we’ll go out hunting for tigers, and the dogs will run about searching for game, and then we’ll discover the cave and send ’em in to drive the tigers out.”
“I should think really and truly tigers would eat the dogs up,” said Nancy, who had a very practical mind.
Tom looked somewhat crestfallen at this view of the question, but Posy said,—
“We’ll play these were good, kind tigers, and didn’t hurt anybody, won’t we?”
So it was agreed that these tigers were exceptional tigers, and the hunting-party started out in search of game.
“Dear me!” cried Posy suddenly, “I saw a great ugly rat run across there.”
“It couldn’t have been a rat,” said Tom. “They don’t dare to come out here; they’re afraid of the barn-cat.”
“It was a rat,” persisted Posy; “I know it was. It had a great long tail, and it had long yellow teeth, and one of them was broken off. I do wish the barn-cat were here.”