One morning Julia was riding with her uncle, when they passed Anne and Rose on their way to school. Anne’s kitten had followed them so slyly, it was not seen till they were near the schoolhouse door.
Uncle Benjamin bade them teach the puss its A-B-Cs.
“Good-by!” said Julia. “I am going home to-morrow.”
Anne and Rose were sorry they could not see this dear little friend again.
The next morning, when Julia awoke, Ellen had the bags and baskets ready to take home again. No, not quite ready, for one basket was to hold the kitten, and Ellen called Julia to get up and catch it, to be in time for their journey.
Kitty seemed to know they wanted to take her away from her mother and sister pussy, and she tried to keep out of their way.
But Charley and Johnny were as cunning as she, and caught her at last.
Ellen said puss had gone in the pantry. Charley peeped in, but did not see her. He heard a stir of the paper on the shelf, and stood still at the door. He saw a mouse leap off the shelf, and before he could hit it with his cap, it had run into a hole in the floor, and got out of the way of boy and kitten; for kitty jumped from behind the flour-barrel where she had hid, and Charley caught her.