With this incident occurring under their own notice, their interest in the stories was increased, and after tea, Mr. Lee read among others the following:—
“A little black spaniel had five puppies, which were considered too many for her to bring up. As, however, they were a rare kind of dog, her mistress was unwilling that any of them should be destroyed; and she asked the cook whether she thought it would be possible to bring a portion of them up by hand, before the kitchen fire. The cook answered that the cat had several kittens, and she had no doubt, if they were taken away, the puppies might be substituted.
“The cat made no objection, took to them kindly, and gradually all the kittens were taken away, and she nursed the two puppies only.
“Now, the first curious fact was, that the two puppies were in a fortnight as active, forward, and playful as kittens would have been. They had the use of their legs, barked, and gamboled about, while the other three nursed by the mother were whining and rolling about like fat slugs.
“The cat gave them her tail to play with; and they were always in motion. They soon ate meat, and long before the others, they were fit to be removed. This was done; and the cat became inconsolable. She prowled about the house, and on the second day of tribulation, fell in with the little spaniel, who was nursing the other three puppies.
“‘O,’ said puss, putting up her back, ‘it is you who have stolen my children.’
“‘No,’ replied the spaniel, with a snarl, ‘they are my own flesh and blood.’
“‘That won’t do,’ said the cat. ‘I’ll take my oath before any justice of the peace, that you have my two puppies.’ Thereupon there was a desperate combat, which ended in the defeat of the spaniel; and then the cat walked off proudly with one of the puppies, which she took to her own bed.
“Having deposited this one, she returned, fought again, gained another victory, and redeemed another puppy.
“Now, it is very singular that she should have taken only two, the exact number she had been deprived of.”