“There are plenty of people who would do it faithfully,” said Tommy Traddles. “When I was a kitten I was taken in from the street by the kindest hands, and cared for ever after. My law student, my first friend, would have stood by us and helped us to the last hour of his life.”
“When I was only four weeks old I was found by a lady in the worst, poorest part of the city,” said Bidelia. “She put me under her coat and carried me all the afternoon on several business calls which she had to make, although I cried dreadfully. When she got me home she cared for me like a baby; were it not for her I should not be here to-day. I would trust that friend of cats with our secrets.”
“You see,” added Tommy Traddles, with his customary wisdom, “cats have lived so long among people that they have become dependent upon them. I think it would be most wise to secure for ourselves such a friend as Bidelia and I have known. But these two are beyond our reach. The question is: Whom should we select, and where should we find these friends?”
Then up rose Kiku-san, his whiskers quivering with eagerness. “I can tell you,” he cried. “The little girl whom I owned, and whose love I miss more than I can say, is the very one for this position. She goes out of her way, and bears all sorts of inconvenience to help cats. She has such a tender heart that the sight of abuse of one of us makes her half-ill with grief and pity. Get Lois to help you, Purrers; she would die rather than betray you.”
“And Rob!” added Ban-Ban, springing up as Kiku-san sat down. “He is a little fellow, only eight, but he is as brave as a lion when it comes to fighting for any abused animal. He has a good mother, who has taught him that we are all one big family, the human beings, and all the dumb creatures—as they call us, because they don’t understand our language! He touches any of us as gently as a paw without claws can touch, and he plays with us as well as a kitten could—better, because he can think of more things to do. He is a brave boy, the real sort of brave boy. They are always kind, you know, and don’t pretend to be brave by doing cowardly things, such as hurting a helpless creature. I’ve heard Rob tell other boys that it was manly to be gentle, and cowardly to be cruel, because a true man was a gentle-man! There’s his mother for you again; that’s what she teaches him! Rob’s the little boy I owned. You get Rob and Lois both on your side, Purrers, and you’ll bless the day Kiku-san and I told you about them.”
’Clipsy arose as Ban-Ban sat down, shaking his head gravely. “This little Lois may be all right,” he said. “Girls are usually more or less good to us, but a boy! I’m doubtful of the wisdom of trusting a boy.”
“There are boys and boys,” said Tommy Traddles, mildly. “The right sort of boy is a brave fellow, and so must be a kind one, as Ban-Ban has said, and that sort is trustworthy, one on whom you can depend. Of course, friends and Purrers, you can rely on Ban-Ban’s judgment of the boy he owned and lived with from his kittenhood. But if you need further witnesses, let me add that Madam Laura, Bidelia, and I have known both Lois and Rob for a long time, and they are both the very ones to help us carry on our city, and be our friends through the winter that lies before us. They are both all, and more than all, that Kiku-san and Ban-Ban have said they were.”
Madam Laura and Bidelia purred their entire assent to this statement.
“Very well, then,” said ’Clipsy, “what are we to do about it, if they are such good children and good friends to cats? How shall we let them know about us, and get them to stand by us?”
Tommy Traddles and Ban-Ban had never cared much for each other, but Tommy Traddles proved at this moment how superior his nature was to personal considerations of mere fancy. That wise cat, whose thoughtful gaze saw through most cats with whom he was in close contact, had seen that Ban-Ban and Kiku-san were longing for their beloved children, and he arose now to answer ’Clipsy’s question.