LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
| PAGE | |
| “They progressed comfortably, hearing without difficulty the story of the founding of Purrington” (see page [190]) | [Frontispiece] |
| Nugget | [8] |
| Puttel | [9] |
| Dolly Varden | [17] |
| “‘I have had a Great Idea’” | [18] |
| Singing the Song | [23] |
| One of the Stranger Cats | [27] |
| “Little Dolly Varden fell asleep” | [31] |
| “S. Katz Fresh Mice Daily” | [49] |
| “The shout of welcome which all the Purrers of Purring to raised” | [59] |
| “A long, creamy, blessed drink” | [61] |
| “One came to town with five kittens!” | [68] |
| “A small, gray cat called Posty” | [68] |
| The Dance | [82] |
| “Scamp looked him over scornfully” | [100] |
| “Licking him frantically” | [109] |
| “Ready to pounce” | [133] |
| “Each with a cat on his back” | [136] |
| “The cats watched the retreat” | [142] |
| “They sat for a time resting” | [144] |
| “Kiku-san came and rubbed his cheek against Tommy’s” | [160] |
| “Their speed increased” | [165] |
| “She gathered, the happy, purring white creature into her arms” | [170] |
| “A black cat played the violin” | [201] |
| “Bidelia sobbed” | [220] |
| “Had often sat on a big volume of Shakespeare” | [226] |
| “It was a most beautiful sight” | [238] |
CHAPTER I
BAN-BAN, THE BOLD
He was really very beautiful. High-born, too,—a pure Maltese! He had a short, saucy face; a square little nose, with which he was apt to pry into other people’s business; and he saw everything with his bright eyes, and understood most things with his quick wit. But he had almost no patience at all, and he was as full of pranks as a monkey—indeed, that’s what gave him his name.