“You are not going alone,” said my mother anxiously, “who will there be to protect you?”
“Oh, I shall keep close to Mona, I assure you, if there is any danger,” I replied. “Do not be afraid, dear mother. Don't you remember that I said all the family are going, Mr. and Mrs. Denville, and their daughter?”
“Oh!” she replied in a calmer voice, but she was very uneasy. I could tell by her looks.
My father so far had not spoken. Now we saw him licking his lips, and we all watched him, to catch the words of wisdom that we knew he would let fall.
“The first question is,” he said clearing his throat, “whether the kitten is to be allowed to go.”
“Oh!” I said in my turn.
I am a pretty good-sized creature now, and being out in the world I am rather getting unused to parental control. However, I have been brought up to consider submission a necessary thing in kittens, so I listened respectfully.
“Let us hear the arguments for and against,” he said, then he paused.
“I vote she goes,” and Jimmy Dory, without waiting to let ladies speak first, plunged into a speech in defence of the free exercise of cat will.
My father listened with a disapproving air. When Jimmy Dory had finished, he said, “Young fellow, your words are only a wild chewing of the air in favor of individual cat rights. Now, tell us plainly, why you consider that Black-Face should be allowed to go to the country.”