For several hours Blackie slept on the cushion, now and then turning around to get more in the sunlight, and when she did this the little brass bell on the red ribbon on her neck would go “tinkle-inkle.”
“Well, I think I’ll take a walk out in the yard, and perhaps I may see another cat to talk to,” said Blackie, as she awakened and stretched first one leg, and then the other, opening her mouth as wide as she could to stretch that too. Blackie was a bit lonesome without the children.
Out in the yard went the black cat. The sun was shining down through the leaves of the grape vine, making dancing shadows on the walk below. Blackie pretended that these shadows were mice, and that she was chasing them. As she was doing this the black cat heard a voice calling to her.
“What are you doing?” the voice asked.
Blackie looked up, and saw another cat looking at her over the back fence. This cat was mixed gray and white in color.
“Oh, I’m just having a little game by myself,” answered Blackie. “I do this to amuse myself when the children are at school, and I am alone. Excuse me, but I think you must be a strange cat around here.”
“I am,” meowed the other. “My folks have just moved in the house next door.”
“I saw loads of furniture going in there yesterday,” said Blackie, “but I did not see you.”
“No, I was shut up in a box,” the new cat said. “They were afraid I would get lost, I guess. They kept me down cellar until a little while ago.”
“Oh, that’s too bad!” exclaimed Blackie. “I guess you are glad to be out again; aren’t you?”