For a time she liked this. She swung on her perch and made queer noises to herself. Then she grew tired. She threw herself on the bottom of the cage and began to moan, "Come quick! Come quick! Polly's sick! Polly's sick!" Then Peggy came with the black cloth, and General Polly was taken to her pen.
Next it was little Dot's turn to show her cat family. She was too shy to play showman as Bob had done. She just came out in front of the children and stood there. Snowball was in her arms and Fluff and Muff were on her shoulders. She put Snowball down. Then she gave her shoulders a shake and Fluff and Muff scrambled down to the ground.
Next Dot took two red balls from her pocket. Each ball had a long rubber fastened to it. It would bounce high without rolling away. Dot put a ball near each kitten's paws. Just as Fluff and Muff sprang to get the balls, Dot pulled the rubber. You never saw such surprised kittens! They sat still and looked with wide-open eyes. These were queer balls indeed that flew up into the air instead of rolling on the floor. This was something new and strange.
The next time Dot bounced the balls Fluff and Muff were ready. Up they jumped, with their paws raised, but the balls sprang out of reach. "The kittens are trying to be living airplanes, too," said Paul.
Next Dot went to the pen and brought something back. She held it up and said shyly, "This is Daddy's hat. It used to be the kittens' bed. Now it is their plaything."
When she had said this she threw the hat on the ground. Quick as a wink Fluff was on one side of it and Muff was on the other. Then they began to paw and pull. Fluff pulled one way. Muff pulled the other. It was a real pulling match. Some of the children cried, "I think that Fluff will win." Others cried, "Hurrah for Muff."
Just then a queer noise was heard. Can you guess what it was? It was the brim of Daddy's hat. It had torn all the way around—rip, rip, rip. Off it came so suddenly that both little kittens rolled over backward.
All the children clapped their hands and laughed aloud. This frightened Fluff and Muff. They scampered to their mother as fast as their little white feet could carry them. This ended the act of the cat family.
Next it was Betty's turn to show Arrow. But Arrow's pen was still empty. Betty whispered to Miss West. Miss West rose and said, "While we are waiting for the next act, let's sing together." She started a song everyone knew. All the children joined in.
Just as they were singing a second song, something happened. A light speck was seen moving through the air. It came nearer and nearer. At last it circled round the pen, where the grain was scattered. Then it flew slowly to the ground. It was Arrow, the living airplane.