Page 57 - Among the camps, or, Young people's stories of the war

“ Lie down, Kittykin," said her mistress ; but Kitty kin did
not appear to hear. She just lowered her head, and peeped

under the bureau, with her eyes set in a curious way. Pres­
ently she stooped very low, and slid along the floor without
making; the slightest noise, every now and then stopping per­
fectly still. Evelyn watched her closely, for she had never
seen her act so before. Suddenly, however, Kittykin gave a
spring, and disappeared under the bureau. Evelyn heard a

little squeak, and the next minute Kittykin walked out with
a little mouse in her mouth, over which she was; growling like
a little tigress. Evelyn was jumping up to take it away from
her when Kittykin, who had gone out into the middle of the

room, turned it loose herself, and quietly walking away, lay
down as if she were going to sleep. Then Evelyn saw that
she did not mean to hurt it, so she sat and watched the
mouse, which remained quite still for some time.
After a while it moved a little, to see if Kittykin was really
asleep. Kittykin did not stir. H er eyes were fast shut, and

the mouse seemed satisfied ; so, after waiting a bit, it made a
little dash toward the bureau. In a single bound Kittykin
was right over it, and had laid her white paw on it. She did
not, however, appear to intend it any injury, but began to
play with it just as Evelyn would have liked to do ; and. lying

down, she rolled over and over, holding it up and tossing it
gently, quite as Evelyn sometimes did her, or patting it and
admiring; it as if it had been the sweetest little mouse in the
yj-
world. The mouse, too, appeared not to mind it the least