n had to wait but a short time before he saw puss steal
along near the wall, where she gently agitated the bell wire.

"Cook obeyed the summons, and left the kitchen, when the cat sprang from
her hiding place, and catching a pigeon, just ready for the oven, in her
mouth, ran into the cellar to enjoy her plunder."

This instance of intelligence caused a hearty laugh among the hearers,
which had not quite ceased when Mr. Lee said, "I have been told that a
garrison of disciplined cats was once kept on the island of Cyprus, for
the purpose of destroying the serpents with which it was infested. They
were so well trained that they came in to their meals at the sound of a
bell, and at a similar signal returned in order to the chase, where they
were equally zealous and successful."

CHAPTER V.

KITTY AND THE FISH.

One morning, when Minnie went down stairs, she found Fidelle apparently
much distressed at having stepped into some water which the chamber girl
had accidentally spilled on the floor.

Puss shook one foot and then another in the most dainty manner imaginable,
and then, going to a dry place, sat down to lick her paws.

"What can be the reason cats don't like water?" Minnie asked her mother.
"Leo thinks a bath very refreshing, and I suppose Tiney would if Kate
did not scrub her so hard."

"I don't know, my dear, why it is so; but they do almost always dread
the water. Though they are extremely fond of fish, they seldom venture
into the water after it, but wait for it to be brought to them.

"But there are cases where they have become expert fishers. I remember
an account now which I think will interest you.

"A widow woman by the name of Rogers had a large family of children
dependent on her for support. By practising the greatest economy, they
were able to live for several years. At last there came a famine, when
provision of every kind was so scarce that this poor family were reduced
to the verge of starvation. Twenty-four hours had passed without one
mouthful of food, and the widow knew not where to obtain any; when,
hearing a faint scratching at the door, she went to open it. She saw
there a sight which made tears of grateful joy stream from her eyes. The
cat, which had long been an inmate of the family, a sharer of their
prosperity and adversity, with whom one of the children had divided her
last crust,--this cat stood at the door, holding in her mouth a large
fish, which furnished all the house