full of cats. Did
you ever hear such a mewing, Jane?"

That was the housekeeper's voice. The three, each of whom carried a
squirming burlap potato-bag from the Trumbull cellar, stood close to a
clump of stately pines full of windy songs, and trembled.

"It do sound like cats, ma'am," said another voice, which was Jane's,
the maid, who had brought Mrs. Meeks, the housekeeper, a cup of hot
water and peppermint, because her dinner had disagreed with her.

"Just listen," said Mrs. Meeks.

"Yes, ma'am, I should think there was hundreds of cats and little
kittens."

"I am so afraid Mr. Van Ness will be disturbed."

"Yes, ma'am."

"You might go out and look, Jane."

"Oh, ma'am, they might be burglars!"

"How can they be burglars when they are cats?" demanded Mrs. Meeks,
testily.

Arnold Carruth snickered, and Johnny on one side, and Lily on the other,
prodded him with an elbow. They were close under the window.

"Burglars is up to all sorts of queer tricks, ma'am," said Jane. "They
may mew like cats to tell one another what door to go in."

"Jane, you talk like an idiot," said Mrs. Meeks. "Burglars talking like
cats! Who ever heard of such a thing? It sounds right under that window.
Open my closet door and get those heavy old shoes and throw them out."

It was an awful moment. The three dared not move. The cats and kittens
in the bags--not so many, after all--seemed to have turned into
multiplication-tables. They were positively alarming in their
determination to get out, their wrath with one another, and their
vociferous discontent with the whole situation.

"I can't hold my bag much longer," said poor little Arnold Carruth.

"Hush up, cry-baby!" whispered Lily, fiercely, in spite of a clawing paw
emerging from her own bag and threatening her bare arm.

Then came the shoes. One struck Arnold squarely on the shoulder, nearly
knocking him down and making him lose hold of his bag. The other struck
Lily's bag, and conditions became worse; but she held on despite a
scratch. Lily had pluck.

Then Jane's voice sounded very near, as she leaned out of the window. "I
guess they have went, ma'am," said she. "I seen something run."

"I can hear them," said Mrs. Meeks, querulously.

"I seen them run," persisted Jane, who was tired and wished to be gone.

"Well, close that window, anyway, for I know I hear them, even if they
have gone," said Mrs. Meeks. The three heard with relief the window
slammed down.

The li