great personages in their own little
village, who would be quite unnoticed elsewhere. I hope that may be our
case."

"You _hope_!" exclaimed I, almost with a bark; for in spite of my fears,
I by no means admired Pussy's modest style of consolation. Mortification
got the better of prudence, and I felt that I would rather fight every
day and all day long than not be thought worth fighting with.

"I hope it for myself," she answered; "but I do not expect you to be of
the same opinion. I am content to shun danger and avoid blame; but it is
your nature to meet peril and to court praise."

"You are rather inconsistent," interrupted I, somewhat nettled: "one of
your objections to coming with me was, that you thought you could be of
no use in London; and now you are wishing to be altogether unnoticed."

"I do not see any contradiction," she replied; "one may be useful
without being conspicuous. If I can fill my own little post quietly, so
as to please you and my master, I am content that no one else should
even know of my existence. My climbing exploits are only for my own
pleasure, as you know. I have no ambition."

"Such a life would not satisfy me at all," I answered.

"So much the better," said Puss; "there would be few great things done
in the world if no one were more energetic or daring than I. It is a
capital thing that there should be such as you, able and willing to
defend the weak, and to stand up for the right without fear of
consequences. It is your proper part, and I am truly grateful to you for
acting it so nobly as you did yesterday."

This view of the matter soothed my feelings; and for the present, at any
rate, I was glad that Pussy's retiring disposition should have its way.
The more she crept through by-ways and slunk into corners, the better I
was pleased, for I was too fond of her to wish to see her in danger for
the sake of my own honour and glory.

So with care and caution we went on our way, taking every means to avoid
not only dogs and boys, but even older and wiser beings; and at last,
under lamp-posts and door-posts, through kennels and gutters, now
creeping along the ledge of a wall, now hiding under the shelter of a
friendly porch, always watching each other at every step we took, we
arrived at our own door.

All necessity for caution being now happily at an end, I indulged myself
in a bark loud enough to rouse the house, though too joyous to alarm it.
Presently our good friend John appea