itties, only I never seed 'em. Dr. Brown is a liar!" he added suddenly,
with startling emphasis.

"Why, Benny!" cried Hildegarde. "What do you mean? You mustn't say such
things, dear child."

"He _is_ a liar!" Benny maintained stoutly. "He said ve brown kitties
was in my froat. Vey wasn't; so he's a liar. P'r'aps he's 'fraid too,
but I isn't."

For several days the greatest care was taken to keep Benny out of Dr.
Johnson's way. When the imperious mew was heard at the dining-room door
after dinner, the child was hurried through with the last spoonfuls of
his pudding, and whisked away to the parlor before the cat was let in.
Nor would Miss Wealthy herself go into the parlor when the Doctor had
finished his dessert, till she was sure that Benny had been taken out of
doors. Hildegarde was inclined to remonstrate at this course of action,
but Miss Wealthy would not listen to her.

"My dear," she said, "it does not do to trifle with a character like the
Doctor's. I tremble to think what he might do if once thoroughly roused
to anger. He is accustomed to respect, and demands it; and we must
remember, my dear, that even in the domestic cat lies dormant the spirit
of the Royal Bengal Tiger. No, my dear Hildegarde, we are responsible
for this child's life, and we must at any cost keep him out of the
Doctor's way."

But fate, which rules both cats and tigers, had ordained otherwise. One
day Hildegarde had gone out to the stable to give a message to Jeremiah,
and had left Benny playing by the back door, where Martha had promised
to "have an eye to him" as she shelled the peas.

[Illustration: "'OH, SUCH A DEE OLE KITTY!'"]

On her return, Hildegarde found that the child had run round to the
front of the house; and she followed in that direction, led by the sound
of his voice, which resounded loud and clear. Whom was he talking to?
Hildegarde wondered. Rose was upstairs writing letters, and Cousin
Wealthy was taking a nap. But now the words were plainly audible.
"Dee ole kitty! Oh, _such_ a dee ole kitty! Ole fat kyat, I lubby you."

Holding her breath, Hildegarde peeped round the corner of the house.
There on the piazza, lay Dr. Johnson, fast asleep in the sunshine; and
beside him stood Benny, regarding him with affectionate satisfaction. "I
ain't seed you for yever so long, ole fat kyat!" he continued; "where
has you been? You is _so_ fat, you make a nice pillow for Benny. Benny
go to sleep with ole fat kyat for a pillow.