n end. Still she managed to speak in
her very softest voice.

"Did you know--" she inquired--"did you know that Johnnie Green had gone
swimming in the mill pond?"

"No!" said Spot. "Has he? I hope he'll have a good time. I had a fine
swim yesterday in Black Creek. And I almost caught a muskrat there."

As he spoke he rose and walked across the big, square kitchen and
stretched himself out on the floor right in front of the table where the
leg of mutton lay.

At that Miss Kitty Cat gave a terrible cry of rage.

"I know why you won't leave the kitchen!" she yowled. "You think I'm
going to eat some of that mutton. And that's why you've lain down
alongside it."

XI

MRS. GREEN'S MISTAKE

Old dog Spot never moved from the place where he was lying in front of
the kitchen table. Although Miss Kitty Cat had told him angrily that he
thought she was going to enjoy a luncheon on the leg of mutton that was
on the kitchen table, he didn't lose his temper.

"Pardon me!" he said. "You are mistaken. I don't think you're going to
have even a taste of this mutton--not while I'm in the kitchen!"

Miss Kitty Cat was furious. She had done her best to make Spot go away.
She had dropped a number of hints to get him out of doors. But Spot
hadn't taken a single one of them.

"You're a meddlesome old dog," she scolded. "I've a good mind to drag my
claws across your nose."

Spot grinned at her.

"If you do," he warned her, "I shall yelp. Then Mrs. Green will hurry
back here to see what's going on. And you certainly won't get any mutton
while she's in the kitchen. I happen to know that the family's going to
have that leg of mutton for dinner to-morrow."

"There ought to be enough of it for everybody," Miss Kitty Cat grumbled.
"If I ate a bit of it nobody would ever miss it. And after I've finished
my meal there would be nothing to prevent your helping yourself. I
certainly shouldn't stand in your way--nor lie in it, either."

Old dog Spot couldn't help sniffing.

"I never snatch any food when Mrs. Green's back is turned," he told Miss
Kitty Cat severely. "She feeds me all she thinks I ought to eat. And if
I want more, I hunt for it in the woods and fields."

"Don't I hunt?" Miss Kitty Cat hissed. "I keep the house free of rats
and mice. Mrs. Green could well spare me a bit of that mutton in return
for all I do for her.... I'll thank you, sir, to move away from that
table!"

Old Spot began to look somewhat anxious. H