rn again, for I knew there must be something inside
or she would not have jumped at me that way! We are always very friendly,
you know." Fido continued. "And what was my surprise to find three tiny
little kittens in an old basket, 'way back in a dark corner!"

"Go get them, Fido, and bring them up so we can see them!" said the tin
soldier.

"Not me!" said Fido, "If I had a suit of tin clothes on like you have I
might do it, but you know cats can scratch very hard if they want to!"

"We will tell Raggedy when she comes in!" said the French doll, and then
Fido went out to play with a neighbor dog.

So when Raggedy Ann had been returned to the nursery the dolls could
hardly wait until Marcella had put on their nighties and left them for
the night.

Then they told Raggedy Ann all about the kittens.

Raggedy Ann jumped from her bed and ran over to Fido's basket; he wasn't
there.

Then Raggedy suggested that all the dolls go out to the barn and see the
kittens. This they did easily, for the window was open and it was but a
short jump to the ground.

They found Fido out near the barn watching a hole.

"I was afraid something might disturb them," he said, "for Mamma Cat
went away about an hour ago."

All the dolls, with Raggedy Ann in the lead, crawled through the hole
and ran to the basket.

[Illustration]

Just as Raggedy Ann started to pick up one of the kittens there was a
lot of howling and yelping and Fido came bounding through the hole with
Mamma Cat behind him. When Mamma Cat caught up with Fido he would yelp.

When Fido and Mamma Cat had circled the barn two or three times Fido
managed to find the hole and escape to the yard; then Mamma Cat came
over to the basket and saw all the dolls.

"I'm s'prised at you, Mamma Cat!" said Raggedy Ann, "Fido has been
watching your kittens for an hour while you were away. He wouldn't hurt
them for anything!"

"I'm sorry, then," said Mamma Cat.

"You must trust Fido, Mamma Cat!" said Raggedy Ann, "because he loves
you and anyone who loves you can be trusted!"

"That's so!" replied Mamma Cat. "Cats love mice, too, and I wish the
mice trusted us more!"

The dolls all laughed at this joke.

"Have you told the folks up at the house about your dear little
kittens?" Raggedy Ann asked.

"Oh, my, no!" exclaimed Mamma Cat. "At the last place I lived the people
found out about my kittens and do you know, all the kittens disappeared!
I intend keeping this a secret!"