was the Cat. They did not feel afraid of Hawks and Owls because they
lived indoors. Weasels did not often come up to the barn, and men made
so much noise when they were around that any wide-awake Mouse could
easily keep out of their way. With the Cat it was different. She was
always prowling around in the night-time, just when they had their
finest parties; and many a young Mouse had been scared away from a
midnight supper by seeing her eyes glowing like balls of fire in the
darkness. By daylight it was not so bad, for they could see her coming,
and besides, she slept much of the time then.

They were talking about her when in the corn-crib. "Have any of you seen
the Cat to-day?" asked the Oldest Mouse.

Nobody answered. Then one young fellow, who was always worrying, said:
"Supposing she should come out of the barn now! Supposing she should
come right toward this corn-crib! Supposing she should stand right under
the floor! Supposing she should catch us as we jumped down!
Supposing----"

But here the other young Mice all squeaked to him to stop, and one of
them declared that it made her fur stand on end to think of it. The
Oldest Mouse spoke quite sharply. "Supposing," said he to the first
young Mouse, "you should eat more and talk less. There are enough
pleasant things to speak about without scaring all your friends in this
way."

The young Mouse who said that her fur stood on end couldn't eat anything
more, she was so frightened. "What could we do," she said, "if the Cat
should come?"

"Stay right where we are," answered her mother. "She couldn't reach us
with the door closed. Now go on with your eating and don't be foolish."

A Rat ran up the board. "Good-morning," said he. "Have you heard the
news?"

"No, no!" cried the Mice, hurrying to that side of the corn-crib, and
peeping through the crack.

"The Yellow Kitten has been hunting with her mother, and they say that
her brother is going to-night."

"Well," said a mother Mouse, "I knew we would have to expect it, but I
did hope they would wait a while. Now, children," she added, "do be
careful! I know that when you are looking for food you have to go into
dangerous places, but don't stop there to talk or to clean your fur.
Find safe corners for that, or I shall worry about you all the time."

"We will," squeaked all the little Mice together. "We will be very, very
careful."

"Thank you for the news," said the Oldest Mouse to the Rat. "We will try
to s