, I've something very curious to tell you, so listen
quietly and then I'll give you your dinners," said Molly, addressing the
nine cats who came trooping after her as she went into the shed-chamber
with a bowl of milk and a plate of scraps in her hands. She had taught
them to behave well at meals, so, though their eyes glared and their
tails quivered with impatience, they obeyed; and when she put the food
on a high shelf and retired to the big basket, the four old cats sat
demurely down before her, while the five kits scrambled after her and
tumbled into her lap, as if hoping to hasten the desired feast by their
innocent gambols.

Granny, Tobias, Mortification, and Molasses were the elders. Granny, a
gray old puss, was the mother and grandmother of all the rest. Tobias
was her eldest son, and Mortification his brother, so named because he
had lost his tail, which affliction depressed his spirits and cast a
blight over his young life. Molasses was a yellow cat, the mamma of four
of the kits, the fifth being Granny's latest darling. Toddlekins, the
little aunt, was the image of her mother, and very sedate even at that
early age; Miss Muffet, so called from her dread of spiders, was a timid
black and white kit; Beauty, a pretty Maltese, with a serene little face
and pink nose; Ragbag, a funny thing, every color that a cat could be;
and Scamp, who well deserved his name, for he was the plague of Miss
Bat's life, and Molly's especial pet.

He was now perched on her shoulder, and, as she talked, kept peeping
into her face or biting her ear in the most impertinent way, while the
others sprawled in her lap or promenaded round the basket rim.

"My friends, something very remarkable has happened: Miss Bat is
cleaning house!" and, having made this announcement, Molly leaned back
to see how the cats received it, for she insisted that they understood
all she said to them.

Tobias stared, Mortification lay down as if it was too much for him,
Molasses beat her tail on the floor as if whipping a dusty carpet, and
Granny began to purr approvingly. The giddy kits paid no attention, as
they did not know what house-cleaning meant, happy little dears!

"I thought you'd like it, Granny, for you are a decent cat, and know
what is proper," continued Molly, leaning down to stroke the old puss,
who blinked affectionately at her. "I can't imagine what put it into
Miss Bat's head. I never said a word, and gave up groaning over the
clutter, as