all suck at
once," said Johnny; "but it wouldn't be fair to cheat her that way."

"Won't know!" said Phil. "That's all you know about cats! She'll know
they ain't hers as quick as she sees them."

It was a very droll sight to see Mammy Tittleback when the strange
kittens were put down by her side. She was half asleep, and some of her
own kittens had gone to sleep sucking their dinners; but the instant
these poor famished little things were put down by her, two of them
began to suck as if they had never had anything to eat before, since
they were born. Mammy Tittleback opened her eyes, and jumped up so quick
she knocked all the kittens head over heels into a heap. Then she began
smelling at kitten after kitten, and licking her own as she smelled
them, till she came to the strangers, when she growled a little, and
sniffed and sniffed; if cats could turn up their noses, she'd have
turned up hers, but as she couldn't she only growled and pushed them
with her paw, and looked at them, all the time sniffing contemptuously.
Johnny and Rosy were nearly ready to cry.

"Is she 'dopting 'em?" whispered Rosy.

"Keep still, can't you!" said Phil; "don't interrupt her. Let her do as
she wants to."

The children held their breaths and watched. It looked very
discouraging. Mammy Tittleback walked round and round, looking much
perplexed and not at all pleased. One minute she would stand still and
stare at the pile of kittens, as if she did not know what to make of it;
then she would fall to smelling and licking her own. At last, by
mistake perhaps, she gave a little lick to one of the orphans.

[Illustration: "Mammy Tittleback walked round and round, looking much
perplexed and not at all pleased."--PAGE 28.]

"Oh, oh," screamed Johnny, "she's going to, she's licked it;" at which
Phil gave Johnny a great shake, and told him to be quiet or he'd spoil
everything. Presently Mammy Tittleback lay down again and stretched
herself out, and in less than a minute all six of her own kittens and
the two strongest of the strangers were sucking away as hard as ever
they could.

The children jumped for joy; but their joy was dampened by the sight of
the other two feeble little kittens, who lay quite still and did not try
to crowd in among the rest.

"Are they dead?" asked Rosy.

"No," said Johnny, picking them up,--"no; but I guess they will die
pretty soon, they don't maow." And he laid them down very gently close
in between Mammy Tittle