nity of forwarding
letters from Stoney Creek since it was dispatched. Now, the next
opportunity that occurs--"

"Mee-aow!" interrupted the cat, which had just finished two pats of
fresh butter without being detected, and began, rather recklessly, to
exult.

"Hang that cat!" cried the old gentleman angrily, "it'll be the death o'
me yet;" and seizing the first thing that came to hand, which happened
to be the loaf of bread, discharged it with such violence, and with so
correct an aim, that it knocked, not only the cat, but the teapot and
sugar-bowl also, off the table.

"O dear papa!" exclaimed Kate.

"Really, my dear," cried Mr Kennedy, half angry and half ashamed, "we
must get rid of that brute immediately. It has scarcely been a week
here, and it has done more mischief already than a score of ordinary
cats would have done in a twelvemonth."

"But then, the mice, papa--"

"Well, but--but--oh, hang the mice!"

"Yes; but how are we to catch them?" said Kate.

At this moment the cook, who had heard the sound of breaking crockery,
and judged it expedient that he should be present, opened the door.

"How now, rascal!" exclaimed his master, striding up to him. "Did I
ring for you, eh?"

"No, sir; but--"

"But! eh, but! no more `buts,' you scoundrel, else I'll--"

The motion of Mr Kennedy's fist warned the cook to make a precipitate
retreat, which he did at the same moment that the cat resolved to run
for its life. This caused them to meet in the doorway, and making a
compound entanglement with the mat, they both fell into the passage with
a loud crash. Mr Kennedy shut the door gently, and returned to his
chair, patting Kate on the head as he passed.

"Now, darling, go on with what you were saying; and don't mind the
teapot--let it lie."

"Well," resumed Kate, with a smile, "I was saying that the next
opportunity Charley can have will be by the brigade in spring, which we
expect to arrive here, you know, a month hence; but we won't get a
letter by that, as I feel convinced that he and Harry will come by it
themselves."

"And the express canoe, Kate--the express canoe," said Mr Kennedy, with
a contortion of the left side of his head that was intended for a wink;
"you know they got leave to come by express, Kate."

"Oh, as to the express, father, I don't expect them to come by that, as
poor Harry Somerville has been so ill that they would never think of
venturing to subject him to all the discomforts,