ra took her up in her arms, and going down to the kitchen, asked Mary
to give her a saucer of her very sweetest milk for the best cat in the
United States of America.

Malta got great praise for this, and I never knew of her catching a bird
afterward. She was well fed in the house, and had no need to hurt such
harmless creatures.

She was very fond of her home, and never went far away, as Jim and I
did. Once, when Willie was going to spend a few weeks with a little
friend who lived fifty miles from Fairport, he took it into his head
that Malta should go with him. His mother told him that cats did not
like to go away from home; but he said he would be good to her, and
begged so hard to take her, that at last his mother consented.

He had been a few days in this place, when he wrote home to say that
Malta had run away. She had seemed very unhappy, and though he had kept
her with him all the time, she had acted as if she wanted to get away.

When the letter was read to Mr. Morris, he said, "Malta is on her way
home. Cats have a wonderful cleverness in finding their way to their own
dwelling. She will be very tired. Let us go out and meet her."

Willie had gone to this place in a coach. Mr. Morris got a buggy and
took Miss Laura and me with him, and we started out. We went slowly
along the road. Every little while Miss Laura blew her whistle, and
called, "Malta, Malta," and I barked as loudly as I could. Mr. Morris
drove for several hours, then we stopped at a house, had dinner, and
then set out again. We were going through a thick wood, where there was
a pretty straight road, when I saw a small, dark creature away ahead,
trotting toward us. It was Malta. I gave a joyful bark, but she did not
know me, and plunged into the wood.

I ran in after her, barking and yelping, and Miss Laura blew her whistle
as loudly as she could. Soon there was a little gray head peeping at us
from the bushes, and Malta bounded out, gave me a look of surprise and
then leaped into the buggy on Miss Laura's lap.

What a happy cat she was! She purred with delight, and licked Miss
Laura's gloves over and over again. Then she ate the food they had
brought, and went sound asleep. She was very thin, and for several days
after getting home she slept the most of the time.

Malta did not like dogs, but she was very good to cats. One day, when
there was no one about and the garden was very quiet, I saw her go
stealing into the stable, and come out a