shall have to send him to
school."

"Not yet," said Frances.

School was the thing in the future that she dreaded. Nicky was only
nine, and they were all getting on well with Mt. Parsons. Anthony knew
that to send Nicky to school now would be punishing Frances, not Nicky.
The little fiend would only grin in their faces if they told him he was
going to school.

It was no use trying to make impressions on Nicky. He was as hard as
nails. He would never feel things.

Perhaps, Frances thought, it was just as well.

V

"I do think it was nice of Jane," said Nicky, "to have Jerry."

"And I do think it was nice of me," said Dorothy, "to give him to you."

Jane was Dorothy's cat; therefore her kittens were Dorothy's.

"I wouldn't have given him to just anybody."

"I know," said Nicky.

"I might have kept him. He's the nicest kitten Jane ever had."

"I know," said Nicky. "It _was_ nice of you."

"I might want him back again."

"I--know."

Nicky was quiet and serious, almost humble, as if he went in the fear of
losing Jerry. Nobody but Jerry and Dorothy saw Nicky in that mood.

Not that he was really afraid. Nothing could take Jerry from him. If
Dorothy could have taken him back again she wouldn't have, not even if
she had really wanted him. Dorothy wasn't cruel, and she was
only ragging.

But certainly he was Jane's nicest kitten. Jane was half-Persian, white
with untidy tabby patterns on her. Jerry was black all over. Whatever
attitude he took, his tight, short fur kept the outlines of his figure
firm and clear, whether he arched his back and jumped sideways, or
rolled himself into a cushion, or squatted with haunches spread and
paws doubled in under his breast, or sat bolt upright with his four legs
straight like pillars, and his tail curled about his feet. Jerry's coat
shone like black looking-glass, and the top of his head smelt sweet,
like a dove's breast.

And he had yellow eyes. Mary-Nanna said they would turn green some day.
But Nicky didn't believe it. Mary-Nanna was only ragging. Jerry's eyes
would always be yellow.

Mr. Parsons declared that Nicky sat for whole hours meditating on Jerry,
as if in this way he could make him last longer.

Jerry's life was wonderful to Nicky. Once he was so small that his body
covered hardly the palm of your hand; you could see his skin; it felt
soft and weak through the thin fur, sleeked flat and wet where Jane had
licked it. His eyes were buttoned up tigh